Dear Eva and Angel Home Friends,
We were so pleased to hear from you. We have been thinking of the Angel Home staff these past six months, knowing how difficult it must have been to have spent four years caring for Sha Fu Mei, and then having her leave and go to live in a different country with a new family. We were unsure how to contact you, so we are glad you e-mailed us. We asked if our six-month report to our adoption agency and China could also be sent to the Angel Home, but we did not know if this would happen, so it is good that we can e-mail. We are sorry it took a while to get back to you—we have been *very* busy with medical appointments for her this summer.
First, we want to thank you for all that you did to help Sha Fu Mei over the four years that you cared for her. It is clear that she received excellent care and that she was loved. It is so amazing that she went from being unable to crawl, stand, sit firmly, or speak, to being able to sit, stand, walk, and speak. You have our deepest gratitude for helping her to gain these abilities. You kindness and dedication gave her a new life!
We gave Sha Fu Mei a new English name and now use part of her Chinese name as her middle name, so her full name in America is now: Madison Fu Mei Romeo.She referred to herself often as Mei Mei when she came to us, so we still call her Mei Mei as a nickname.
We are sending pictures of her that were taken over the last six months. You probably already know this, but Dad is named Jeffrey, Mom is named Betsy, her oldest sister is Stephanie (age 9), and her second oldest sister is Rachel (age 6). She also has two adult brothers in their late twenties and early thirties who live on their own in other cities. Their names are Anthony and Nicholas.
We will give you some answers to your particular questions and then give you some more information about her medical progress and general daily life. Overall, she is a happy girl and is adjusting very well! We all love her so much!
Can she speak English now?
Yes, she can speak English amazingly well for the short time she has been here. In the last two months her ability to speak and understand English has grown tremendously. She understands almost everything we say now, and she speaks in full sentences. She says things like, “Have a good day at work, Mommy,” or “Help me sit on the couch.” Teachers and friends often mention how well Madison Fu Mei now speaks and understands English. She knows a few of the letters in the English alphabet now, too. We are trying to maintain her fluency in Mandarin Chinese, also. Betsy has been learning Mandarin using audio lessons for the past year, and she speaks Mandarin (a very beginner’s version of it) with Madison every day. Madison Fu Mei also attends Mandarin school one afternoon per week from September-mid-June. We have also made friends with some Chinese-speaking families, so we hope that will help, too. Madison Fu Mei also likes to watch Chinese children’s cartoons on YouTube (with Mom supervising).
Does she talk as much as before?
Yes! She is a big talker—she has lots to say and has lots of questions about what is going to happen each day and where everyone in the family is. Sometimes she will say the same things or ask the same question repeatedly over a short period. We are not sure if this is due to adjustment, anxiety, language learning, or her medical condition. She is clearly very intelligent and has an excellent memory for many things.
Does she persistent and insist what she wants as before?
Yes! She is very vocal about what she wants/doesn’t want and what she likes/doesn’t like. She can be very strong-willed and stubborn, so we try to find creative ways to make cooperation fun. Her persistence is a good thing—it means that she will keep trying, which will be good for her ongoing recovery.
Does she go to kindergarten?
She attended a wonderful Montessori preschool from March through July (the same one her sisters went to). In September, she will attend kindergarten at our neighborhood elementary school. Her older sisters will also go to this school. We have a special plan set up for her with the school so that she will get extra help with writing (her tests showed a significant fine-motor delay) and learning English. She will receive extra adult assistance and supervision with getting around the school, using the toilet, getting lunch, playground time, etc. She is very excited about going to her new school.
Does all the kids accept her?
Yes. Her sisters and their friends love her, and she was well-liked by the children and teachers at her preschool. We have only had one incident of playground teasing (due to her disability), and Mom made sure the children who did that stopped!
How about her right arm, any improvement?
Yes—she is showing some improvement. She is having occupational and physical therapy, and she improves with each treatment. We also do play therapy activities at home and encourage her to use her right arm and hand. [Note: her oldest sister has a brachial plexus injury, so we are used to encouraging use of an injured arm.]
The biggest improvement came after she had BOTOX shots in her right arm and thumb to relax some overly tense muscles. This is allowing other muscles to move. We are doing these through a neurologist at a children’s orthopedic hospital, so she is getting excellent care. A few weeks after the BOTOX shots, she participated in a therapy series with other children who have the same condition. She wore a temporary cast on her left arm, which forced her to use her right arm more, and helped “wake up” that side some. She still lacks awareness of her right arm/hand (she does not think to use them on her own much), but when we prompt her, she can raise her arm more and open her hand a little. She now has some grip strength in her right hand so that she can hold small, lightweight objects. She wore the cast day and night for three weeks, which was very frustrating for her, but the therapists planned fun activities, and the results were worth it. We will do this treatment again next year, if it is available. In the meantime, we will continue with her therapy.
There are too many things we want to know about her. When she came to Beijing from Fujian Province, she is only one year old, cannot crawl, cannot stand, cannot speak, cannot sit firmly, in the short four years time, Sha fumei learned to sit, stand, walk, speak.
We will continue to share information with you. She is having additional evaluations by a pediatric neurologist, and in September she will have an MRI. This could possibly tell the doctors how she came to have cerebral palsy.
Although she is easy to cry and cry loudly, you accept her to your family, we are not used when we cannot hear her talking and talking.
She does still cry easily and loudly, but we are getting better at soothing her, communicating with her, and helping her feel better. She wakes up each morning happy and eager to start the day, which is wonderful.
We can see why you miss her and why you would miss her talking. She is adorable and has quite a personality—and lots to say!
We only hope Meimei can live happily. Thank you for giving a Cerebral Palsy kid a family. We hope you can send us some photos.
She is happy and doing well. Every medical person she has seen thinks she has lots of potential and will continue to improve. We all love her, and she enjoys having a family and sisters to play with.
Thank you for your kinds words. She adds so much to our lives. We are sending photos.
We have the pictures you sent of Li Li, Dang Yun Wu, and Xu Yan Ru in a photo album for Madison Fu Mei. She enjoyed looking at those recently and remembered each of these caregivers with fondness. She wanted to look at the pictures again and again. We are sure she remembers other caregivers at Angel Home, too.
Here is longer update on how Madison is doing, with more medical details:
Her doctors in the U.S. have confirmed her hemiplegia diagnosis, although they describe it as hemiplegic cerebral palsy. She is quite healthy and active. She is a good eater, but still quite slender. We make a special effort to have foods that she likes (right now, she often asks for noodles, soup, or rice, and she likes lots of fruits and vegetables). Her pediatrician thinks she burns extra calories due to her cerebral palsy.
Madison continues to have weakness in her right leg. She now wears a day brace on her right leg to improve her stability, and a night brace on her right leg to keep the muscles from tightening. Because of her tendency to fall, We have purchased a light, soft-shell helmet that she wears on the playground. She also wears a soft hand brace to help the position of her right thumb.
An educational evaluation this spring determined that Madison is considerably delayed in her fine and gross motor skills and also in her self-care skills. Through active play and therapy, her fine and gross motor skills are improving. Madison has been diagnosed with astigmatism in both eyes and now wears glasses which help with her coordination, movement, and daily activities. She now falls less because of the glasses.
Madison took part in “constraint camp” at a children’s orthopedic hospital in July. This is an intensive but fun occupational therapy class for children with Madison’s condition. It met three mornings a week (two hours per day) for two weeks. In this camp, the children wear a temporary cast on their dominant hand and use their non-dominant hand for fun activities. This forces the non-dominant side (Madison’s right) to “wake up.” She then wore the cast at home for one additional week, and we put it on for a short time most days to keep her improving.
To prepare for this camp, Madison had BOTOX shots in her right forearm and right thumb. The shots have relaxed the tight muscles in these areas, and she is using her right arm more and opening her right had a little more.
Madison had a basic neurology exam this spring, and the doctor thought that Madison’s movements were not typical of a cerebral palsy patient. She thought there might be something else going on besides the cerebral palsy, but because of Madison’s age, it is hard to tell what. A physical therapist has wondered if Madison might be having very small seizures, which could be contributing to her falls. Madison saw another pediatric neurologist in August and is scheduled to have an MRI in September. Her pediatric neurologist does not want to speculate on her condition until he sees the results of the MRI. He will be doing a thorough series of tests to asses her condition.
In all, Madison is doing quite well for a child with her condition, and every doctor and therapist we have seen thinks she has great potential for improvement! She is a very persistent and determined little girl, which is helping her progress.
Madison loves being part of the family and looks forward to people coming home if they have been gone. She loves to wave and give kisses and hugs good-bye, too (and she cries if someone forgets to give these). She loves to play with her sisters, and when things are going well, she shows kindness to them and is willing to share. Madison loves both her parents, and has now bonded with both of us. When given the choice, she wants Mommy to help her with self-care activities and bedtime. Madison proudly tells other people that we are her family, and she loves to show new friends the pictures of her and her sisters that are in Mommy’s purse. When she is frightened, she goes to a parent for comfort, and she comes to us to have her needs met. She describes us as Mama and Daddy and big sisters. She also says our names often. She likes to be held by her parents and expresses affection to everyone in the family.
In occupational therapy and preschool, she has made progress with her fine motor skills in drawing a cross, a circle, and a stick-figure person (standard symbols used when assessing fine motor skills). She has also made progress in using scissors. She could not use them at all when she arrived, and now she can “snip,” although she needs help to cut all the way across a paper. She can also put beads on a pipe cleaner, something she could not do when she arrived.
Madison loves to eat, play with her sisters, take baths, play at the park, play in the sandbox, ride her plasma scooter, color and draw, play with her dolls, and play with anything electronic or that makes sounds. Madison has also started to take private swimming lessons, and she is learning to ride a tricycle (with Velcro-strap pedals). She is interested in books, and enjoys hearing stories and looking at the books we read to her. She also likes music and dancing (she loves to have a “dance party” to the ABBA song “Mama Mia”).
We enjoy Madison’s intelligence, her sense of wonder about the world, and her spunky, playful manner. She really lights up the room with her laugh, her goofy sense of humor, and her cheerful personality.
Madison will be attending full-day kindergarten starting in September 2015 at our neighborhood public elementary school, which is an excellent school. Her sister Stephanie (3rd grade) and her sister Rachel (1st grade) will also attend there. This will be a new school for all the girls. Stephanie and Rachel’s previous elementary school was not a good fit for Madison due to many steep flights of stairs. For a variety of reasons, having the girls go to two different schools would not have worked, so all of the girls will be at this new school this fall. Stephanie and Rachel miss their old school, but are optimistic about the change.
Madison has been approved for special education services due to her orthopedic impairment, and an Individual Education Plan (IEP) has been written to provide her with services beginning on the first day of school. Madison will be placed in a regular kindergarten classroom, and will also receive up to 60 minutes per week of individual instruction in written language. She will have special adult assistance with toileting, recess, lunch, PE, and transitions. She will be given extra time for large group transitions and strategic placement in line. She will also be evaluated by physical and occupational therapists in the classroom during the year.
Madison’s new elementary school is well aware of her English as a Second Language (ESL) status and plans to integrate Madison into the normal classroom environment with additional support services to help accelerate her learning. We have met with her after-school care providers, and they are willing and able to accommodate her needs.
Madison’s understanding of English continues to improve exponentially. We are able to communicate our directions to her, and she will respond to these instructions in an appropriate manner. There are still times where her actions are more toddler-like (especially when tired). Mom and Dad are learning to recognize these signs and modify instructions to suit the situation. After being here just five months, she is speaking in full English sentences.
Thank you so much for your care and concern for Sha Fu Mei. Our lives are very busy right now taking care of her and her sisters, but we will continue to keep in touch whenever we can.
Sincerely,
亲爱的Eva 和天使之家的朋友们，
很高兴收到你的来信。在这过去的六个月里，我们一直想起天使之家的员工，理解他们四年来照顾莎福妹有多难，以及送她离开，到一个不同国家的新的家庭里生活。我们不知道如何联系你，所以我们很高兴收到你的邮件。我们问过是否我们给领养机构和中国的六个月领养报告也可以发给天使之家，但不知是否可以。所以能发邮件很好。很抱歉没能及时回复你，这个夏天我们一直忙于带她看病。
首先，我们要感谢你在这四年中对莎福妹的照顾，很明显，她受到了很好的照顾，而且被爱。她从不能爬，不能站，不能坐稳，不会说话，到能坐，能站，能走，能说话。我们深深地感谢你，帮助她获得这些能力。你的好心和奉献给了她新的生命!
我们给莎福妹起了新的英文名字，用她的中文名字做她的中间名，现在她的美国名字全称是:
Madison Fu Mei Romeo她来我们家时，称自己是妹妹，所以我们也叫她妹妹，做为小名。
我们发些六个月里给她拍的照片。你应该已经知道了，爸爸叫Jeffery，妈妈叫Betsy,大姐叫Stephanie（9岁），二姐叫Rachel（6岁），她还有两个成年的哥哥，一个二十多，一个三十出头，都住在别的城市，他们是Anthony和Nicholas.
我们会回答你的问题，然后分享她的医疗进展，以及日常生活。总的来说，她是一个快乐的孩子，而且适应得很好!我们都很爱她。
她能说英文了吗？
是的，在这么短的时间里，她的英文说得好得让人吃惊。在过去的两个月，她说英文和理解英文的能力增长迅速。她几乎能听懂我们说的每件事，而且能说完整的句子。她会说:"今天工作愉快，妈妈"或"帮我坐沙发上." 老师和朋友们经常说，莎福妹现在能说很好的英文，并听懂英文，她现在也认识一些英文字母。我们也努力保证她中文的流利。Betsy 在过去的一年中使用有声教程学习中文，她每天和莎福妹说中文（很初级的版本）。从9月中到6月，莎福妹每周有一个下午去上中文课，我们也和说中文的家庭交朋友。希望这也能帮助。莎福妹也爱在YouTube上看中国动画片（在妈妈的监护下）。
她像以前一样爱说话吗？
是的!她可能说了，她有好多话说，有好多问题关于每天发生了什么？每个家庭成员在哪里？有时她在很短的时间里重复问同样的问题，说同样的话。我们不知道，是由于不适应，焦虑，语言学习，或她的治疗状况。她很聪明，对很多事有很好的记忆力。
她还像以前一样固执和坚持自己想要的吗？
是的！对于她想要的不想要的，喜欢的不喜欢的，她都会说出来。她很坚决很固执，所以我们努力要找到独特的办法制造合作的乐趣。她的坚韧是好事，说明她一直在尝试，对她将要进行的康复有好处。
她上幼儿园了吗？
她参加了一个很棒的曼托索尼学前班，从三月到七月，和她姐姐同一个学校。九月，她会上我们附近的小学的幼儿园，她的姐姐们也会上这所学校，我们和学校为她制定了特殊计划帮助她的写作和英语学习，（测试显示她有严重的精细动作的迟缓），在校园里会有成年人对她进行特殊的监护和帮助，上厕所，吃午饭，操场玩耍，等等。对于上新学校她很兴奋。
所有孩子都接受她吗？
是的!她的姐姐们和她们的朋友都很爱她，她学前班的老师和孩子们也很喜欢她，只有一次在操场被取笑（因为她的残疾）妈妈已经制止了孩子们对她的欺负。
她的右手怎样了？有进步吗？
是的-有进步，她在接受专业的理疗，每次治疗都有进步，我们也在家做些趣味性的治疗，鼓励她使用右臂和右手。（注:她的大姐有臂神经丛损伤，我们习惯了鼓励孩子使用受伤手臂）
最大的进步源于她接受了肉毒杆菌注射，放松她右臂和姆指过度紧张的肌肉。这使得其他的肌肉可以活动，我们通过儿童整形医院的神经科医生来做的，所以她得到了很好的照顾，肉毒杆菌注射后的几周，她和其他有相同症状的孩子参加了一个疗程，她的右臂戴了一个临时性的铸件，强迫她更多的使用右臂，帮助唤醒右侧。她还是对她的右臂和右手缺乏觉知，不会自发的使用它们，但我们要求她时，她会举起手来，稍微张开右臂。现在她的右手有些握力了，可以握小的，轻的物品。她白天夜晚的戴了三周的铸件。对于她来说是很沮丧的，但理疗师安排了一个些有趣的活动，从结果看是值得的。如果可以的话，明年我们还做这个疗程。同时，我们会继续她的治疗。
有太多的关于她的事我们想了解，她从福建到北京时，只有一岁，不会爬，不会站，不会说话，坐不稳，在短短的四年间，莎福妹学会坐，站，走，说。
我们会继续分享她的信息。九月儿科神经医生会给她做一个额外的评估，会做MRI.
这有可能告知医生她是如何患脑瘫的。
她现在还是爱哭，哭声很大，但我们已经越来越会安慰她，和她沟通，帮助她感觉好些。她每天早上起床都很高兴，急于开始新的一天，这很棒。
我们知道为什么你们想念她，想念她的话多，她很可爱，很有个性，而且有很多话说!她很快乐，生活的很好，她看的每个医生都认为她很有潜力，会不断进步。我们都爱她，她也很享受有一个家，有姐姐们陪她玩。
谢谢你的好意。她给我们的生活带来很多乐趣。我们会寄照片来。
在你给莎福妹的相册里，有Li Li, Dang Yun Wu, Xu Yan Ru, 最近她很爱看照片，而且记得每一个她喜爱的保育员，她反反复复地看这些照片，我们相信她也记得天使之家的其他保育员。
她在美国的医生确诊了她的偏瘫症状，虽然他们把它描述为偏瘫性脑瘫。她很健康活泼，她吃得很多但仍然苗条。我们努力寻找她喜欢的食物，（目前为止，她经常要求吃面条，汤和米饭而且喜欢吃大量的水果和蔬菜）。她的儿科医生认为她的脑瘫会让她消耗额外的卡路里。
莎福妹的右腿还是很弱，白天她会戴一个支架增加右腿的稳定性。晚上会戴一个支架不让肌肉紧绷。由于她容易摔倒，我们给她买了一个轻的，软壳的头盔，在操场上玩耍时戴。她还戴一个软的支架在右手，帮助她右手拇指的固定定位。
这个夏天给莎福妹做的教育评估报告显示她的精细动作和粗大动作明显滞后，自理能力也明显落后。莎福妹被诊断为两眼散光，现在她戴眼镜帮助她协调移动和日常活动，由于戴了眼镜她摔倒的次数少了。
七月莎福妹参加了儿童整形医院的约束营，这是针对莎福妹这种情况的儿童的高强度的，有趣的专业治疗课程。课程持续两周，每周三次，每次两个小时。在约束营，孩子们戴临时性铸件在他们的主要使用手臂，而用非主要使用手臂做有趣的游戏。这可以帮助唤醒非主要使用的一侧（莎福妹是右侧）。之后她在家又戴一周，每天我们都会给她戴一段时间，帮助她改善。
为了准备约束营，莎福妹注射了肉毒杆菌在右前臂和右手姆指，注射帮助放松这些区域的紧张肌肉。她现在更多的使用右臂，右臂也能张开更多。
今年春天，莎福妹做了一个基础的神经测试，医生认为她的移动不是一个典型的脑瘫病人。医生认为除了脑瘫还有其他的事。但鉴于她的年龄，很难说还有什么其他问题。一个内科医生认为她有很小的癫痫，使得她经常摔倒。八月，又看一个儿童神经科医生，安排九月做一个MRI测试。直到MRI结果出来前，她的儿科医生不想去揣测她的状况。医生会做一系列的全面的测试来评估她的状况。
总之，莎福妹以她的状况来说，做的很不错了。每个医生和理疗师都认为她有很大的潜力进步! 她是一个非常坚持的坚决的小女孩，这会帮助她进步。
莎福妹很高兴成为家庭的一员，如果有家庭成员离开，她会盼望他们回家。她也喜欢告别时挥手，吻别，拥抱，（如果谁忘记了，她会哭）。她喜欢和姐姐们玩，心情好时，她会对她们示好而且乐于分享，她爱她的父母，现在很黏我们两个。如果让她选，她会让妈妈照顾她和上床。她很骄傲的告诉别人我们是一家，她也喜欢给新朋友们看妈妈钱包里的她和姐姐们的照片。当她受惊吓时，她会找到父母寻求安慰，她来找我们满足她的需要。她称我们妈妈，爸爸和姐姐。她也时常叫我们的名字。她喜欢被父母抱着，向每位家庭成员表达爱。
在专业治疗和学期班，她的精细动作有进步，通过画一个十字，一个圆圈，棍人（评估精细动作所使用的标准符号）。她使用剪刀也有进步，她刚来时完全不会用。现在她可以剪了，尽管是在帮助下剪完一张纸。她还可以把珠子放入管子，这也是她刚来时做不了的。
莎福妹喜欢吃，和姐姐们玩，洗澡，在公园玩，玩沙盒，骑脚踏车，画画，玩娃娃，玩电子的和能发出声音的玩具。她开始上游泳课，学习骑三轮车。她喜欢看书，听故事。也喜欢音乐和跳舞，她喜欢开跳舞聚会，和 ABBA乐队 的歌“妈妈咪呀”。
我们喜欢莎福妹的聪明，对世界的好奇，她的朝气，和爱嬉戏的性格。她的笑可以点亮房间，她笨笨的幽默感和快乐的天性。
2015年9月，莎福妹开始全天上幼儿园，在家附近的小学。大姐上三年级，二姐上一年级。这是三个孩子的新学校。两个姐姐之前的小学不适合莎福妹，因为有许多高台阶。因为很多原因，不能让她们上不同的学校，所以从今年秋天她们上新学校。两个姐姐怀念之前的学校，但对变化保持乐观。
莎福妹被批准接受特殊教育服务，从她入学的第一天就开始特殊教育计划，她会加入正规的幼儿园班级，每周会接受60分钟的个人写作辅导。会有成年人帮助她上厕所，吃饭，和过渡。她会有额外的时间过渡到大组。今年会有职业治疗师在教室给她做评估。
莎福妹的新学校知道英文是她的第二语言，会有额外的辅导给她，以便让她融入正常的班级。我们已经见了她的课余辅导员，他们会满足她的需要。
莎福妹对英文的理解成指数极增长，我们可以和她沟通我们的指示，她能很好的回应。有时她的行为像个蹒跚学步的儿童（尤其是累的时候），妈妈和爸爸已经学习去发现这些信号，并相应的调整指令。在这五个月后，她可以说完整的英文句子。
非常感谢你对莎福妹的关心。我们现在忙于照顾她和她的姐姐们，但我们会和你保持联系。
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