[We had experienced some difficulties with Attachment Disorders with other children before my oldest daughter came home. But the struggles with Emily and Reactive Attachment Disorder were extreme. We were lost and couldn’t see a solution that would keep our family together. We were desperate. At that time I did a lot of reading on Reactive Attachment Disorder. By luck, I stumbled across a book review for Dr. Gregory Keck’s Adopting the Hurt Child. Some were criticizing the work because it didn’t offer enough hope (read: a guarantee of success). Having the practical mind that I do, I was intrigued. I had read enough promises that didn’t work. I just wanted to know the best practices. I know that life has no guarantees. That book was the first one I read that described what we were going through. It taught me things that helped me to help my daughter. It helped me to understand what we needed to find the right therapists. Emily and I talked often about her thoughts on what I learned in Dr. Keck’s books. As she progressed, her thoughts became more and more poignant and helpful. Emily, as I, credits Dr. Keck with providing our family with the tools that we needed to survive. She, as I, was saddened last week to learn of the unexpected passing of Dr. Keck, of a heart attack. Our family has lost a mentor and one who saved us from a hell in this life. Emily had already provided me with a blog article for this week, but asked if we could share this one, too. While Emily is intellectually challenged and her delivery can be a little bit rough, her feelings for her family, and Dr. Keck’s help through his writing, come through loud and clear.]

It makes it hard time that I have attachment disorder and I made bad choices almost all the time. And also, some children get scared and it made me sacred, too. My dad told me that Dr. Keck died from heart attack. I never know him before [she never met him] but this guy help a lot of people. And when my dad told me, make me so happy about Dr. Keck, that he help children. [Emily, unlike her father, is definitely seeing the glass half-full.]

I will love to help children in the world. I got blessed from God and he help me find my family in the Amarica. I thought I never be able find my new Amarican family. My family promise to judge [at her adoption hearing, in Russia] that when I come to United States then I will be safe for life.

And always, it doesn’t matter what, children like be with family. They never want give up on them.

Dr. Keck, I think he amazing person like my dad [that brought on the tears…] but I never knew about his life. It’s sad that he died and he happy that he in the good place in the heaven, in lovely home.

It’s hard for me when I make bad choices and it’s not easy, sometimes. It’s hard for me be good but I know that I can do it and be happy person and never give up.

Emily finds great strength in the support she receives from those who read her blog. Please scroll down and leave your comments.

See More of Emily’s Blog Posts: Emily’s blog

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