The Plan

After countless doctor visits, x-rays, MRI's and CT scans we now have a plan for Anna's scoliosis and it is not pretty. Her spine is too bad to just have surgery as we had hoped. Mid-August she will be going into the hospital where she will have a halo screwed onto her head and she will be put in traction for approximately 4-6 weeks - yes, WEEKS! Then she will go into surgery where she will have a rod placed in her back (and yes that adds another week or so).

This has been difficult to deal with in many ways. One I don't have a family that I can just leave for 6 or so weeks. Second how in the world do I explain words like halo, traction, weeks, hospital to a child who doesn't even understand the basics of the English language. I was excited to find several Ethiopians in the area who are very willing to help us with translation, transition, etc. In God's providence there is an Ethiopian Evangelistic Church which meets 5 minutes from our house. A woman who attends that church came to the house one day to explain to Anna that she wasn't going to allowed to eat or drink when she go up in the morning (this was before her MRI for which she had to be sedated). I knew the not eating breakfast thing was not going to go over well (and it did NOT), but what was surprising to me was that having an Ethiopian come over did not go well either. Anna seems to want nothing to do with anyone from Ethiopia (we have tried having a couple of others talk to her, but it was the same). She acts like she doesn't understand what they are saying, she turns away and she certainly won't talk back to them. I'm sure there are many psychological factors involved with this, but suffice it to say it is very frustrating. So I don't think having anyone over to try and explain what is upcoming is going to be helpful. On the other hand maybe she doesn't want to know that she will wake up with a halo screwed onto her head. Either way, as the orthopedic commented to us, "you know when she wakes up she will be MAD". Yeah...thanks!

It would be an understatement to say that I have not had the best of attitudes for the last several weeks. But this is the plan, this is what God has ordained, and even though I have no idea how we will get through it, I have to trust that He will provide.