teamMarius

News from us here at Team Marius! It's been a busy month! We returned from some sight seeing adventures in Arizona and Utah and did some fun interviews as well as Thank You receptions while we were there. The media in Utah, where the girls go to school, has been so wonderful and has helped in our efforts to raise funds and to tell Marius' story.

On a sad note for us, Teo our translator, had to return to Romanian on Sept. 1st. It has been difficult but the boys are adjusting to the 99% english they now have to live with and Ionut is proving to be a very quick learner. I think having had a little experience in learning Italian, he may have a propensity for languages now that will allow him to learn quicker than most! We want to thank Teo so much for her service to these boys and let all of you know that we continue to communicate with her daily on Skype for all questions and for some good old fashioned Romanian!! She has been so dependable, trustworthy and loving with them as they navigated this process of coming here to the US. We all feel better for having rubbed shoulders with such an angel.

We've had a few stresses on the health front. Marius got sick in Utah with a virus and we've also had some battles with some really ugly sores on his legs. The sores weren't healing and new ones were forming. After seeing a dermatologist and culturing the sores, we found out he has a staph infection. He started an antibiotic and then somewhere in all that developed shingles? This poor guy! Anyway, we had the neatest appointment yesterday Sept. 9th that was set up by Shriners via video connection from here in Phoenix with the surgeons, the social worker and the nurses. After assessing the wounds and time spent thus far on medication, they have opted to postpone his surgery. It is pretty dangerous because they will be putting pins in his hands and they don't want the infection getting in the bone especially as it is an elective surgery. So we are back there in two weeks for another groovy appointment and then hopefully we will have a date for October. We were sad about the delay but we know it will all be for the best to have him healthy!

My husband, Dave, was getting pretty restless to help Marius find a way to get around recently. We had borrowed a niece's big wheel and though he liked it, mastered it and was determined to win--man over machine--it is a little small for his longer frame! So we found a tricycle bike built for adults and he loves it!!!! I don't know how long he'll need it before he "graduates" to a normal bike but with losing the toes in the not too distant future, Dave wanted to make sure he could get around now and really enjoy the adventure w/o too much stress trying to keep his balance w/o fingers to grip the bar. Since the purchase, we have been on many strolls, many of them past our bedtime but how can we possibly say no? Marius rode to the park with Jessica yesterday and came back grinning from ear to ear. We were jumping in the car to go to a son's football game and he said to me---I LOVE AMERICA! Well then both of us were beaming......

The boys also attended an amazing Diamondbacks game due to the kindness of a doctor in our area! At the game they met Janie! She treated them like royalty, as did everyone around them! They were able to get a picture with Baxter, the mascot and even a picture with Dan Majerle, a former Phoenix Suns player. They were treated to all sorts of extras and just had the time of their lives! They spread everything out on my bed that night and told me all of the wonderful stories and the things they liked best. I think Marius' favorite was the picture with Baxter because that is what HE told me about! Janie has invited them back for this Saturday and we're hoping to get them there early enough to meet some of the players! I think they are all really excited.

Ionut is amazing. He remembers every dosage time for medicine for Marius and usually has it done by the time I remember. He even told Jessica he couldn't go out with her and some friends because he had to do cream on Marius' legs! Of course, we scooted him off with a promise we would do it as if he were here. It's always a joy to be with these boys-- they don't ask for much and "everything and anything" is always okay with them. It makes life easy and peaceful. I worry a lot about boredom but so far they have made themselves at home with the gamecube, the TV, and the computer. Ionut has particularly been spending a number of hours each day doing a tutorial we found for english vocab on the internet and pouring over his dictionary. He has started a notebook for words he is pulling from the dictionary and asking Jessica about pronunciation. I don't think it will take him too long, as he is already translating for me to Marius! He is taking four hours of english each day and I hope he will be fluent in no time! Marius has a tutor that comes in four hours a week and loves doing his "homework". We are anxious for both of the boys to feel as at home as possible and hope that their language skills will be a large part of that!

Thanks to all of you who read our updates and who are involved in small ways in supporting Marius. We could use all of your prayers in behalf of the sores on his legs and the infection that has complicated them. We appreciate each one of you. Feel free to continue writing messages to Marius (or to us) via our website and feel free to share Marius' story with anyone you feel needs extra inspiration in their lives. He is truly a miracle to us!

Last, but not least, the Deseret News of Salt Lake City put together a great audio/slideshow and posted it online with a recent article about Marius. It is very well done. If you haven't seen it yet, you can find a link on www.teammarius.org or copy and paste the link below into your browser. It is is worth watching!

http://www.deseretnews.com/photo/slideshow/1,5587,5166,00.html

Thanks for everything!

Kristin Free
Team Marius