Our Life
With Mom
by
Sally Stokes
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Nancy Hendrie and Judy Jones visited the First Religious Society in Carlisle on January 30th of this year to participate in our Sunday service and tell us about their work with The Sharing Foundation. During her talk Nancy mentioned a child who would be coming to Massachusetts General Hospital for surgery. |
She asked whether anyone knew of a person or family in the area who might be willing to take care of this child following her surgery. Since I had been on sabbatical from the high tech working world and was available, I jumped at the chance. I had had to return to work shortly after our two boys (now ages 17 and 18) were born. This would be a wonderful opportunity for me to enjoy staying at home with a baby, while helping out a generous cause.
Srey Mom arrived in Massachusetts in early April and immediately went into Massachusetts General Hospital for the greater part of a month. After all that surgery, she came to Carlisle to recuperate at our house. At first she was very suspicious and apprehensive, afraid of our two cats as well as of my husband, Bob, probably because of his beard! I suspect her fears were due to both her new surroundings and to having spent a month in the hospital where everyone was poking and probing her.
Sally and Mom share a giggle. Over time she has become accustomed to all of us and even plays with the cats' tails now. Our older son thinks Srey Mom is wonderful, loves to play with her, and says he would adopt her himself if he were just a few years older.
Srey Mom is an alert, happy little soul. She smiles all the time, is very sociable, and likes being with people. Like most children, she especially loves to be around other kids. She's a great imitator and loves to play peek-a-boo. She can also entertain herself quite well, usually by scooching around the floor on her back. She investigates everything, especially dust bunnies under the refrigerator and radiators, all the while practicing her cooing repertoire.
Caring for Srey Mom is like caring for a typical 6- to 8-month old. She usually naps twice a day and sleeps very well all night. She started drinking Pediasure at the hospital to increase her weight, which was just over 10 pounds when she arrived. Happily, it's working. She's putting on weight and is getting round and chubby. At Dr. Hendrie's request, I've been recording her growth by measuring her length, head circumference, and weight. She now weighs 14 pounds and has grown noticeably.
Our biggest challenge is getting Mom to eat solid foods. I've been mixing cereal, baby fruits, and vegetables with her Pediasure so that she will become accustomed to new tastes. I'm also trying to give her some solid foods with a spoon, but she still prefers to get everything through her bottle. We sit her in her high chair with us at meals and give her a little soft food. Most of the time she just plays with it, although it does often go in and out of her mouth.
During her stay with us, Mom has gotten quite a bit stronger. When she first came, she had to be propped up to sit up. Now she needs no propping and can sit up on her own, although she doesn't yet pull herself up into a sitting position. She has recently begun to spend quite a bit of time on her tummy, and I'm expecting that she might soon crawl. To strengthen her legs, we also have her spend some time in her exer-bouncer and in a walker. She now spins around in her bouncer and goes backwards in her walker.
Mom is scheduled to return to Mass General on August 28th for a final surgery which will permanently close her colostomy. After that surgery she will again be with us for her recovery.