Cindy in C-ville Posted December 2, 2009 Share Posted December 2, 2009 Because Josiah had to go in this morning with possible pneumonia, I hauled in the poop. As some of you said, they wanted it freshly preserved. So, they sent me home with a poop collection kit as well as a little baggie for pee collection. I'm not sure that one will go over very well and don't even know how to explain this to our new daughter. It may be that the urine sample has to wait until we're in the doctor's office with a Russian translator and somebody, besides Mama, explains what they need. There is absolutely no way she's going to pee in a cup, but attaching a baggie to her privates is a bizarre thing to explain. Any other families have to do anything like this with your kids, adopted or otherwise? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
********* Posted December 2, 2009 Share Posted December 2, 2009 (edited) Oh Cindy, what a situation! Is there any possiblity you can get one of those things that sits on top of the rim of the toilet, but under the toilet seat? I know my sister, who has kidney failure, used one a lot when she had to collect her urine. You just put it on the toilet, then she could 'go' like normal. Then you put the urine from there into the collection container. You call a place around you that sells durable medical equipment and ask? That's all I can think of. Good luck! Cindy, I did some googling to find what I was talking about. They're called 'urine hats', and here's what they look like: I would think you could get them from whatever lab will be doing the urine tests. Edited December 2, 2009 by bethanyniez Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindy in C-ville Posted December 2, 2009 Author Share Posted December 2, 2009 Great suggestion, but she doesn't "go like normal." She wears a pull-up continuously, doesn't want me in the room when she changes, or if I am, she tells me "Don't look, Mama." I have "looked" when she's in the bathtub as she somehow feels modest beneath the water while she's naked as a jaybird, just to sort of see if there is any redness or anything that I can see in the midst of the splashing, spinning, and sliding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
********* Posted December 2, 2009 Share Posted December 2, 2009 Oh Cindy, I'm so sorry. These things really are delicate, aren't they? Maybe you really will need the doctor to talk to her. Such a balance between trying to protect her privacy and helping her medically. Add in the language barrier, and I suspect you have a sorta frightened little girl. Maybe you could use a translator to help her really understand *why you need her to do these 'weird' things. I'll be praying for all of you. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeri Posted December 2, 2009 Share Posted December 2, 2009 and I was just upfront about it. Remember, she comes from a culture where doctors are experts. Get one of those poop collection kits, tell her that the doctor says she HAS TO DO IT THIS WAY this one time, and this is just how it is. Remember, as sad as it is, she has had no choice in her medical life so far and this is just more of the same! Good luck and have fun! jeri Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zaichiki Posted December 2, 2009 Share Posted December 2, 2009 and I was just upfront about it. Remember, she comes from a culture where doctors are experts. Get one of those poop collection kits, tell her that the doctor says she HAS TO DO IT THIS WAY this one time, and this is just how it is. Remember, as sad as it is, she has had no choice in her medical life so far and this is just more of the same! Good luck and have fun! jeri Are doctors considered "the experts" in the Ukraine/former USSR? My dh's family moved here from there about 20 years ago and I can tell you that many members of his family do NOT feel that way. (Maybe that is just the older generations? Maybe it's different now?) She is probably used to not having a choice about much in her life... but she might feel more comfortable about having more control now... with everything changing so much. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeri Posted December 2, 2009 Share Posted December 2, 2009 perhaps "authority" is better. jeri Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zaichiki Posted December 2, 2009 Share Posted December 2, 2009 perhaps "authority" is better. jeri Expert or authority... I'm still wondering. (Dh's family often discounts things doctors say. They "don't believe in" doctors. I also get the feeling it's not just his family. But it may be generational.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amber in AUS Posted December 2, 2009 Share Posted December 2, 2009 OK, this might sound a little weird but could you have one of the other kids model the behaviour you are after to try and normalise it a little? That would be my only suggestion. If everyone is doing it then it must be OK, even with the language barrier?? Otherwise i would try the Mumma knows best track and this is something we just have to do. What a hard situation to be in! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denisemomof4 Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 Oh Cindy, what a situation! Is there any possiblity you can get one of those things that sits on top of the rim of the toilet, but under the toilet seat? I know my sister, who has kidney failure, used one a lot when she had to collect her urine. You just put it on the toilet, then she could 'go' like normal. Then you put the urine from there into the collection container. You call a place around you that sells durable medical equipment and ask? That's all I can think of. Good luck! Cindy, I did some googling to find what I was talking about. They're called 'urine hats', and here's what they look like: I would think you could get them from whatever lab will be doing the urine tests. I would definitely recommend this. The less you do to concern or traumatize her, the better. I know that's obvious, but in these early days where she's learning to be a part of your family and learning to trust, the most conservative way you can go about this, the better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 Dh (an RN) says that at a children's hospital they have little pouches that they tape onto infant girls. Of course she is much bigger than an infant but if she is unwilling to sit on the toilet (perhaps with a book and the door cracked but still partially closed for privacy?) then something like that seems the only choice available. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindy in C-ville Posted December 3, 2009 Author Share Posted December 3, 2009 I've got the little pouch in addition to the poop kit and a specimen cup. I explained to her today that a doctor's appointment was coming up on Friday and that they would need some blood, some poop, and some pee. For the pee, I told her, she could either pee in the cup, or we could put this little pouch on her privates and that would catch the pee. She chose the cup and so I told her we could do this today or tomorrow. She said tomorrow, perhaps thinking that tomorrow never comes. And, I don't know why it hadn't occurred to me to have Piper model this great skill since I have her model so many other things that Katya needs to do, but I didn't. I'll definitely have Piper give it a go and then see what happens. I'll keep you posted! Oh, and did I mention that I ran her up to our elementary school today to have the school nurse check her for lice? It doesn't look like anything is current, but there were definitely nits 4 inches down her shaft. That shouldn't cause all the itching, so I don't feel like we're completely out of the woods on that one, but I do figure that the school nurse sees a lot of this. So, I'm hopeful. HOWEVER, one of my other daughters pulled two bugs out of her OWN hair. Again, I see NOTHING on her head, but I went ahead and had her shampoo with my organic lice shampoo stuff. Ugh. Ugh. Ugh. So I'm vacillating between preparing for all that I know goes into ridding lice from the homestead and denying the possibility, as I scratch behind my ears... Please tell me that you really don't think we have lice. Please? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sonshine Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 In case you need more ideas to get her to pee in the cup. One of my children potty trained when he saw his older brothers getting a reward for peeing in the toilet. If needed, the other sister could get a reward for peeing in the cup - ice cream or whatever floats the new daughter's boat. If she really wants the treat, she will copy her sister. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindy in C-ville Posted December 3, 2009 Author Share Posted December 3, 2009 In case you need more ideas to get her to pee in the cup. One of my children potty trained when he saw his older brothers getting a reward for peeing in the toilet. If needed, the other sister could get a reward for peeing in the cup - ice cream or whatever floats the new daughter's boat. If she really wants the treat, she will copy her sister. Great idea! Ice cream may do it! I'll let you know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammyla Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 :grouphug: Another possible catching suggestion is to use an actual potty chair. Sit pee, transfer into container. Clean and ready the unit for poop. It isn't ideal, but it might be easier. Many hospital supply stores or sections carry the HAT for grownups. It fits down into the toilet to collect and measure output. I've got the little pouch in addition to the poop kit and a specimen cup. I explained to her today that a doctor's appointment was coming up on Friday and that they would need some blood, some poop, and some pee. For the pee, I told her, she could either pee in the cup, or we could put this little pouch on her privates and that would catch the pee. She chose the cup and so I told her we could do this today or tomorrow. She said tomorrow, perhaps thinking that tomorrow never comes. And, I don't know why it hadn't occurred to me to have Piper model this great skill since I have her model so many other things that Katya needs to do, but I didn't. I'll definitely have Piper give it a go and then see what happens. I'll keep you posted! Oh, and did I mention that I ran her up to our elementary school today to have the school nurse check her for lice? It doesn't look like anything is current, but there were definitely nits 4 inches down her shaft. That shouldn't cause all the itching, so I don't feel like we're completely out of the woods on that one, but I do figure that the school nurse sees a lot of this. So, I'm hopeful. HOWEVER, one of my other daughters pulled two bugs out of her OWN hair. Again, I see NOTHING on her head, but I went ahead and had her shampoo with my organic lice shampoo stuff. Ugh. Ugh. Ugh. So I'm vacillating between preparing for all that I know goes into ridding lice from the homestead and denying the possibility, as I scratch behind my ears... Please tell me that you really don't think we have lice. Please? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindy in C-ville Posted December 3, 2009 Author Share Posted December 3, 2009 Hat won't work since she is 100% in a pull-up. We're going to the doctor tomorrow to begin to explore whether there is a medical reason she's not trained, whether it's a function of being in the orphanage, or if it's emotional/psychological. Great idea, if she would sit on a potty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammyla Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 Oooh, I misunderstood or missed the reasons behind needing the samples. Hat won't work since she is 100% in a pull-up. We're going to the doctor tomorrow to begin to explore whether there is a medical reason she's not trained, whether it's a function of being in the orphanage, or if it's emotional/psychological. Great idea, if she would sit on a potty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 My good friend's son (who was in a baby home in Sakhalin Island) wore pull-ups until he was 9. There were some control issues there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindy in C-ville Posted December 4, 2009 Author Share Posted December 4, 2009 So, tried Piper modeling (what a good sport!) with chocolate chips for a reward. Katya declared, "Katya no like chocolate." SO NOT the truth, but she passed. I've told her that the doctor will want her to do this tomorrow and there will be an ice cream reward if she can do it. We'll see .... I am hoping for a good poop tomorrow morning since I missed my chance today. I've got the collection kit ready to go! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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