Next to last day

Our girls weren't back from Iasi today so we only had Cristi and Paula left from our Tutova group of children. We spent some time with other children on the floor. Caroline has become quite popular in the "camera de joaca" or playroom. Mind you the playroom consists of, as of today, two new black leather sofas, a table and a tv. There are some paintings on the walls and some efforts made for the room to look cheerful. But no toys. So we take some of our toys in there.

This morning Cristi and I spent a lot of time with him sitting on a very small square green table that Dan decided reminded him of the red sofa at Tutova. I had to keep banging away at the table or he would take my hand and tell me in his own special way to keep at it. Turns out he has strep throat so they have put an IV in his left arm so he can get periodic IV antibiotic treatments. He seemed to be feeling better today although he slept a lot this afternoon.

Paula had a good morning but a not great afternoon. We think that the change in schedule is affecting her and that she may not have slept enough mid-day. We also think she was hungry. We tried all our tricks including me making a humming noise that would calm her down for a few minutes and then she would start crying again. She finally fell asleep which is what she needed.

Big Andreea was leaving as we arrived this morning. We heard Cleo's parents signed the papers agreeing to her surgery and that the surgery may occur next week. There is a 2-year old girl with hydrocephalus on the floor and while her head is much smaller than Cleo's she is more impaired. The mother is 27 and has 4 other children at home and a husband working in Spain. The mother was asking us about Cleo and seems to want to fight for her daughter but not sure how much can be done for her. The Dr. on the floor asked us to individually spend some time with the mother and baby to provide her with some support.


The hospital served us lunch today in a nice little dining area. This was arranged for by the Director of the hospital. Bud and Mihaela met with her and she told them she was very appreciative of our work. So we seem to have made a good first impression. I'm thinking maybe Big Andreea's grandmother told the mothers on the floor about the volunteers at Tutova so maybe that helped. I told Bud we might have had some "street cred."


We had dinner with Bud, Mihaela and Dan at the creepy doll, I mean Allona, restaurant. I want to note publicly that Cathy had the willpower to resist dessert unlike Bud, Dan, Caroline and I. I'm going to have to live at the gym when I get home.

Bud and Mihaela told us about some of their meetings today. It sounds like there are a few possibilities for other host organization relationships and like Global could end up at several places in Barlad. We will see what works out. The next team will be staying at the Occident so Caroline has to move this Saturday.

AND we heard from Mihaela, that Celine is coming back from Bucharest to the hospital in Barlad before going home or....TBD. Hope she arrives tomorrow and I get to see her before leaving!  I did troll the general pediatric floor today looking for any of our Tutova children but didn't find anyone. Not that I want our children to be at the hospital but you never know.

Not many pictures today given our smaller numbers, Cristi's long nap, Paula's afternoon melt down, and
that we can't post pictures of other children at the hospital Hopefully, I'll have a few more tomorrow.

Cristi loves the piano

Paula dancing this morning

Cristi on the new black sofa in the playroom

Paula in the playroom