Gracie had surgery to remove the extra thumb she was born with on her left hand today. She did great. The surgery only took about 30 minutes, but I was a nervous wreck. Gracie did get cranky right before they took her back to surgery, but that’s because she hadn’t eaten anything besides jello since 10 am and it was now 3pm!! I would be cranky too!!!
Gracie went into recovery and we sat with her there for a lil while and she ate some teddy grahams and drank some apple juice. She did look very pale, as do most kids when they have anesthesia. Elijah said the funniest thing about that. He asked the nurse, "Why did you make my sister white?" He's so funny! The nurse assured him that soon Gracie would "turn brown again!"" I LOVE THAT KID!!!
Gracie only had to have pain medication for a few days after her surgery. She also didn’t complain much at all!! She did wonder why she had the bandage on her hand and did try to pull it off several times. She acted like, "Hey, my finger is stuck under this bandage!" But, she didn’t know what we had done, it’s all gone now!!!
She has recovered nicely and we went to the dr for our 1 week check up.
Gracie only has a small scar on her hand. If you didn’t know she was born with 2 thumbs, you would never even notice. We go back to the hand doctor in August for our final check up. It was all so much easier than I thought it would be. The doctor told me that alot of kids are born with extra fingers or toes we just don’t hear about them. He said it’s definitely more common than the normal person would think it is.
The reason that I wanted everyone to know about Gracie's extra thumb on our story of you page is very simple. I want more people to be aware that there are many SPECIAL NEEDS children that need homes in China and other countries too.
When Bill and I first started the adoption process, we wanted a HEALTHY INFANT, 0-12 months of age. We didn’t think we could handle a SPECIAL NEEDS child. It was all just a lil too scary for us. Fear of the unknown I suppose. But, God led our hearts to a girl with 2 thumbs!! My life would not be the same without her!!! I wouldn’t change a bit of our story!!!
After visiting China and adopting our 2 thumbed daughter Gracie, we now feel that this is where are hearts are drawn, to special needs and older children. We feel we need to be the voice for so many children that have an extra need but still, desperately desire a home and a family to love them.
I started thinking what SPECIAL NEED we could accept with our next adoption.
Are their limits to what I can handle?? Possibly!! Do, I know that whatever child God steers me towards, no matter what the need, he will help us thru it? Yes, I DO!!!!
Anything is possible with God on your side!!
I thought, what about a child with a cleft palate....could I love her as my own?? What if he had 1 arm instead of 2, could he be mine? What if she had Hep B+, could I do this?? If the li girl was 8 and just considered SPECIAL NEEDS because she was older............WHAT THEN???
I do know that all orphans, living in orphanages have a HUGE HOLE in their heart!! Did you know that??? That hole is the piece that they are missing from having a family to love them and call them "Their Own!" They all need someone to love them.
Please reconsider Special needs and older children!! Jesus loves the little children.................He loves the healthy ones, he loves the special needs and older ones too!!!
If one person reading this journal throughout the world, considers the adoption of an older or special needs child that would make my day. More than one, that would make my year!!
I pray God guides each and every one of you to the child that he has prepared for you!! His plan is always best!
I have put pictures of Gracies hand before an after surgery. Take a look please!!
Thank you for reading our journal and about the Miracle God has allowed us to receive through the adoption of Gracie.
