Reunited with the Children

Monday

I've been looking forward to today ever since I left Romania seven months ago :-)

I met my teammates, Denise (from Boston)  and Lynn (from Austin, TX), at breakfast this morning, then we set out for the hospital.  I swallowed a big lump in my throat when I saw Gaby, Alina, Emma, Luciana, and Andrei. 

The children have changed a bit since I last saw them.  Alina is quieter;  she didn't walk up my legs and flip around even once.  I only coaxed one "ooo la la" out of her, and not much talking or singing at all.   I'm a little concerned about her.

Alina accessorizing with new beads, bracelets, and a bow

Emma is thinner.  I heard she lost some weight from a serious infection.  She was taken to a hospital in Iasu for treatment a few weeks ago.  But she is healthy and smiling a lot now.  She has started to babble and has learned to clap her hands.  

Sweet little Emma

Gabriella (Gaby) likes purple

Luciana seems a wee bit bigger.  Last time I saw her, we were teaching her to roll over and crawl;  now she is learning to walk.  Gaby is a little taller.  She is still trying to see through any object she holds, and she still loves anything that lights up or makes noises.  

Our special angel, Andrei

Andrei pulls at my heart strings as much as ever.  I was happy to see him eating better;  I fed him his breakfast bottle and he drank the whole thing.  He also ate some mashed banana.  He didn't cry and he doesn't seem to be uncomfortable.  When I first walked in the room, I couldn't help but be reminded of precious Cleo when I saw him on the bed in the same spot that Cleo used to occupy.  

Delia is at the Placement Center right now, so I haven't seen her yet.  I hope I get to see her before I leave.

I met some new children today -- Luca, Samy, and Ionica.  I don't know them very well yet.  Samy made a name for himself today by breaking not one, not two, not three, but four glass bottles.  (Don't ask why they don't use plastic bottles;  I have no idea).  Our fault entirely.  If we were all experienced Mommies, we would make sure they were out of his reach, right?

Luca

Trying out a pediatric arm sling

We unpacked all the medical supplies I brought from Medwish International.  The nurses were very grateful, and snapped up a few things that they needed right away.  Cora, the first thing they did was put batteries in the pulse oximeters and tested them out on themselves.  They were delighted to have them!

Grateful Nurses

In the afternoon, Mihaela unpacked the clothes I had sent ahead.  It was fun picking out new outfits for the children and trying them on.  I think there will be something that fits everybody.  

What else can I say besides "I'm happy to be back in Barlad"?






Tuesday

We spent the morning at the hospital again today.  Unfortunately, the children were exposed to measles last week, and so they are under quarrantine.  We can't take them outside to play, or even down the hall.  We are confined to three un-air conditioned hospital rooms.  It's hot and stuffy.  The children (and us) are uncomfortable, but we are making the best of it.  Today, Dan did get the fan to work (so we had air movement, but not a/c).  None of the children has shown any sign of measles, but we're not out of the clear yet.

I spent some one-on-one time with Alina.  I played the picture card "Memory" game that I had taught her in December.  She remembered it, but didn't seem to want to play very long.  Denise and I had some fun teaching trying to teach her to skip.  She mastered standing on one foot, and hopping with both feet, but skipping was a bit too complicated for today.

Gaby had a blast with the new toys I bought.  She jumped and down and laughed and screamed when she saw them light up with blinking lights.   I'm also pleased to report that she doesn't drink from a bottle anymore at all.  She doesn't feed herself yet, but she does eat with a spoon.  

Coca (the nurse) went through all the new clothes, and a few of the girls tried things on for a little fashion show.  Coca and the other nurses just loved everything we picked out (thanks Peggy and Mary 2).  That pink polka dot top in the picture was an especially big hit.

Nurse Coca with Luciana, Gaby, and Alina trying on new clothes

We all went to the high school this afternoon to teach English.  I was asked to take a small group of advanced students to challenge them a bit more.  We used some of the conversation cards I had brought to talk about "Good Habits/Bad Habits" and about "Food".  Then, we played a game called "Word Snap" which is very similar to Scattergories.  They were really pretty good at it.  I'll go back for another session with them on Thursday.

Dinner tonight was at an Italian restaurant ..... who knew that Romanians could make such good Italian food?  

I've found that if I walk down one floor, and sit on the couch in the stairway, I get pretty good internet reception.  The only problem is that the lights are on a motion sensor, so I have to keep waving my hands to turn them back on.  Oh well, at least I'm able to send pictures and post to my blog now.