The Medical Clearance and "Jaben"

Jaden made it through the medical exam!  Yea!
Yesterday was a big day and a day we had been dreading.  All adopting families in China have to go through Guangzhou to finalize everything and part of that is the medical exam.

In Nanjing, Jaden's province, we saw the occasional adopting family.  I think that there were about 4 families although we really didn't get to know the 2 families from other agencies.  Here in GZ, it is amazing to see all of the children finding their forever families!  The hotel that we are in is GIANT, think Vegas in an Asian way.  The hotel staff put all of us in the same area of the dining room for the breakfast buffet and it is pretty cool to see all of the families.  It is amazing how well all of the kids do here.  You see the expected spilled foods and temper tantrums but no worse than you would see in any kid friendly buffet in the US.  What is different is the amount of special need kiddos.  Basically every special need you can imagine is represented in the dining room.  (Just a thought, but it would make a great field trip for pediatric residents if anyone at OSU is listening.  Maybe a new requirement for Pediatric or Family Practice residents could be a China adoption, hehe.  Think of the boost of adoptions.)  Anyway, sorry for that random wandering.
The buffet itself is pretty funny too.  The assortment is great for the kiddos strikes this American tummy as rather bizarre.  You can have congee (hmm, think of a watery cross between grits and oatmeal), broiled fish, baked beans, corn on the cob in milk, olive ham loaf, fish chowder with noodles, toast, pancakes, cabbage rolls, deep fried bacon, doughnuts, melon and eggs boiled in tea--all for breakfast.   What is Jaden going to think of oatmeal and toast when we get home?

Jaden started getting anxious at breakfast when he saw all the other kids for the first time.  I have no way of knowing what he was thinking but it didn't seem to be comforting to him.  The other kids themselves weren't bothering him, it made me wonder if he thought he was being brought to some new, albeit fancy, orphanage.  It was the first meal that he hasn't eaten like a trucker.  He actually ate very little and drank next to nothing.  I was trying to over-hydrate him so the blood draw I knew was coming would be easier on him.

We got on a bus with 7 other families from our agency and he crawled up into my lab and stared out the window.  This was also different for him as, since daddy had saved him from the crazy SWI people, he was the definite favorite.  When we got to the medical clinic it was CHAOS!!!  Every family adopting last week in the entire country was there.  Again, incredible to see this many kids with their parents but wow, lots of people trying to get through 4 medical stations at the same time.  No sign in, no take a number, just figure it out.  The rules just changed in the last week or so and now the Tb test is not the skin prick but is a blood draw.  Ugh.  That is what I was dreading.  What I hadn't considered is that Jaden has probably only been to the hospital twice in his life and both of those ended with long painful stays after surgery.  He decided that this was way too much like that and when we had to take his clothes off  for the exam, he was obviously scared and unhappy.  Tears abounded.  The doctors were all friendly enough and seemed very efficient.  The last step was the blood draw and this was not a happy momma when they wouldn't let me come back with him.  When he came out he was being carried and his little face was covered in tears but there only appeared to be one band-aid so that was good.  He wanted his momma.  He stayed in my arms for probably 30 minutes or so before he finally  had to "da chi" and for that he wants daddy.  (Tim says he has seen every bathroom in China so far!)

  He was crazy happy when we got back to the room.  Like run in place, happy dance, squeal in delight happy!  It was precious.  I really think the worst is behind us now.  I think when he made it through that and we were there at the end, I think he finally realized he was ours for good.  It was shortly after naptime that he I and wandered out to find the playroom and a random Chinese lady aske him, "Ni jiao shenma mingze" and he answered proudly "Jaben!" and looked over at me with a big grin.  :)