Way to Go, Mr & Mrs Guppy!

[Hangtime]

Dropped into another thread.. but likely missed by most here:

I just got the word that my wife is coming home.  She's been in Liberia the last 6 weeks where she used her nursing skills to teach and work in a little hospital called Phebe, in the middle of nowhere.

She went because she couldn't stand the thought of being home for the third anniversary of our son and daughter dying in the car crash.  She felt like the best way to fight back was to try and make a difference in the world.  Over that time she saw all kinds of things we in the US don't see.  Lots of death and dying, starvation, horrible burns and accidents, children dying etc.  She worked her tail off.  Her grief fueled her desire to help.  on our wedding Anniversary, August 20th a 4 day old baby was brought to the hospital with a double cleft lip and pallete.  My wife spent time trying to help the mother learn to care for the little boy.  But that family's faith told them that evil spirits had changed the baby causing the deformity and tradition would have them kill the child.  They were talked out of that, but then disappeared.  The little boy being left at the hospital.  My wife went into the room where the babies were and saw a local nurse giving the baby water.  She asked why not formula?  The nurse replied the hospital didn't have any and they were just keeping the baby's tummy full of water til he died.

The easiest thing to do would be to not get involved.  This gal I married, despite the grief, is not wired that way.  The doctors say the only way the baby lives is if you take him.  So she did.  24/7 for the last three weeks, she's fed him through a nasal tube, kept him clean, warm, spent sleepless nights as he fought pneumonia, all the while working the adoption in Liberia that now gives us a son, Matthew David Johnson. August 28th, the worst day of our lives, she's alone with Matthew, and they bond.  She cries for Andy and Chris and for this little guy whose had such a rough start, but still has a chance.    The last week and a half it's been fighting the US imigration folks to let her bring him home so we can get him taken care of.  It's amazing how many hoops one must jump through to save a baby.

With luck I get to meet my son on Thursday.

I don't tell the story looking for praise or attaboys.  I use it as an example of the Good Samaritan.  I'm very proud of my gal, as there was never ever any question that she'd do what she did, but too many folks would have walked to either side and avoided the challenges that we will now face raising this little boy.

I do believe Cathy's actions were a greater sign of faith and love, then anything someone could say or any bible story one could tell.  She didn't do it because she was a 'Christian" or because of her religion.  She did it, because it's what good people do, without question.  You help if you can and you treat people as well as you can.

One of the offshoots of this is that we both have had to look at our faith again, as the timing of it all feels strange.  She bonds with Matthew on the anniversary of two of her kids dying.  She'll be home on what would have been Christina's 19th birthday and it forces our live in another direction that includes me changing diapers again after 19 years.  I can't wait to get started

Outstanding.. my congratulations and admiration to you both! This just made my day.

<S!>

[Yeager]

Good things do happen to good people.  Lovely to read this!

[moot]

Hehe  he's not gonna come down from that one for a while yet
Grats again, Dan.

[Hangtime]

Yup.. folks like this make me proud to walk upright. Humanity, Humility, and Courage. Hope more folks recognize these good folks.. and congratulate them on their new son.  

[Curval]

Guppy that is just simply outstanding.

Congrats and please give my best wishes to your wife.

[Shifty]

Yes, that's quite a story and I'm very proud to know a person like Dan.
<S> Dan and Cathy

[Ripsnort]

Damn, and here I thought I'd won the Wife Lottery. Sounds like you have a great partner in life, Gup. Good luck with your new kid!

[Bruv119]

 

[Airscrew]

  Dan, WTG

[Xargos]

Makes me proud to know you Dan.   

[Charon]

I always figured Dan was a class act all around.

Frankly, I can't even imagine loosing a child, not to mention two at once. I can't imagine handling it at all, not to mention with the grace and strength he has shown.

Congratulations

Charon

[gusman]

Wow!

That's wonderful

Thanks Dan and Cathy 

gusman44

[Nwbie]

Dan

Congrats...

In this last February we celebrated our girls 6th and 7th birthdays.... we got them at 16 months and 9 months...time has flown.. I remember thinking that I was way too old to change diapers again..to make sure the oldest finally learns to walk.. to make sure that they would eat so that their malnourished bodies would attempt to catch up to the rest of the kids in the neighborhood so that they wern't always sick and frail..

They both played Soccer this year, they are at normal to above average on academic levels testing, they make me laugh every day... they get in trouble every day just like other kids... they make me laugh...I still am tired every night ..helping with homework... Some nights I feel older than dirt... They make me laugh everyday
My wife and I lost a son, we had a house.. we were emergency care foster parents for infants to toddler age, and we adopted them because we needed them in our lives permanently.. we are lucky people, the girls make us laugh

Have fun laughing
Some days you feel 10 years older
Most days you feel 10 years younger
Its great for him that you and your wife made this decision, but I know you and your wife got the best part of the deal

 

NwBie

[mensa180]

Very happy to hear this finally came through, Dan

[Guppy35]

I wonder if that makes him Corky III?

Thanks all.  The world works in strange ways sometimes, and things happen you least expect.  As I mentioned, my youngest daughter would turn 19 tomorrow if she'd lived. My son would be 25 this year.  My surviving daughter will turn 22.   In some ways I'm raising a child and my grandchild too.  My wife is supermom so I think we'll be fine.  It will be interesting, strange, fun to do this all again after almost 20 years.

My wife on the day the adoption in Liberia was final, September 1.  She's looking like she's been out in the African bush for the past month, which she had been.   That's Matthew.