Hospital Day 5 - A slow day in Verona

Today was Saturday, a very dull day at the hospital. Anna is so OVER being confined to a single hallway!  She understands (I think) that she will get an implant, but of course, she can't understand all that will entail.  She doesn't really know that she will be sick and in pain for awhile following her implant.  I will tell her more details tomorrow.  I don't want to over-prepare her, but I don't want her to be frightened, either.

Today, we worked on the alphabet -- Anna can identify all her letters.  I think that's pretty good for a child who has only been here six months!  We worked on numbers, too.  Anna can count to 10, but I don't think she really understands quantities.  She knows 5 is more than 1 or 2, though, so if you give her something she likes, she always says she wants 5.  Mrs. Bounds, we are trying hard not to lose ground while we are out of school!!!  Anna also played with leggos and other toys.  Our roommates have an iPad, and Anna loves it!  Mrs. Yvonne has loaded several apps, and she lets Anna play on her iPad.  Bruce enjoys the iPad, too.  His parents put videos up on it for him to watch.  He can sign a few words, like Mom, Dad, milk and more.  Bruce and Anna sometimes watch Signing Times shows together.

We saw Dr. Carner briefly and also the resident physician.  I like the resident very much; she doesn't speak much English, but then again,  her English is way better than my Italian.  She is always concerned for Anna's comfort.  They put the IV lead in yesterday, which is uncomfortable to Anna, but they have not started any IV fluids or medications.  Anna is also on an ear drop regimen, which has not bothered her until now, but when I put her ear drops in last night and again this morning, she cried.  I think the ears are still raw from yesterday's testing. I asked the nurse if I could give Anna Tylenol to ease her discomfort, and she said she would give her paracetemephol (??) -- I assume that is Tylenol.  She asked me how much Anna weighed and then handed me the medication to administer.  Very different from the U.S.! 

I knew, of course, the subject of Anna's hair would come up at some point.  Still, today, when they talked about shaving her head, I cried.  I know it's just hair.  I know it will grow back.   It's just that in the orphanage, they shaved Anna's head.   I don't want Anna to think she is going back to the orphanage.  I don't want her to worry one moment that anything that is happening now is a link to her past.  The old has gone away; a new day has dawned - forever!

The doctors said we could have a choice - to shave completely, or to shave only a portion.  If we choose just the portion, then we may have trouble undoing the bandages later.  Bruce's dad told me that even though all the babies' parents will choose shaving, he would help me if I chose the partial shave.  (The man has a phD in material sciences.)  He said he could tell me what chemicals would take off the bandages without pain.  I had been thinking olive oil or vaseline, but he told me to get acetone (nail polish remover).

All things considered, I think we will choose the partial shave for Anna.  She loves having her hair done (she usually directs me as to whether she wants one ponytail or two and curls or no curls).  She loves admiring herself in the mirror once she is dressed with her bows and hair done.  I think she enjoys feeling treasured.  When a child has been institutionalized and has been, at times, not so well cared for, they drink up the special touches like bubbles in the bath, lotion on the skin, and bows in the hair.  I want her to be able to look in the mirror and see that she is still herself - the Anna who belongs in a forever family.  The Anna who wears clean clothes and has matching hair bows.  The Anna who is loved.  Maybe it's shallow,  but I can't help thinking Anna will tie her hair to her her belonging.  I don't want to interrupt that for one moment.

I decided tonight that I needed one really good night's rest before the surgery, so tonight, I left Papa with Anna at the hospital, and I came to the apartment for dinner and sleep.  Just after I left, Anna received some surprise visitors.  A pair of Verona natives, whom I had met on a discussion group related to ABI and Dr. Colletti, arrived to wish Anna well.  One visitor, Nicola, is deaf and received his cochlear implant with Dr. Colletti as an adult, and the other, Alessandra, is the mother of a child who received a cochlear implant from Dr. Colletti.  They arrived just to show their support of Anna's journey toward hearing, and they brought her a beautiful doll.  How kind!  I am sorry I missed them!  One of the things I love about the internet, despite all the woes it has inflicted on the world, is how it brings people together and lets us share experiences.  Through the internet, I learned of Dr. Colletti, I met the other three families who are in Verona for ABI, and now, we have met sweet Italian friends.  Grazzi, Nicola and Alessadra!

Sweet dreams from Italy (where I will have a wonderful night's rest!).

I hope you all have a blessed day of rest and worship tomorrow!

Amy

PS - I cannot upload photos today because our internet at the apartment is not working properly.  I will try to get you all extra photos tomorrow!