AUGUST 13, 2003 » Photos: Final Day in China » Wrapping Up the Trip, Going Home AUGUST 12, 2003 » Photos: U.S. Consulate » Finishing U.S. Papers AUGUST 11, 2003 » Photos: GuangZhou » Medical Exam AUGUST 8, 2003 » Photos: Passport » Finalizing Paperwork AUGUST 7, 2003 » Photos: Trip Through Hunan AUGUST 6, 2003 » In the Orphanage » Photos: Orphanage - Cameras Not Allowed AUGUST 4, 2003 » Changsha, China » Photos: First Day as a Family AUGUST 3, 2003 » Paperwork and Waiting » Photos - Come Together Intro » Adopting a Child from China

Medical Exam

The Hahns left Changsha for Guangzhou early yesterday morning. Guangzhou is the last leg of their China trip. The main purpose of going is finishing the U.S. side of the paperwork. Today's big activity was a visit to the accredited medical office for Allie's check-up. The medical exam is one of the requirements by the U.S. consulate for the child's visa to the United States.

The examination itself was a cursory one, a note of the baby's weight, height and head size, "and some general poking around. Allie didn't like that part very much", says Matt.

According to Elizabeth, those whose babies are found to have deficiencies not noted previously, are required to reclassify the children as a "special needs child," which means additional paperwork and possibly an extension of the trip in China. Allie was declared healthy and normal by the examining doctors.

The child's medical condition has become a contention for some parents adopting from China. Elizabeth tells me of an American woman who adopted from China recently. The adoption had been finalized, the baby had been with her for a night, when the woman decided that the child was "too small." The agency representative requested for some tests for the baby (nothing wrong
was found), but the woman refused to take the child back. She wanted a bigger, healthier baby. Elizabeth shudders. "It's as if they're picking items from a supermarket. You can't just do that -- these are children we're talking about."

Luckily, Elizabeth says, most of the people going through the adoption process are doing it for the right reasons. "There's probably a 1 percent out there who do not know what a serious thing adoption is. But for the most part, I do think that parents are coming here with genuine love for the children."

-Aurora Santiago