Closure?- Not really, but moving forward

A beautiful Requiem Mass in the Tridentine Rite for Jordan today-- the comforting words that he has "beaten us" to eternal salvation were great perspective. I still miss him with all my heart.

And in the same day:

All of our hotel reservations are set for our trip to the EE--- Summer in a resort town on the Black Sea-- humm not too bad--- Summer in a resort town in the Mountains--- ummm okay too! We leave in a couple of weeks.

PLUS---


The IRS has "graciously" approved our carry-forward adoption credit from Jake--- Please allow 6-8 weeks for delivery of your refund.---and I feel "Great" that we kept a couple of bureaucrats safe in their jobs for another year--- You are welcome my drone-friends.

Matthew 11:28-30

His real name is Jordan---

I guess at this point there is not need to shelter his identity--- Our little Henry.....

His Requiem Mass is Monday morning. Please pray for this little angel.

venite ad me omnes qui laboratis et onerati estis et ego reficiam vos 29 tollite iugum meum super vos et discite a me quia mitis sum et humilis corde et invenietis requiem animabus vestris 30iugum enim meum suave est et onus meum leve est.





²⁸Come to me, all you that labour, and are burdened, and I will refresh you.
    ²⁹Take up my yoke upon you, and learn of me, because I am meek, and humble of heart: and you shall find rest to your souls.
    ³⁰For my yoke is sweet and my burden light.

Papa's Day

It was a bittersweet day today. I had a great time with the kids---a special "Happy Hands" performance in Eden Park. Jake was great and loved the music--- Matt and Joey performed beautifully. James was a huge help with Jake as we walked around the reflecting pond.

Yummy BBQ for dinner, awesome gifts (I no longer need to buy a Kindle for the trip!)

Special thanks to Marie and Em for a yard marker here for Jacob/Henry--- very nice. I've been thinking about him and my own dad all day today--- wondering what fathers day in like in the arms of our Heavenly Father.

this evening, I reached out to the university in the city where Derrik lives-- I'm hoping that they have some English students that are willing to tutor him during our waiting period--- the University where Screech is has already offered to help.

t-minus 26 days until travel---

hang in there fellas, we are coming!


Love, Papa

Our Boys Together!

5 weeks till travel!

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

TRAVEL DATES!

YES!

We know when we are heading to EE. I'm a bit disappointed that it is not a couple of weeks sooner--- but nothing I can do about that. We will leave on July 15 and return on July 30. I found KILLER airfare out of Dayton for $1500 on Delta/Air France--- that is $500 less than anything else I was able to find-- SWEET!

We have plenty of time to make arrangements for camp for the kids at home and get house/dog/grandma sitters all arranged.

In a pleasant twist from earlier adoption trips this journey will take us to a seaside resort and a beautiful mountain town. A small bit of vacation while visiting Screech and Derrik--- sort of. I am taking work with me and that will keep me busy a few hours a day.

More soon!

A Jacob/Henry Update

Well-- based on the latest info we have gotten, little Jacob/Henry did not die of re-feeding syndrome--- he never actually got that much nutrition in his very short life.

He died from a common genetic defect in kids with Downs--- a defect that is surgically repaired in the west in the first days after birth.

Jacob/Henry got an infection at the site where they placed a feeding tube. It is that infection that killed him.

Simple standard western medical protocol would have kept him alive---- But for lack of funds or lack of knowledge these kids are left to die in EE.


again-- a sad day. I miss you little Henry.

Killed with Kindness?

It does not lessen the feeling of loss and it does not bring our baby back to us, but it is some comfort that it looks like the EE country where Jacob/Henry was institutionalized was trying to do the right thing--- but by doing that probably cost our precious little one his life.

We contacted an oprhan outreach NGO in this country to see if they could investigate Jacob/Henry's death.

Here is their report:

As I asked the State Agency for Child  Protection to inform me about the reasons for the death of Jacob/Henry they performed a check and replied to me two days ago. Currently the Agency implements a big project for deinstitutionalisation of the all children with disabilities from the instititutions. The needs assessment of all children was implemented in October 2010 and for certain children special measures were taken as they were at risk to die. 

So the assessment estimated that Jacob/Henry is at risk and special menu and supervision was prescribed for him. There were obviously problems with the feeding of this child as he was hospitlised at Christmas 2010 for pneumonia which often happens with the bedridden children because they are not fed properly and food enters the lungs and stays there as they do not move.

But in April 2011,Jacob/Henry was hospitalized because some stomach problems were diagnosed and the medical doctors decided to operate him. After the operation they started feeding him with a tube and not through the mouth. According to the documents air entered the stomach and this worsened the condition of the child and he died on 5 May 2011 at midnight. The official reason for the death is brain and lungs swelling as well as pneumonia.  

According to the Agency a course for feeding and intensive interaction took place in the institution in April 2011 and Jacob/Henry was included in the list of the children who would be fed in a special way but the real work with him did not start as he was hospitalized.

 It sounds very much like he could have been suffering from Re-feeding Syndrome.


Mary has a medical background and will be posting more specifics soon on her site. 


So sad----so very sad again today.