A few years ago, it was determined that all people who adopt from Russ*a have to have a medical exam. Not only in their own country, but one in Russ*a as well. And not just with one doctor, but with eight. There are no "general practitioners" here. If you have an earache, you go straight to an ENT. If you have anxiety, you go to a psychiatrist. Since native couples are required to have a pulmonologist, psychiatrist, dermatologist, cardiologist, TB specialist, neurologist, and oncologist and a "therapist" all sign their adoption papers, it's only fair that people from other countries have to as well, right?
So our long-awaited medicals were yesterday. It took over five hours because we had to drive all over the city. First to the psychiatrist and psychologist where we took a silly test to make sure we were "all there, then to a large building that is owned by the government, to be seen by the rest of the doctors. It's all seriously a big joke. We pay $1100. We go to each of these doctors, they ask 2-3 questions, then they stamp their big 'ol stamp on the designated line and send us on our way. They all know it's silly, so they go through the motions to appease the powers that be. The only "examining" that we had were chest x-rays, a blood test (we did those in the US ahead of time, although they still pricked our fingers for some reason) a couple of taps under the knees and a blood pressure check. I think one doctor listened to our hearts and lungs.
We had a up-close look at socialized medicine in a post-communist country. Very eye-opening and sad. Inside the front door of this huge clinic we saw a window with a long line of people. We learned that the people in this line were sick and they were there to receive a number, which determines what future date and approximate time they can come to see a doctor.
The building was 5 or 6 stories high and had no elevator. We saw elderly people slowly making their way up the old staircases. So sad.
We felt guilty as we walked down the hallways lined with patients who looked like they had been there for hours. We only had to wait a few minutes to see each doctor.
This is just a side-note but I had to take a picture of the toilet in the medical clinic. No toilet seat. No paper. Little did I know that this was a kings' throne compared to the toilet that I would use the next night, at the ballet. It was a hole in the ground that you had to squat over. That was a new experience. Ha ha.
Some pictures of the city. We spent several hours in the car as we drove from one clinic to the next.
That's it for yesterday. Time seems to warp into one big mushy mess when we're here. I can barely remember what we did from one day to the next. This is why I'm forcing myself to blog every day. This experience will all be all but forgotten if I don't write things down as they happen!
The agenda today only included a visit to the baby house and a court prep meeting with our coordinator. So we decided we'd take advantage of an opportunity to see the world-renowned Novosibirsk Ballet tonight. I'll blog about it tomorrow. I need to get some sleep so I don't have a foggy brain a court. :)
We have court at 10:00 am tomorrow, which is 8:00 pm Mountain Standard Time on Wednesday night for most of you! We're planning to ask the judge if she will waive the 30 day waiting period after court, which would mean we can bring Hazel home in a week, instead of having to come back in a month to finish the process. This is very rarely granted, but we know that this particular judge has done it with past cases involving children with special needs. So we're cautiously optimistic. Thank you for your prayers and concern for our well-being. We appreciate it more than you'll ever know.
It won't be long and all these people you've been looking at in pictures will be your very own family, Miss Hazel. YOUR VERY OWN FAMILY. Amazing. The Lord has blessed us so.
So our long-awaited medicals were yesterday. It took over five hours because we had to drive all over the city. First to the psychiatrist and psychologist where we took a silly test to make sure we were "all there, then to a large building that is owned by the government, to be seen by the rest of the doctors. It's all seriously a big joke. We pay $1100. We go to each of these doctors, they ask 2-3 questions, then they stamp their big 'ol stamp on the designated line and send us on our way. They all know it's silly, so they go through the motions to appease the powers that be. The only "examining" that we had were chest x-rays, a blood test (we did those in the US ahead of time, although they still pricked our fingers for some reason) a couple of taps under the knees and a blood pressure check. I think one doctor listened to our hearts and lungs.
We had a up-close look at socialized medicine in a post-communist country. Very eye-opening and sad. Inside the front door of this huge clinic we saw a window with a long line of people. We learned that the people in this line were sick and they were there to receive a number, which determines what future date and approximate time they can come to see a doctor.
The building was 5 or 6 stories high and had no elevator. We saw elderly people slowly making their way up the old staircases. So sad.
We felt guilty as we walked down the hallways lined with patients who looked like they had been there for hours. We only had to wait a few minutes to see each doctor.
This is just a side-note but I had to take a picture of the toilet in the medical clinic. No toilet seat. No paper. Little did I know that this was a kings' throne compared to the toilet that I would use the next night, at the ballet. It was a hole in the ground that you had to squat over. That was a new experience. Ha ha.
Some pictures of the city. We spent several hours in the car as we drove from one clinic to the next.
After we finished our marathon medical morning, we took a little break at our apartment, then drove to the baby house for visit #3.
Hazel was happy as ever to see us. Incidentally, we found out that her caregivers approached the head doctor and complained that she wasn't her usual, well-behaved self since we've been coming to visit. I can only imagine that this is the first time that anyone has ever paid any attention to her in this way. I mean, the kid has been tickled and bounced around more in the past 4 days than she probably has even been in her life (exept when we came in June.) What can we say?
They asked the doctor if they could medicate her in some way to make her mellow again. Why does this rub me the wrong way? Shake it off, Heather. Shake it off.
They asked the doctor if they could medicate her in some way to make her mellow again. Why does this rub me the wrong way? Shake it off, Heather. Shake it off.
That's it for yesterday. Time seems to warp into one big mushy mess when we're here. I can barely remember what we did from one day to the next. This is why I'm forcing myself to blog every day. This experience will all be all but forgotten if I don't write things down as they happen!
The agenda today only included a visit to the baby house and a court prep meeting with our coordinator. So we decided we'd take advantage of an opportunity to see the world-renowned Novosibirsk Ballet tonight. I'll blog about it tomorrow. I need to get some sleep so I don't have a foggy brain a court. :)
We have court at 10:00 am tomorrow, which is 8:00 pm Mountain Standard Time on Wednesday night for most of you! We're planning to ask the judge if she will waive the 30 day waiting period after court, which would mean we can bring Hazel home in a week, instead of having to come back in a month to finish the process. This is very rarely granted, but we know that this particular judge has done it with past cases involving children with special needs. So we're cautiously optimistic. Thank you for your prayers and concern for our well-being. We appreciate it more than you'll ever know.
It won't be long and all these people you've been looking at in pictures will be your very own family, Miss Hazel. YOUR VERY OWN FAMILY. Amazing. The Lord has blessed us so.
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