Another Bump in the Road

The road to adoption is often paved with potholes.  Just when you think the ride is getting smoother you hit another one.

It started out when I was pulling out Cary's book.  I keep a 3 ring binder with a calender for appointments, folders for information, notebooks, and various needed items.  I was going through reports hoping to weed out and finally pitch some stuff when a few random sentences on Cary's original paperwork caught my eye.

The infant was screened for hearing.  Results were inconclusive.  Recommended follow up on this is advised.    

Say what???  Come on now, she hears just fine.  She is blind.  She absolutely can't be deaf.  Can she?  So I immediately got on the phone with her social worker and started gunning out questions.  It seems that Cary failed her newborn hearing test.  She was supposed to go in with her previous foster mom but true to form foster mom did not take her to her appointment.  For those that don't read my other blog, the foster mom from May-September has not taken her to over 12 necessary medical appointments.  The social worker also likes to say that it is "no big deal".  But I fell into that trap once about her diabetes and will not be stupid enough to do it again, thank you very much.

So I started making calls.  The place where she was supposed to go was rather peeved.  Even if I am her new mom the old guardians didn't show up so they were not going to make it easy on me at all.  So after going round and round I did what any mature adult would do.  I hung up on them.  Then I sat down and threw a pity party.  After a few sniffs and tears I decided that I would get her hearing tested elsewhere.  I called up the Virginia School for the Deaf and Blind.  A wonderful woman took my call, answered my questions, and we go on Friday for hearing testing.  I am super excited!  If I could cherry pick anyplace to send Cary this is the school. Getting her in for hearing is getting my foot in the door for much needed vision services.

So we hit a pothole.  But we survived.  Cary CAN hear, but her hearing may be a bit fuzzy.  These tests will help us determine that.  Cary is a strong resilient child and even with so many missed appointments is gaining ground daily.  If she can do it so can I!


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Amy Fields is a stay at home mom who is slowly transforming her house into a Montessori classroom so she can educate her two special needs children.  You can follow her at Many Kinds of Families.