We set up a consult with a Dr. Kang at the U of M who is an International Adoption Pediatrician (adopted from Korea when she was 5 months old). Her expertise is in deciphering a medical report we'll get when a child is referred to us to determine if he's at risk for any medical condition on the list. She also does physicals for kids as they enter the country and then 6 months later. Her expertise completely amazed me. She was able to walk us through everything professionally and was able to tell us what to expect, assuming we are able to adopt a child from Korea. That 60 minutes was very well spent!
So, as my husband and I went through and checked off the boxes, it quickly became very emotional for me. The thought that there's a kid who won't be adopted by us because he has something we were unwilling to sign up for is hard to swallow. There's a kid with some degree of paralysis out there who won't find a home. And, although we all know that's true somewhere in the world, when it's ME checking the boxes and, to some degree, rejecting this kid I don't even know yet, it's much harder.
Yet, CHSFS urges everyone to be honest with themselves as they check the boxes. It's a much harder decision, they say, when a child is referred to you and has a condition that you really can't handle. Then you have to make that decision when you have a picture of a beautiful child staring at you after waiting so many months/years for that moment.
Still, it's really hard. And, I'm glad that part is done.
