Feb. 6th Medical Exam Day

Today was a sad day for Jackson!  He was not very happy being at the Medical Exam office.  But, we survived.

The weather outside was slightly breezy, but VERY humid, as you'll be able to tell by my hair!!  I don't know if I've ever seen my hair this out of control!

Jackson ate a great breakfast, but was grumpy this morning.

We rode the bus with all of the other families from WACAP to the island and walked through the White Swan hotel.  The inside is beautiful, but the outside has much to be desired. 

We began our walk to the Medical Exam office and that is where the humidity began!  I forgot to mention that we were able to borrow a stroller from our hotel for Jackson which we are so thankful for!  It was a long week carrying him around everywhere.  But, I know it was great for bonding!!!  So wish we would have just bought the Ergo carrier!!!

Once we walked into the Medical Exam office we knew that we were in for it.  I'm not sure if there was air conditioning, but there was at LEAST 30 other families in there with us!  Plus, all of the other family members they brought with them.  And then there were strollers and crying children!!!  A doctor's office nightmare!!

Our guide was wonderful getting us where we needed to be.  And this is where the crying began.  Jackson weighed in at 11.7 kg which converts to a whoppin' 25.79 pounds and was 82 cm long which converts to 32.3 inches.  After weight and height we went to the medical exam room where the female doctor began to examine HIM!  Once she removed his diaper to check him, she gasped and started laughing, saying "It's a Boy!!!...I thought it was a girl!!!"  She must not have read that on his medical reports.  So, she had to call in the male doctor to check him out.

Then we waited to see the ENT.  He examined both sides of his head for his ears and used the otoscope to look into his little ear and then made notes in his file.  Jackson had no response to the little keyboard that he played, but did respond to the squeaky rubber duck that he snuck around to his little ear. Then the wait began for his vaccinations and TB test.

Jackson required 4 vaccinations and his TB test. This was hearwrenching to have to hold him for them all. I love our nurses at home who do this with such expertise! Please pray that Jackson's TB test will be negative. We go back on 2/8 to have it looked at. If it is positive, then he will have to have a chest xray.

Thankfully we were able to watch them open the vaccination boxes from the refridgerator and we were given all of the boxes to bring home to Dr. Ahmed along with his shot record from the orphanage and the Medical Exam office.

We ate lunch at a deli/noodle restaurant. Kurt and I enjoyed the Rice Noodle with pork soup. We thought that Jackson would love it because he was hungry, but started his next tantrum. He wanted no part of the noodles. It seems that the tantrum begins as something small but turns into grieving. It is difficult to listen to the sobbing to the point of almost vomiting. But we know that this is all part of the process and we continue to pray that he will allow us to comfort him.

The best part of today was getting Jackson's chops. This is a traditional Chinese stamp that has his American name and the characters for his Chinese name. Jackson was born in 2007 which was the year of the Golden Pig. So his chop has a pig on top.

Jackson just woke up from his 2 hour nap and we have given him Tylenol. It seems that his little legs are hurting him.

Tomorrow is a day of sightseeing. We're not sure where we are going. We have not yet been to the Pearl Market. So, I hope that is where we are going. We are trying to buy gifts for Jackson to give to him on his birthdays. We probably won't be able to do a gift each year, but we would like to buy a strand of pearls to put aside for him to give to his wife one day. (And maybe a strand of black pearls for Mama, too!)