Final Surgery Complete!

I feel like such a slacker! Did I really only do one blog update in February? I will place part of the blame on my six year-old son, Hunter. He finally convinced me to download Angry Birds on my iPad, and instead of being productive, I wasted too many hours trying to save the eggs from destruction! Well, I am back on the wagon, and have had my fill of angry feathery creatures so you will hopefully hear more about Adolf’s incredible story. 

On Valentine’s Day Adolf had another skin graft surgery and despite my anxiety going into another surgery, it went very well. The best part: no screaming! Yea! The previous surgeries were such difficult times for the family and Adolf, that I was really dreading going through the process again.  With Adolf’s English greatly improved I was able to communicate to him before the surgery about what to expect and some coping skills for when he wakes up: hugging his teddy bear, holding my hand, deep breathing, imagining himself playing at the beach. I think it really helped and was such a relief for all of us, when he woke up and did not scream. He was not feeling well for quite a while, but was a real trooper! I was so proud of him. This time the doctor chose to use his head as the donor sight for the skin graft. He had been asking for a haircut, so this was an unusual way to grant that request! His head is now completely healed and his legs continue to be in bandages and splints. He continues physical therapy three times a week and will probably continue the PT for quite a while. As long as the grafts continue to heal properly, it will be his last surgery. 

Adolf has been doing great in school! Last week as I was preparing dinner I made him sit at the table and read ­Go, Dog, Go and he did it! There were a few words he did not know, but almost every night since I have had him read it to me and he is really improving. In addition, to the ability to walk, I feel an education is the one thing that can help raise Adolf (and any child) out of the cycle of poverty. There is so much I want to teach him, and I feel like there will never be enough time to teach it all to him. His school has been doing an amazing job as well. I love working with them and feel like they truly care about Adolf, his education, and future. With all the negative talk about teachers and schools in the media, it is refreshing to see the positive results. 

This past weekend, we were invited to a Ugandan cultural celebration and dinner with Ugandans living in the Los Angeles area. They are all living here for various reasons and for various lengths of time, but Adolf was certainly a celebrity at the celebration. Everyone wanted to meet him and he obliged with his captivating smile and sparkling personality. For the first time, I tried Matoke (mashed bananas with a taste similar to mashed potatoes) and other Ugandan cuisine. Adolf and Eva have been very open to trying American staples such as pizza and hamburgers, and it was fun to have the roles reversed. When we first arrived, I was very nervous and felt very out of place. We were one of very few white families there and for one evening I understood what it might feel like for Adolf and Eva on a daily basis. It did not take long, however, to realize the Ugandans we met were very well spoken, educated, and pleasant to be around. My anxieties were soon put to rest as they treated us like one of their own and were very happy to meet Adolf and Eva. They thanked us for loving and caring for Adolf and I was so happy to be included in their celebration. The highlight of the evening came during the entertainment. Two professional dancers (that flew to LA from Atlanta just to preform) presented an incredible show of Uganda culture. There were also some young girls that danced on stage and were amazing. Adolf loves dancing and when the girls started their routine, he stood up by our table and started dancing. Another Ugandan saw him and escorted him up to the stage! He joined the girls and was so awesome! He has great moves and rhythm. It was hard not to be filled with incredible emotion watching him dance on stage. Three months ago, he was crawling dirt paths to get to school, and now he is on stage dancing. A true miracle! Other partygoers said it was the best part of the evening. I wish everyone could that has been a part of Adolf’s journey could have seen it. Truly inspiring.  

We have been having a lot of great fun together and trying to take advantage of every moment we have together. Below are some pictures of some fun family pictures! Enjoy. 

Adolf at the beach! This was post-surgery and he was still in his wheelchair.

Loving the warm sun and watching the ocean!

Eva writing "God is Good" in the sand

Hunter and Adolf playing around by the bocce ball court

Baby Hayden enjoying the beautiful So Cal day!

A visit to La Brea Tar Pits with Hunter pushing Adolf and Kelly following.

LACMA (next to La Brea Tar Pits) had an interesting hands on exhibit. Adolf loved it, but the strands got caught in his wheel chair and it was difficult for him to get out!

Watch out for the mammoth!

Tar seeping up through the ground

Watching the paleontologists work.