Our Forever Family: Lana the Brave

Lana's kindergarten teacher calls her "Lana the Brave"! Her teacher is amazed at how quickly Lana has transitioned and she is so eager to learn. Lana can write her name and loves to show off her work when she comes home from school. She even rides the school bus home! I cannot imagine riding a Chinese bus by myself and here is this little pip squeak of a 6 year old girl, riding the school bus by herself!

Since coming home, we have made four trips to Children's Hospital for Lana's medical appointments that included a cardiac catheterization and a 45 minute MRI, not to mention a doctor appointment with our local pediatrician, and two dentist appointments including the removal of two teeth! (They were wiggly baby teeth that would probably have come out with a good sneeze, but the doctor wanted them out before Lana's surgery) Lana has indeed been brave!

Lana's heart surgery is scheduled for November 13th, next week! We will go to the hospital on the 12th for the pre-operation appointments and Lana will probably be in the hospital for about a week and then there will be some activity restrictions for a few weeks. But the doctors say it should be a one time surgery and she will have a "normal" life afterwards.

Pray for the surgeons, and nurses for a successful surgery and a rapid recovery

Pray for good communication with Lana. That we will be able to explain the surgery to Lana and also help her during recovery. Her English is really coming along great, but it will be difficult in a hospital setting and complicated by pain. We have arranged for a translator to be at the hospital, pray that it will be someone who will be compassionate and patient with Lana and us.

Pray for Lily. How do we help Lily through this ordeal? Lily will not understand why she cannot see her sister or what all the medical equipment is for, and that Lana will not be able to play as usual for a while. Lily has been great going to all the appointments with us and there are lots of activities for siblings at the hospital, but waiting at the hospital is not going to be easy for a 3 year old.

And for us, it is hard to wrap our brains around what it will be like to see our daughter in the hospital, on a ventilator, with lots of tubes and wires, and a large incision on her chest. Pray we will be able to do and say what is needed for both of our girls.