Day #10 - Medical Examination

Dear Friends and Family,

A long stressful day!

We got up at 7:30, and actually had to wake up Nathan and Lily to go down to breakfast. Remember that we didn't get into our beds until past midnight after our little adventure at the airport! We had to meet our guide, Aron (who is a woman by the way) in the lobby at 9:00am to take Lily to her medical examination. This is something that all adopted children must go to before they are released to go home to the States. The clinic is governed by the American Consulate.

Breakfast was incredible. And overwhelming. Incredible because there are SO many adoptive families here at the Garden. Well, actually in Guangzhou because we all have to go through Guangzhou (where the American Consulate is) in order to go home to the United States. It was so wonderful and refreshing and encouraging to see so many families with their beautiful new additions to their families! There are 6 other families from BAAS (Bay Area Adoption Services, which is our agency) that are staying here, not to mention the other families that are here with other agencies. Anyway, it was so cool to see parents interacting and loving on their precious children. I love it! We didn't have much time to eat :-(. We were so late, and the buffet is large - there are more things than you can imagine that you could want to eat for breakfast. Western food like and made to order omelet bar, fresh waffles being made, sausage and ham and oatmeal - and then there is Asian foods like congee, sticky rice wrapped in lotus leaves, smashed bean buns, and miso soup. Too bad we didn't have more time. The dining room is right next to the 5 story waterfall that is at the Garden. Fancy fancy.

We met in the lobby and enjoyed talking to some of the other families. I have yet to meet one family that are not believers! It is such an amazing testimony of how the Lord has touched each of our lives to add a child to the family through adoption :-). Love it!

We took our big bus to Shamian Island where the medical clinic is. Shamian Island is a man made island in Guangzhou. It is beautiful and caters to adoptive families. There are stores all around with cute kids clothing and toys. The clinic is there, as well as nice restaurants and a park with a playground that is very well kept. First we had to take visa photos of our children. Then we waited outside while they were being developed. Afterwards, we got in line at the medical clinic for the exams. Each child needed to go through 3 steps - 1) Height, and weight. 2) Ear Nose and Throat. 3) Medical Exam. This was extremely stressful :-(. Imagine 50 families at this clinic. No one has appointments. One father remarked, "It's like a deli." And that's right. No numbers, you just kind of get in line and wait for the next station to usher you in on a first come and first served basis. Babies and children crying, hoards of people, and not much to do in there at all for the kids so you can imagine how happy they were to wait for their turns.

Lily got weighed and measured. She is 81 cm tall (which is 50th percentile - told you she was tall), 8.6 kilos (about 19 pounds, which is below the curve on the growth chart, less than 3rd percentile). Yep, shrimp bait. She did pretty well for this part. Didn't love it, but didn't cry either.

Next, we went to the ENT station. There, the nurse did a hearing test. Not very sophisticated. Basically, Lily sat on my lap, and she used a squeaker toy and would observe to see if she would turn her head. She did :-). Then she looked in her eyes and used a tongue depressor to look in her mouth. Pretty quick and easy.

Now the last part - the medical examination. This was rough, mainly because we had to wait and wait. Dave stayed in the waiting room with the other 3 kids. Fortunately, there was a tv there with Tom and Jerry on to entertain the siblings. I waited with Lily in the sling for probably an hour :-(. She was getting totally stressed out and restless. She wanted out of the sling, but when I put her down, she would want me to walk her somewhere and of course we could not get out of line. I was getting totally sweaty and worn out waiting for our turn. I was also feeling at a loss because Lily was doing some "orphanage" type behavior like rocking back and forth and throwing herself backwards. Poor thing. I tried to bounce her around and play with her. She ended up crying and sobbing in the sling. This is the first day that she has really cried. It wasn't out of control, but it was sad. And I was feeling stressed as well. But finally of course, our turn did come around. The doctor listened to her heart and looked at her hernia (she has a hernia on her right side that is unrepaired still, this is her other special need). Then we left. Woohoo!

I was ready to get back to the hotel asap. We got back, Dave made a run to Burger King to get take out. I gave Lily a bottle and rocked her to sleep. After lunch in the room, I took a nap, too. I needed that. I felt MUCH better afterwards.

We met the Ramellas in the lobby at 5 to go to dinner. Guangzhou is new to us, but we walked to Trust Market (yes, I am serious) to buy bottled water and snacks. Then we went to KFC right next door for some dinner, and then to Haagan Daas (!) for dessert!!! The ice cream was more than our dinner. But it was gooooood. Lily did great! She rode comfortable in the Ergo, and ate and played at dinner.

We saw a disturbing sight on the way back. Right outside a clothing store for children, there was a young beautiful Chinesewoman who had a sleeping baby in a sling. She had a stoic but sorrowful look on her face. It was downcast - she did not make eye contact with anyone. In her free hand she held a bucket,she was silently and wordlessly pleading for money. In the bucket I saw lots of little bills. Behind her was a man playing a Chinese musical instrument (er hu, I think it is called). He also did not make eye contact, and it was the saddest music. It was really a haunting sight. All these people bustling around shopping for clothes for their children, and this woman and her child just standing in this circle of sorrow right on the side walk.

Lily had trouble going down to sleep. It took her a long time. She cried some, and then was playing and climbing all over me and clapping and kicking. I am not sure if she is still recovering from all the changes, or if she is feeling more free now to show her true colors or what. Anyway, pray for me. After about an hour of that, I decided to sling her and walk around a bit. She finally went down - phew!

Pictures:
1) Waiting for Lily's visa photo to be developed
2) Picture of the clinic from the outside - yes, that is Dave!
3) Like my fake smile as we were in line for what felt like forever for the last part of Lily's medical exam?
4) This one if from yesterday - dinner at Pizza Hut.