After waiting so long, I'm excited but I'm also getting nervous. I haven't even started packing because I'm so worried that I will have too much luggage or forget to pack something important or...I don't know what else. I just worry all the time.
All day and all night my brain seems intent on worrying me into a frenzy. I try to tell myself to be calm. Everything will happen in its own time. It will all work out. I tell myself to take deep breaths, to relax, to sleep, but my brain won't shut off.
This is happening!
My main projects for yesterday and today have been trying to coordinate doctors' appointments for Pearl for when we return from China. My first call was to my employer's human resources department to ask about designating a primary care provider for Pearl and adding her to my medical insurance. The HR lady was really helpful and I made an appointment to go through paperwork with her on the Monday morning after we return from China.
Check one thing off my to-do list.
I then called a local pediatrician's office to make an appointment. The website cheerily informed me that the doctor is indeed accepting new patients but the receptionist was quick to tell me by telephone that the practice is closed. This is a highly regarded and experienced pediatrician. I want this doctor to be Pearl's doctor. This doctor WILL be Pearl's doctor.
I must admit, I did it. I told myself I wouldn't do it but then I did it anyway.
I played the doctor card.
I'd like to think the "doctor card" looks something like this.
"Really?" I said. "I'm a physician here and I would really appreciate it if the doctor could accept my daughter as his patient. Her needs are complex and I just wouldn't feel comfortable with a less experienced physician."
Sadly, this is not the first time I've played the doctor card since I graduated from medical school, but I must say that I have become much more judicious about how I use it. In this case, it actually worked!
Check item #2 off the to-do list!
My next call was to a pediatric specialty clinic at the University Hospital located twenty minutes away from Blahtown. Now this was an interesting exchange. To begin with, the receptionist was not at all familiar with Pearl's special need.
Hmmm. A bit surprising, to be sure, but perhaps not alarming in and of itself.
I patiently explained about the upcoming trip to China and Pearl's special need. She Googled it while we were on the phone together.
The receptionist then asked me several detailed questions about Pearl and her habits. I knew the answer to precisely two of those questions: I knew her name and I knew her date of birth (estimated given the orphan status, but I didn't even bother to say that since I didn't want to complicate matters further for the poor woman). I was not able to tell her anything about Pearl's eating habits, sleeping habits, bowel habits, etc. I was starting to get the "I'm talking to a really bad mother here" vibe off of her so I reminded her that I have not met Pearl. I will not meet Pearl for another week and a half. Pearl is in China and I am not. I have never met Pearl. I have had only sporadic and cryptic updates from various caregivers for the past 8 months, so perhaps a bit of slack could be cut for me just this once.
She finally seemed to get it and got me a very good appointment slot within two weeks of our return from China. She then said, "And you don't need a translator, right?"
Um. Maybe? Pearl is three years old so she may need a translator or she may not. I don't know because I haven't met her yet.
The poor receptionist honestly seemed completely alarmed that the child I'm adopting from China is - get this - Chinese!
At least I got the appointment. Check item #3 off the list!
My next stop was to the pharmacy where the pharmacist and both pharmacy techs helped me to buy one of every over-the-counter medication available. That statement is an exaggeration, but not by much.
In addition to prescriptions for ciprofloxacin, azithromycin, and Permethrin (My motto is "better to plan for disaster and be pleasantly surprised by a lack of scabies!"), I purchased children's and adult's acetaminophen, Pepto Bismol, nasal saline, Miralax powder, loperamide (Imodium), melatonin, cetirizine (Zyrtec), diphenhydramine (Benadryl), glycerin suppositories, Band-aids, and two different kinds of diaper rash cream.
Yes, many of my travel nightmares relate to feces or a lack thereof. I freely admit it.
I still need to find Ex-Lax and enemas, though. The pharmacy was out of Ex-Lax and enemas.
With my mobile first aid station nearly stocked, I then turned my attention to the next item on my list: worrying about travel documents. I have a folio with documents, copies of documents, and more documents. I'm still waiting for the adoption agency to send the original Travel Authorization, but once I receive that, the original and multiple copies will go into the folio as well. Of course, I'm terrified that the original TA won't arrive in time, but I have so much else to worry about right now that I can't even focus on that fear. For instance, how does one transport thousands of dollars in cash across continents without losing one's mind with fear?
Now that night has fallen, though, I have actually had some quiet moments and a chance to reflect a little. Yesterday and today were the first times that I used the words "my daughter" to describe Pearl.
Whoa.
My daughter.
Those are some amazing words. Of course, she isn't my daughter until she's in my arms and the adoption is finalized, but I had to say those words to get her what she needs: insurance coverage, doctors' appointments, medications.
She's really going to be my daughter - SOON!
For her sake and mine, I hope that she doesn't need the enemas and the permethrin.
No comments:
Post a Comment