43 days and counting. We just had our first baby shower on Sunday 3/22. It was also my 37th birthday--I couldn't have asked for a better birthday. I sent Elise our notarized letter yesterday giving her and her family permission to take pictures of Ella for us. I can't wait to see a new picture, it has been 4 weeks since the last one that we got. I am sure that she has grown and I need a new picture! Waiting is so hard.
I am trying to make some travel arrangements, but not knowing if our visa appointment has been moved makes things more difficult. I will keep you posted.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
SHOTS!!!!!!!
Yes, we got the first round of shots on Friday. We went to the Hillsborough County health department vaccination clinic on Adamo and 50th St. We decided to get Typhoid, Hep A and Hep B. I also had to get a tetanus booster--ouch! We did the twinex on the A and B, it is a combo shot and we go back to get another injection in 1 month and another in 5 months after that. We should be protected for our trip to Ethiopia. We opted out of the Yellow Fever, it is not in Addis Ababa--too high altitude for mosquitoes. They are recommending that all caregivers at home also receive Hep A inoculations--Grandparents especially! Sorry Mom and Dad! Just need to see the doctor to get some antibiotics, anti-diarrhea, and etc.
More Soon!!!
More Soon!!!
New Court Date
We got a new court date of May 8th. The day that Ella becomes ours! Our old date was May 19th with a visa appt for June 11th. We are waiting to see if our visa appointment changes--I hope that it is May 28th--giving us time to get home and attend Rory's wedding in Mexico!
51 days till she becomes ours!
51 days till she becomes ours!
Thursday, March 5, 2009
95 Days and Counting
We got this update about Hep A.
Please see the recommendation (reproduced below) that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued today. Please pass this information on to your adoptive parents. Please also pass this on to your agency’s headquarters in the U.S. Adoptive parents need to be aware of this recommendation BEFORE they travel to Ethiopia to meet their prospective adopted children.
Consular Section staff will be handing this information out to adoptive parents. However, it is most important that they receive this information prior to coming to Ethiopia.
Hepatitis-A Risk Associated with Ethiopian AdopteesThis information is current as of March 04, 2009
Several cases of hepatitis A have recently been reported in children and adults linked to adoptees from Ethiopia. Hepatitis A is a liver disease caused by the hepatitis A virus. Most children under the age of 6 years do not get sick from the infection, but can spread it to older children and adults, who often become ill.
Recommendations
· Travelers, including adoptive parents and any accompanying family members, who pick up the child should visit a health-care provider or travel medicine specialist as soon as travel is considered to ensure that their routine vaccinations are up to date and to obtain pre-travel advice tailored to their own medical history and the country they will visit.
· To prevent hepatitis A virus infections, CDC recommends that travelers to areas with intermediate and high rates of hepatitis A, including Ethiopia, receive hepatitis A vaccine prior to travel.
· Other household members and caregivers of children adopted from Ethiopia, should consider being vaccinated before adopted children are brought to the U.S.
· Post-arrival of adopted children: Adopted children, household members, caregivers, or other persons experiencing symptoms of hepatitis A should be evaluated by a health-care provider. Persons exposed to hepatitis A who have not been previously immunized should contact their health-care provider or local health department to determine if they should receive an immunization or immunoglobulin to help prevent illness. More information about hepatitis A is available at: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/hepatitis/.
More Information
· The hepatitis A virus is found in the stool (feces) of persons with hepatitis A. It is usually spread from person to person by putting something in the mouth that has been contaminated with stool. Frequent hand washing with soap and water, particularly after using the bathroom, changing a diaper, and before preparing or eating food, is very important in preventing the spread of hepatitis A.
· Symptoms usually occur abruptly and include fatigue, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, nausea, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes), and diarrhea. Jaundice is common in adults but rare in children. Older persons and persons with chronic liver disease can have more serious illness. The overall mortality rate among reported cases of hepatitis A is 0.3%, but it is 1.8% among persons >50 years. Symptoms generally last up to 2 months; there is no chronic (long-term) form of the disease.
Additional information is available at: http://wwwn.cdc.gov/Travel/contentHepAEthiopianAdoptees.aspx
Charles and I will be getting vaccinated, but until we get her tested when we get back we will limit who has a lot of contact with Ella.
Please see the recommendation (reproduced below) that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued today. Please pass this information on to your adoptive parents. Please also pass this on to your agency’s headquarters in the U.S. Adoptive parents need to be aware of this recommendation BEFORE they travel to Ethiopia to meet their prospective adopted children.
Consular Section staff will be handing this information out to adoptive parents. However, it is most important that they receive this information prior to coming to Ethiopia.
Hepatitis-A Risk Associated with Ethiopian AdopteesThis information is current as of March 04, 2009
Several cases of hepatitis A have recently been reported in children and adults linked to adoptees from Ethiopia. Hepatitis A is a liver disease caused by the hepatitis A virus. Most children under the age of 6 years do not get sick from the infection, but can spread it to older children and adults, who often become ill.
Recommendations
· Travelers, including adoptive parents and any accompanying family members, who pick up the child should visit a health-care provider or travel medicine specialist as soon as travel is considered to ensure that their routine vaccinations are up to date and to obtain pre-travel advice tailored to their own medical history and the country they will visit.
· To prevent hepatitis A virus infections, CDC recommends that travelers to areas with intermediate and high rates of hepatitis A, including Ethiopia, receive hepatitis A vaccine prior to travel.
· Other household members and caregivers of children adopted from Ethiopia, should consider being vaccinated before adopted children are brought to the U.S.
· Post-arrival of adopted children: Adopted children, household members, caregivers, or other persons experiencing symptoms of hepatitis A should be evaluated by a health-care provider. Persons exposed to hepatitis A who have not been previously immunized should contact their health-care provider or local health department to determine if they should receive an immunization or immunoglobulin to help prevent illness. More information about hepatitis A is available at: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/hepatitis/.
More Information
· The hepatitis A virus is found in the stool (feces) of persons with hepatitis A. It is usually spread from person to person by putting something in the mouth that has been contaminated with stool. Frequent hand washing with soap and water, particularly after using the bathroom, changing a diaper, and before preparing or eating food, is very important in preventing the spread of hepatitis A.
· Symptoms usually occur abruptly and include fatigue, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, nausea, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes), and diarrhea. Jaundice is common in adults but rare in children. Older persons and persons with chronic liver disease can have more serious illness. The overall mortality rate among reported cases of hepatitis A is 0.3%, but it is 1.8% among persons >50 years. Symptoms generally last up to 2 months; there is no chronic (long-term) form of the disease.
Additional information is available at: http://wwwn.cdc.gov/Travel/contentHepAEthiopianAdoptees.aspx
Charles and I will be getting vaccinated, but until we get her tested when we get back we will limit who has a lot of contact with Ella.
Friday, February 27, 2009
101 Days until we go to get Ella
101 days until we are scheduled to go and get our daughter, Ella. We got new pics yesterday, I got the pics and wept. It was a relief to see her and see that she had in fact gained some weight. She looked much healthier and attentive. It made me happy and sad all at the same time. I was happy to see her healthy and sad to see her and not be able to hold her. I ask everyone, how do you do it? How do you wait? I am having a really hard time with that--the waiting. It was okay, tolerable, before we had a child, but now...I am going out of my mind. That is why I know that there are 101 days until we leave. I think that it is easier to be able to count down the days. I also filled out my schedule, I am planning on having something to do everyday and night until we go.
I love someone I have never met. I love her more than I know how to love. She is my heart--I cant imagine how I will feel when we really meet.
We got word today that Ella will be moved to the HOH next week--we are really happy to hear that. We can get more updates more frequently--yeah. I look forward to every email and stare at every picture. I am an addict!
I love someone I have never met. I love her more than I know how to love. She is my heart--I cant imagine how I will feel when we really meet.
We got word today that Ella will be moved to the HOH next week--we are really happy to hear that. We can get more updates more frequently--yeah. I look forward to every email and stare at every picture. I am an addict!
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Referral Day!!! Charles and I were on our last day in New York at a trade show, we had finished there and headed out to see some sights. We stopped in for a bite at the Metro Cafe and just as we finished our lunch the phone rang. Charles never picks up if he doesn't recognize the call, but I had a feeling and told him to "Answer IT"! He did and was talking for a few minutes and hung up. I asked who it was and he answered that it was Toni, our adoption coordinator. Through the tears he told me we got a referral, a little girl!! We both cried and I am sure we looked like big idiots, but we didn't care!! We needed to call Toni back and she wanted to talk to us both at the same time--a quiet place in the heart of Manhattan? It was ridiculously cold outside, but we thought that our best option was the park--pretty empty on a cold day. We went and found a place and called back, but she was on the phone...we waited....and waited...and waited until I couldn't feel my feet or hands anymore and I said we needed to find a warm place to wait. We went to the bookstore and after waiting an hour or so, we got the call. She was abandoned and is 2 months old and weighs 5 lbs. She is really small, but all of her tests say she is healthy. We accepted our little miracle and are waiting to get a court date--that can take a while!!
I will keep you all posted.
I will keep you all posted.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
