Doctor Noonan-Martin, Miracle Worker? - 4. A Growing Family

'Till your eyes can't see, I'll be all you need
Put your hand in mine
Stay here by my side

We're the Lucky Ones
Only just begun
Others leave too young
We're the Lucky Ones

Jack & Tim - 2019

10

Madeline and Colin had just walked out of the reproductive endocrinologist's office. Doctor Gabriela Becker confirmed Madeline's ob/gyn's diagnosis of infertility.

Colin tried to console Mads, "I know you really wanted a family, but there's always adoption."

"I know. It was good enough for PC - I know I shouldn't poo-poo it."

"You have a great job. If I have to quit work and stay home to make it happen, I'll do that."

"Yeah - if two men can handle a couple kids, you should be able to as well."

"I love how you're just overflowing with confidence in me."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it to sound that way. I'm just upset."

"I get it. We'll go home and start looking into what we have to do to adopt. What do you say?"

"I say, I'm lucky I married such a good man."

They started the wheels turning. The fact that they were willing to take an older child, about five years old, give or take a few years, moved them onto a shorter waiting list. Adding that Mads was a pediatric oncologist, and since Colin had survived childhood leukemia, and that they wouldn't mind taking a child that had the same ailment, moved them right to the front of the shortest list. The agency they ended up working with, Diff-Adopt, LLC, dealt only with children that were difficult adoption cases. They had more children than prospective and willing parents. While that was also the case for most children in foster care, the "special needs" children are almost always in foster care longer. The less "desirable" the child is, the wait time, if prospective parents are found, is shorter.

In one boy (Michael's) case, his parents were unable to continue to provide proper medical care for him. He was four when he was diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukemia and his parents made the difficult choice to give him up for adoption, hoping that another family could give him the care he needed to have a chance to survive the disease. After nearly two years in the foster care system, Madeline and Colin's agent was ecstatic when the Martins were approved. After all the red tape was completed, six-year-old Michael was transferred to Madeline and Colin as foster parents. Enough time was needed to ensure they were good candidates, but after a little over six months in their care, the adoption was finalized.

11

Michael's home treatment began soon after he was placed in the Martin's care. After a month of getting used to each other, Madeline and Colin sat Michael down to have a serious conversation one Saturday morning. Madeline took the lead.

"Michael, you understand that your being sick is one reason why we wanted to take care of you, right?"

"Yes. Mrs. Wolf said that Mr. Martin had the same disease as I do when he was a kid."

"He did. And he's healthy now. We want to help you the way that he was helped."

"Like the Keno-therpy I'm getting?"

"No, it's different than chemotherapy. It's more of a home remedy. But we want to do it before your next chemotherapy treatment occurs."

"Does it hurt?"

Colin answered, "Yes, it hurts a little. It feels like your skin is burning, but it's only for a short while on any part of your body. And we can go as slow as you want."

"What do you have to do?"

"It's really pretty simple. I will just need to hold every area where your bones are in my hand for a short while - around thirty seconds."

"How long is that?"

"We'll time it for you, okay?"

"Okay."

"Starting now."

Thirty seconds later, Madeline continued, "That was thirty seconds."

"It didn't take long. That was way shorter than chemo... therapy."

"Yes, it is. But remember, I'll have to touch almost every part of you for that long."

Michael showed a little fear. "Even my pee-pee?"

"Near it, but I won't need to touch your penis itself. But there are bones behind it I need to touch - through your skin, of course."

"Okay."

"Do you want me to try it on some part of your body?"

"Yes. Is there anywhere it will hurt less?"

Colin answered this one, "Not really, but you may be able to handle it easier on bigger bones, like your thigh or shin."

"Okay. You can try my shin."

"Let's go put shorts on you, so it's easier for me to touch you in almost all the places I need to."

They changed Michael's clothes and Madeline focused on Michael's shin, holding it. She let go when she started to see the purple fade. Michael's bones were smaller than Colin's were, so they actually needed less contact time. Michael's shin needed about the same amount of time as Colin's forearm did.

"It hurt, but it wasn't so bad. You need to do that all over?"

"Yes. Some places it will take a little more time, but most will be that much, or less. And we can take as many breaks as you need."

Michael laid down on his bed and Madeline started at his feet. By the time she finished his thighs, he wanted a longer break.

"Is it working? I don't have luke-ee-ma anymore?"

"No. You'll still have it until we've done your whole body."

"Okay. Can I play with my cars for a while before you do more?"

"Sure. Call us back when you think you can do more."

"Okay. Thanks, Mrs. Noonan-Martin."

Michael had been in four foster homes after being diagnosed before Madeline and Colin took him in. It was going to take some time until he was comfortable enough to call them mom and dad.

Over the next week, Madeline worked on the other sections of Michael's body for as long as he could stand it.

12

A week after her "treatments" were complete, Madeline brought Michael into her office. She had arranged for one of the partners at Wooster Cancer Care to perform a bone marrow biopsy. She used the excuse that because he was in foster care before coming to them, she didn't trust that the doctors diagnosed him correctly. Dr. Brennan didn't think Michael looked like a very sick child. When his white blood cell (WBC) count was only slightly elevated at 11,000 WBCs per microliter of blood (3), he concurred with Madeline's opinion, but felt Michael should come back a couple more times, in three and six months, to get checked again. Unless he developed symptoms, then Madeline should bring him in sooner.

Three months later, Michael's WBC count was 8,000, well within the normal range. After living with the Martins three months more (only Madeline used the hyphenated version of their last names), Michael was officially adopted and became Michael Martin.

Another seven months went by with a healthy Michael, and Madeline got a phone call.

"Hello?"

"Hello. Is this Madeline Martin?"

"It's Doctor, and I use Noonan-Martin, but yes."

"I'm sorry. This is Keisha Phillips with Diff-Adopt."

"Hello Keisha. What can I do for you?"

"Well, I'm calling for a number of reasons. First, I wanted to check on how Michael was fitting in with your family and how his leukemia treatments are going."

"He's fitting in nicely. He started calling Colin and me ‘dad and mom’ about two months ago."

"Great. And are you keeping up with his treatments? Stupid question, I know, because you're a pediatric oncologist, but I have to ask."

"No. Shortly after he came to us, I had doubts about the severity of his leukemia and I took him to my office and had another doctor run a bone marrow biopsy. His WBC count was only slightly elevated. Three months after that, it was normal. He appears to be in complete remission."

"Oh, my. That's wonderful."

"It is. You said a number of reasons?"

"Yes, the last is a question. We've recently taken responsibility for another child diagnosed with leukemia. My manager asked me to reach out to see if there was any possibility of you fostering her as well."

"I'll have to speak with my husband, and Michael, about it, but I would guess the answer will turn out to be yes."

"That would be great. I'll start the paperwork on this side so things will move along faster. Let me know as soon as you're sure."

"I will, but I have a question: this child, how old is she, and why was she placed into foster care?"

"Oh, she's five, and it's a very sad story. She and her family were in an auto accident. Her older brother and father were killed instantly, and her mother was placed on life support. The grandparents are all deceased. There are a few siblings, but for a number of reasons I can't divulge, they're not suitable foster parents."

"I see. Okay. I will let you know in a day or so."

"Thanks, Dr. Noonan-Martin."

"You're welcome, Keisha."