Tomorrow is Olivia's cast change so we are hopefully have our last "bath" in the kitchen sink. Olivia loves her hair to be washed, though she is so sensitive it is hard to wash :)
We also try and clip her finger nails and toe nails, which she doesn't like as she wants LONG NAILS. But really long nails limit her use of her hands. Jordan, Olivia's bog brother drew pokoman all over her cast. He wanted her to like pokoman so that he could watch it with her. Little did he know she would LOVE it... so now she wants to watch it so much he is TIRED OF IT... laugh (see photos)
I can't wait to see what her new cast looks like and to get rid of her current cast, as a close smell still smells like pee... :( Despite all our attempts to tuck baby wipes all over when she needs to pee, and my husband special chair to help he sit up straight when she pees. As girls don't pee well in a bed pan.
I also called the school, despite the fact that I went in and registered the first week we got home, they still haven't provided a tutor. They wait a week or two then tell me they need something else, then it takes me a few days to get it, then there is always something else... so frustrating.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Thursday, September 13, 2007
9/12/2007 Dental Update
Well the dentist called and have now informed us that our "portion" of Olivia's surgery is now $5,300. (up from the $4,300 they originally estimated) I am just having a stressful day, I just don't know how we will cover that. It is hard enough right now to get through the day to day chores with a child in a body cast, a husband that works out of town 5 days a week, and a house that we are still trying to finish remodeling so we can sell and move to Cedar City, so we can be with "daddy". Not to mention I also TRY and work from home, which is hard lately with Olivia in her condition, and needing help with everything. (and unable to go to school, etc.)
This is one of those days that I am just overwhelmed with it all. If anyone knows of any organizations that will help with dental work, please, please let me know. Since Olivia is now complaining of pain we can't delay her dental surgery, yet I just don't see how we can get that much money in less then two weeks. The hospital will let us make payments, but the rest has to be paid up front. The dental work is over $3,000 ($2,000 of which we will need to cover), the hospital bill is another $2,500 and the anesthesiologist is another $800.
We tried to get grants for Olivia's adoption, but were unable to get one since we are "Mormon", and apparently not Christian to the agencies that award the grants. So I seriously doubt that we will be able to get any assistance with this bill either.
But we are open to ANY suggestions that anyone has, or possibly any programs that are out there that I am not aware of.
This is one of those days that I am just overwhelmed with it all. If anyone knows of any organizations that will help with dental work, please, please let me know. Since Olivia is now complaining of pain we can't delay her dental surgery, yet I just don't see how we can get that much money in less then two weeks. The hospital will let us make payments, but the rest has to be paid up front. The dental work is over $3,000 ($2,000 of which we will need to cover), the hospital bill is another $2,500 and the anesthesiologist is another $800.
We tried to get grants for Olivia's adoption, but were unable to get one since we are "Mormon", and apparently not Christian to the agencies that award the grants. So I seriously doubt that we will be able to get any assistance with this bill either.
But we are open to ANY suggestions that anyone has, or possibly any programs that are out there that I am not aware of.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
9/11/2007 Dental Work - Fundraiser
We are worried about how we are going to pay her $4,300 dental bill in two weeks. (this is our portion AFTER insurance) Olivia has cavities in ALL, yes all her teeth. We were considering rescheduling it one month later to buy us some time to get the money together. But 3 days ago she started complaining about tooth pain. So delaying it is no longer an option.
Since we are looking at moving next year I have been cleaning out our entire home and selling anything that we don't intend to move. Thank heaven for Craigslist.com and ksl.com. I am applying all this to help cover Olivia's dental bill.
So this Saturday we will be having a huge sale at our home. If you are looking for any baby clothing, boys or girls (we are selling the twins clothing they have out grown) please come, or email me and I can email you photos if what is available. (or anyone else that you know might be interested.) All items are in EXCELLENT condition, or we donated them. We also have many items in our ebay store here is the link.... http://stores.ebay.com/GYMBOBRACELETS
We are also still selling the custom made bracelets to help cover the never ending costs to care for our little Olivia. We hope to grow this business to the point that Olivia can run it and live off it when she is older. She LOVES jewelry, and it will be great therapy for her hands :)
Since we are looking at moving next year I have been cleaning out our entire home and selling anything that we don't intend to move. Thank heaven for Craigslist.com and ksl.com. I am applying all this to help cover Olivia's dental bill.
So this Saturday we will be having a huge sale at our home. If you are looking for any baby clothing, boys or girls (we are selling the twins clothing they have out grown) please come, or email me and I can email you photos if what is available. (or anyone else that you know might be interested.) All items are in EXCELLENT condition, or we donated them. We also have many items in our ebay store here is the link.... http://stores.ebay.com/GYMBOBRACELETS
We are also still selling the custom made bracelets to help cover the never ending costs to care for our little Olivia. We hope to grow this business to the point that Olivia can run it and live off it when she is older. She LOVES jewelry, and it will be great therapy for her hands :)
9/10/2007 One week to go...
Well exactly one more week and Olivia gets her new cast. We (and she) are very excited. She is pretty happy all considered and with her new chair and table that daddy made her 2nd week in the cast, she can do so much more. Daddy also added a potty bucket to it. The potty part of the cast is the hardest, since her cast is almost in a laying position.
She was so happy about the chair, and even the next morning when she woke up the first thing she said was "thank you for my chair". I will post photos of it soon.
Olivia is doing MUCH better. She seldom has tantrums anymore, they were a DOZY for a while. We honestly just ignored them and demo'd how we wanted her to ask for things, or behave. When she through a big tantrum we would take her to her room and let her throw the biggest tantrum she wanted. Then when she was done she could come out. In the beginning they could be an hour long. Then she learned that once she was calm and asked for things she was much happier and got more of what she wanted. I must say the cast also helped LOL Before the cast she would throw herself all over the room and hit and scream. But the cast really limits her ability to do that. She would at times bite her shirt, since that was about all she could do. It has now been weeks since she has thrown any tantrums.
Her English is amazing and she understands almost everything we say. She is also very good with please and thank you. If the twins forget to tell her thank you, she even reminds them...LOL
The sharing is also getting much better. That was also really hard in the beginning, but we knew that she never really had things, and now she wanted to hoard her things... and she wanted ANYTHING that anyone else had. (Which is not uncommon in most children).
We have tried to really praise her for sharing, so now when she shares she likes to point out to us that she is sharing... she will say "look mommy, Olivia sharing... good job Olivia"... she always tells her self good job...LOL
She was so happy about the chair, and even the next morning when she woke up the first thing she said was "thank you for my chair". I will post photos of it soon.
Olivia is doing MUCH better. She seldom has tantrums anymore, they were a DOZY for a while. We honestly just ignored them and demo'd how we wanted her to ask for things, or behave. When she through a big tantrum we would take her to her room and let her throw the biggest tantrum she wanted. Then when she was done she could come out. In the beginning they could be an hour long. Then she learned that once she was calm and asked for things she was much happier and got more of what she wanted. I must say the cast also helped LOL Before the cast she would throw herself all over the room and hit and scream. But the cast really limits her ability to do that. She would at times bite her shirt, since that was about all she could do. It has now been weeks since she has thrown any tantrums.
Her English is amazing and she understands almost everything we say. She is also very good with please and thank you. If the twins forget to tell her thank you, she even reminds them...LOL
The sharing is also getting much better. That was also really hard in the beginning, but we knew that she never really had things, and now she wanted to hoard her things... and she wanted ANYTHING that anyone else had. (Which is not uncommon in most children).
We have tried to really praise her for sharing, so now when she shares she likes to point out to us that she is sharing... she will say "look mommy, Olivia sharing... good job Olivia"... she always tells her self good job...LOL
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
8/23/2007 Olivia's 2nd Tooth
Olivia's other front tooth was so loose that she was able to twist it sideways, so we decided to pull it out. We tied the dental floss on the tooth, and barely pulled it and it came out.
She was very happy that her two teeth came out, she likes to stick her tongue through the hole. We can already see both her permanent teeth. I can't wait to finally have some WHITE teeth in her mouth. Though I worry about the condition of her permanent teeth since her nutrition over the years has not been great. But I guess only time will tell.
Bennett also now keeps asking us to pull his teeth... LOL
She was very happy that her two teeth came out, she likes to stick her tongue through the hole. We can already see both her permanent teeth. I can't wait to finally have some WHITE teeth in her mouth. Though I worry about the condition of her permanent teeth since her nutrition over the years has not been great. But I guess only time will tell.
Bennett also now keeps asking us to pull his teeth... LOL
Friday, August 17, 2007
8/16/2007 Olivia lost her first tooth
Olivia's front two teeth have been very loose for some time, and one (the right front tooth) was literally hanging on by a thread, I was beginning to worry that she might choke on it. She couldn't even bite with her front teeth as it was so loose. So I decided to pull it. So we wrapped a little dental floss on it and tied a small knot and just pulled it down, it came out really easy. So easy that Olivia laughed when the string came off, as she thought I missed her tooth. Little did she know that it was handing on the string... LAUGH
When I showed her the tooth was out she just said "HEY". She was thrilled to get a sucker and liked that it fit in the new hole.
For several hours she commented that her "Tooth...all gone".
Unfortunately our 3 year old twin son saw this event and immediately started sobbing. I think he thought we were just torturing Olivia. We had to explain that her tooth was loose an we just helped it come out for her new tooth. But I am not sure that he really understood.
Techincally this is Olivia's 3rd tooth. Her front bottom teeth came out at the orphanage between our 1st and 2nd visit. But her permanent teeth had come in behind her baby teeth, and were all the way in, so I am guessing that they pulled those two teeth.
When I showed her the tooth was out she just said "HEY". She was thrilled to get a sucker and liked that it fit in the new hole.
For several hours she commented that her "Tooth...all gone".
Unfortunately our 3 year old twin son saw this event and immediately started sobbing. I think he thought we were just torturing Olivia. We had to explain that her tooth was loose an we just helped it come out for her new tooth. But I am not sure that he really understood.
Techincally this is Olivia's 3rd tooth. Her front bottom teeth came out at the orphanage between our 1st and 2nd visit. But her permanent teeth had come in behind her baby teeth, and were all the way in, so I am guessing that they pulled those two teeth.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
8/11/2007 Potty Difficulties - Tips :)
The potty situation was difficult before her surgery, but now almost impossible. She pees weird, basically into one leg which sprays EVERYWHERE, even up her bum all the way up the back when she is sitting on the toilet.
So now I have to try and get it in a small bed pan with her in a almost laying position. After many different attempts and methods I think the best way is to put her "diaper" (I found I like the mens pads for men with bladder issues, the fit her cast opening the best) wrapped around the back of the bed pan, and I put wipes on her "Va Jay Jay", to help it go down and not all over.
Unfortunately trying to figure all this out she has got pee on her cast and it already smells like pee. I have tried to "clean" it as much as I can, but it is driving me nuts... 5 more weeks until her cast change...uggghhh
I also learned that most moms put duct tape around the cast edge to sort of seal it, then do the petals. I wish I had known that before we left the hospital and before she peed on her cast. I did go to Michaels Crafts to get the cute colored duct tape and have now duct taped the edge of her cast and re-petalled it. But a little late.
So now I have to try and get it in a small bed pan with her in a almost laying position. After many different attempts and methods I think the best way is to put her "diaper" (I found I like the mens pads for men with bladder issues, the fit her cast opening the best) wrapped around the back of the bed pan, and I put wipes on her "Va Jay Jay", to help it go down and not all over.
Unfortunately trying to figure all this out she has got pee on her cast and it already smells like pee. I have tried to "clean" it as much as I can, but it is driving me nuts... 5 more weeks until her cast change...uggghhh
I also learned that most moms put duct tape around the cast edge to sort of seal it, then do the petals. I wish I had known that before we left the hospital and before she peed on her cast. I did go to Michaels Crafts to get the cute colored duct tape and have now duct taped the edge of her cast and re-petalled it. But a little late.
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