She is a hard worker and never gives up. Elshaday has such a sweet spirit and always wants to help. She is a blessing to our family.
Wednesday, June 8, 2016
Happy Birthday Elshaday
Thursday, June 2, 2016
Joshua's Story Updated
As I sit here in the hospital and watch one thing after another being pumped through my son's body I am reminded of the miracle that is my son. Please humor me as I feel like sharing his story again. I guess in a way sharing gives me some peace. I pray it touches your heart.
Joshua was found on the side of the road. He was bleeding from the nose. His body was covered in sores. He had very thin fine hair. They estimated him to be 2-3 years old. It was hard to tell because he was so tiny and developmentally delayed. I wonder what his first few years of klife was like?Considering the condition he was in when found I don't think I want to know. He was taken to the hospital and then transferred to an orphanage. The timing of the rest of his story is a little fuzzy but here is what I do know.
A group of women had been working in an orphanage for several days. Every day they would hear screaming and noise but could not locate where it was coming from. One day they saw some children hanging out of a window and began to ask questions. They were told “those children are crazy”, “we cannot understand what they are saying”. The women continued to ask about the children. God moved mountains and they were lead to the secret door. The door was locked and held shut by intertwined red and white pieces of scrap material.
Behind that door they found a few very malnourished children, mostly older children. It was unclear how long they had been locked in that room or if they had ever been out of the room. One little boy really caught their attention. His age was unknown. There was something about this little boy so they begged to take him out of the secret room. Their request was granted.
He was so fragile that his legs quivered when they tried to stand him up. His lips were drawn and he had wrinkles like an old man. However, to everyone’s surprise he had the sweetest smile and the most infectious laugh. He was so hungry. When he was fed he would lunge towards the food for more. It was obvious he had not been getting enough food.
How did he survive? It was only by the grace of God. I don't even want to imagine the nights. I will never know what he enduring physically and emotionally the first 5 years of his life. I can only imagine. I touch the scares on his body and weep. When I raise my voice he falls to the fetal position and covers his head. Oh sweet baby you are safe now.
You would think how could a child endure more? Then I went to pick up my sweet boy to complete his adoption. When I arrived in country to pick up my very malnourished son I was handed a paper with a recent blood test. I hadn't even met him yet. I was advised to speak to our doctor back in the USA before we met him in case we didn't want to follow through with the adoption. The numbers were scary. I spoke with my husband and we both agreed no way in HELL we were leaving him here to die.
I met Joshua the next day. He was pale and sick. He was very tired most of the time. We immediately took him to the hospital and very scary medical diagnosis were thrown at us. We were advised that we could not fly with him in his current condition. We had to take trains throughout the country to complete the adoption. As we went from city to city we searched for a temporary treatment so we could fly home. He would bleed a lot. He became more and more lifeless. They would not treat him. He needed a platelet transfusion in order to get on the plane and fly home. I was so afraid he was going to die right there in my arms but God is so good. I happened to be a perfect match to give him platelets. He got platelets and we got on that plane. I have never prayed so hard. It was a risk to fly. I was advised he may not survive the flight. I was not leaving him behind though.
When we arrived in the USA he was immediately admitted to the hospital where he was diagnosed with Evans Syndrome. Joshua's immune system kills his red blood cells and platelets. As if he hadn't fought enough in his young life. Now he has to fight his own body. As we are discovering in our current crisis any virus can cause a life threatening situation. Getting a virus just throws his immune system into crisis. Seriously?? Hasn't he been through enough. It's just not fair. He is so brave. He is the sweetest boy with a beautiful smile and infectious laugh. He is one of my heroes.
Joshua was found on the side of the road. He was bleeding from the nose. His body was covered in sores. He had very thin fine hair. They estimated him to be 2-3 years old. It was hard to tell because he was so tiny and developmentally delayed. I wonder what his first few years of klife was like?Considering the condition he was in when found I don't think I want to know. He was taken to the hospital and then transferred to an orphanage. The timing of the rest of his story is a little fuzzy but here is what I do know.
A group of women had been working in an orphanage for several days. Every day they would hear screaming and noise but could not locate where it was coming from. One day they saw some children hanging out of a window and began to ask questions. They were told “those children are crazy”, “we cannot understand what they are saying”. The women continued to ask about the children. God moved mountains and they were lead to the secret door. The door was locked and held shut by intertwined red and white pieces of scrap material.
Behind that door they found a few very malnourished children, mostly older children. It was unclear how long they had been locked in that room or if they had ever been out of the room. One little boy really caught their attention. His age was unknown. There was something about this little boy so they begged to take him out of the secret room. Their request was granted.
He was so fragile that his legs quivered when they tried to stand him up. His lips were drawn and he had wrinkles like an old man. However, to everyone’s surprise he had the sweetest smile and the most infectious laugh. He was so hungry. When he was fed he would lunge towards the food for more. It was obvious he had not been getting enough food.
How did he survive? It was only by the grace of God. I don't even want to imagine the nights. I will never know what he enduring physically and emotionally the first 5 years of his life. I can only imagine. I touch the scares on his body and weep. When I raise my voice he falls to the fetal position and covers his head. Oh sweet baby you are safe now.
You would think how could a child endure more? Then I went to pick up my sweet boy to complete his adoption. When I arrived in country to pick up my very malnourished son I was handed a paper with a recent blood test. I hadn't even met him yet. I was advised to speak to our doctor back in the USA before we met him in case we didn't want to follow through with the adoption. The numbers were scary. I spoke with my husband and we both agreed no way in HELL we were leaving him here to die.
I met Joshua the next day. He was pale and sick. He was very tired most of the time. We immediately took him to the hospital and very scary medical diagnosis were thrown at us. We were advised that we could not fly with him in his current condition. We had to take trains throughout the country to complete the adoption. As we went from city to city we searched for a temporary treatment so we could fly home. He would bleed a lot. He became more and more lifeless. They would not treat him. He needed a platelet transfusion in order to get on the plane and fly home. I was so afraid he was going to die right there in my arms but God is so good. I happened to be a perfect match to give him platelets. He got platelets and we got on that plane. I have never prayed so hard. It was a risk to fly. I was advised he may not survive the flight. I was not leaving him behind though.
When we arrived in the USA he was immediately admitted to the hospital where he was diagnosed with Evans Syndrome. Joshua's immune system kills his red blood cells and platelets. As if he hadn't fought enough in his young life. Now he has to fight his own body. As we are discovering in our current crisis any virus can cause a life threatening situation. Getting a virus just throws his immune system into crisis. Seriously?? Hasn't he been through enough. It's just not fair. He is so brave. He is the sweetest boy with a beautiful smile and infectious laugh. He is one of my heroes.
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