Please Help By Signing this Petition!

Those of you who are tangled up in international adoption and specifically adoption from China are well aware of the implications of the Hague and our I-600a approvals. For those of you not involved, the I-600a is the the clearance you get from the US Government that allows you to return to this country with your new child. Without this approval, you can't get on your plane home with your baby. The US just became Hague compliant which means they now participate with many countries around the world to prevent child trafficking. Yes, good. Very good. However now the thousands of families like us who are in the MIDDLE of this adoption process are being asked to spend more money, more time, and perhaps delay their process by having to get re-approved by the US Government. Mind you that all of us spent close to $1000 to be I-600a approved at the onset of this process, then most of us have already had to spend money to get re-approved when the I-600a expired 18 months later, and now we may have to become I-800a approved which requires much more hoop jumping. We were initially told that people with a valid I-600a would be considered "transition" families and would be grandfathered in. Now it seems that may not be the case. There is a petition being signed to keep us "transition" families grandfathered in and I am asking ALL of you to click this link and sign it. You can also read more about this in greater detail on that blog. Whether you are in the process of an adoption or not, please help us by signing this petition. The Joint Council, in collaboration with Adoption For All organizers David Yurkovich and Dianne Pearce, will present the petition and all signatories to Congressional leaders on October 18th. To ensure that your signature is included, please sign the petition no later than October 16th. Thank You!

100 Pearls of Chinese Wisdom

"Fate brings people together no matter how far apart they may be."
- 100 Pearls of Chinese Wisdom

Viruses

First off, I've had this nasty virus for the past few days. I woke up with a sore throat on Wednesday and it has progressed from there. Not fun! All I've wanted to do is sleep all day - so I have.

The other kind of virus I had a visit from was of the computer sort. If you were on my contact list in my yahoo e-mail account, then I'm sure that you received a lovely "Dear Friend" e-mail from someone posing as me. The people who send out these nasty Malware viruses should be shot on site. It is such a violation of our lives. The sender of the e-mail not only sent out e-mails to everyone on my contact list, but also deleted all of my contacts. So, if you'd like to hear from me, please e-mail me again so I can have your e-mail address back into my contact list. I have also changed my password to help protect it from further invasions and have added further securities to my account.

L'Shana Tova

To those celebrating Rosh Hashana - Happy New Year! May you all have a very sweet New Year!

October Matches are In

We don't know the exact cut-off yet, but our agency has referrals thru February 15, 2006. The exact cut-off could either be the 15th or the 16th, but more likely the 15th. Again, as usual, this is a 6-day referral month. I think that means only 149 more referral days to go... so short, but yet so long to go...

China's Latest Disaster: Tainted Infant Formula

The problem first showed up in China in infant formula made with contaminated milk.

Nearly 53,000 children in China have been sickened by it or other products contaminated with the chemical melamine. Four babies have died. More than a dozen countries, from Asia to Africa to Europe, have banned or recalled Chinese milk products. The United States, meanwhile, said inspectors would expand testing for Chinese products that may contain high levels of milk or milk proteins.

Authorities in China have arrested 18 people in a nationwide investigation. They include two brothers who face charges of selling contaminated milk; the brothers could face death if convicted, according to China Daily, a state-run newspaper.

The raw milk used to produce powdered baby formula had been watered down, and the chemical melamine was added to fool quality checks, the newspaper said.

In the U.S., the Food and Drug Administration said its investigators had not found the Chinese infant formula in question during visits to more than 1,000 stores. They were mainly in cities with large Chinese communities, such as Los Angeles and San Francisco, California; Seattle, Washington; and New York.

The FDA plans to continue such checks, it said, and "has broadened its domestic and import sampling and testing of milk-derived ingredients and finished food products containing milk, such as candies, desserts, and beverages that could contain these ingredients from Chinese sources."

Melamine is commonly used in coatings and laminates, wood adhesives, fabric coatings, ceiling tiles and flame retardants. Some Chinese dairy plants have added it to milk products to make it seem to have a higher protein level.

Melamine is the same industrial contaminant from China that poisoned and killed thousands of U.S. dogs and cats last year.

Health experts say that ingesting melamine can lead to kidney stones, urinary tract ulcers, and eye and skin irritation. It also robs infants of much-needed nutrition.

Regarding the children in orphanages, this is what I've heard:
A letter was sent out to all the orphanages as soon as the crisis was recognized. Orders were to have all children examined at local hospitals and that the government will cover all costs, including any necessary treatment. All orphanages using identified tainted brands have changed to either fresh milk or to a brand that has been identified as safe. There have been reports of children with kidney stones and have or are in the process of being treated.

I just can't wait for the day when China does something right for once! Like maybe a speed-up in the referral process!!

My Stitches are Out!

Well, on Tuesday I got my stitches removed along with the steri-strips that were covering my stitches. I was so happy to have those removed. Now I don't have anything on me causing me allergic reactions on my neck. Yeah!!

Being allergic to all adhesives (like band-aids) really bites! This is a newer allergy for me - I only found out about it maybe a few months ago when I was giving blood at the Red Cross and they put a latex-free band-aid on me. When I removed it - voila! A rash just where the adhesive was.

The scar on my neck is pretty small and I think he placed it in one of my creases on my neck, so I think the scar is going to meld in there nicely. I'll have Robert take a picture of my "new and improved" self at some point soon and post it.

Things are Normalizing

Well, today, I'm feeling a bit better than yesterday (as I'm sure I will be feeling a bit better daily now). My fingers and toes aren't as tingly (a sign of low calcium) as they were and my leg cramp, while still here, is a bit better. My magnesium levels that they took yesterday were all normal, so they're not sure why my body was reacting as it was, they think that probably my body just needs to get used to this new lower calcium level and all will be well. Time will tell.

Hope this doesn't gross you out too much, but here is what my "Frankenstein" neck looks like now. The stitches come out on Tuesday afternoon. I am allergic to all adhesives, so that is why my neck is a bit rashy - I have to keep the stitches area dry for the next 2 weeks and when I cover the area up with this special tape, I break out. NOT FUN!!

I'm Back!

Well, the surgery is over and done with! I have a one-inch scar on my neck. My neck is swollen and it feels like I have a huge lump in it. My actual pain is pretty minimal, but I feel lots of stretching and pulling in my neck muscles. You also don't realize how much you use your neck muscles until something is actually done to them. I can't drive right now, since I am unable to turn my neck enough for me to drive safely. Right now I'm having some residual side effects from the surgery - my fingers and toes are all "tingly" and I woke up this morning with a serious muscle cramp in my left leg. They are still working on why that's happening. They are going to do another blood test to see if maybe it's my magnesium level?? I'll find that out this afternoon. My calcium and parathyroid hormones are all back to normal, though. So, that at least, is good. I should be fully recovered in a few weeks. Yeah!!

I will be home now just hanging out the next few days, since I can't do anything - no driving, no lifting, no nothing... Can we say "BORED!!"

Also, a big "Thank You" to my mom for taking care of me the past few days. It was such a huge help to have you around - especially for that last-minute run to the hospital last night. I love you!

Parathyroid Surgery is tomorrow

Well, tomorrow I go under the knife to have my parathyroid gland removed. I'm a bit nervous - just not knowing how I'm going to feel afterwards. During my pre-op appointment, the nurse went over the procedure and told me all the possible things that can go wrong. It's a bit scary.

I will have about a 1 inch scar on my neck. My voice to begin with is going to be very hoarse. I may feel like I have a huge lump in my throat - kind of like having strep throat. I won't be able to turn my neck - so I can't see to drive. They don't want me lifting more than 10 pounds - I probably won't have the strength anyways. My calcium level may drop causing me to get a tingling sensation in my lips, toes, fingers where I will need to take a Tums to bring my level up again.

I have to be at the hospital at 10:45 am. At 11:45 am, I go in for nuclear medicine where they inject me with a radioactive dye. Then, at 1:30 pm, I go in for surgery. The surgery is about 1.5 hours and I'll be in recovery about 1.5 hours. Then, when I'm strong enough to walk again, I can finally go home!

Robert and I went grocery shopping so we at least have food for tonight and tomorrow. My mom is coming in on Tuesday morning to take over for Robert in taking care of me. It's going to be great to have her here helping out.