I did a lot of deep breathing this morning – before I went to the local Social Services Office. The office has limited office hours – 2 hours on Monday and 2 hours on Thursday. After a short wait I was invited to see the Director of the office. When she heard that I came in about adopting an orphan, she went to ask her assistants to stop transferring calls to her and closed the door. It was obvious she did not have visitors coming in asking about adoptions every week.
The Director did not waste time with pleasantries and just in a few short questions found out I was married to a US citizen. "You have to go through an international adoption." was her resume (i.e. $30K-$50K). "But why international?", I asked. "I am a Russian citizen." She agreed with me, at least for now. That was too easy to be the end of it. +
There was a 5 minute consultation to go over the long list of documents I needed to collect. (US agency spent at least an hour with me with a similar list). The Director stressed that nobody would waste time speaking to me unless I had collected most of the documents and most importantly I had to have the medical form completed. She gave me the form with a stamp I was missing yesterday. When I mentioned the Psycho-Neurological place asked for 2 forms, she got really mad and practically yelled that she was fed up with them and that they did not know what they were doing. She instructed me to demand a denial on paper and she would dispute it through the Ministry of Health. Gee! I hope I never tick her off!
I stopped by to pick up my notarized translations and headed right to the clinics to get my stamps. Substance Abuse place was a piece of cake, they checked my name against their Rolodex-style files, then a doctor asked me where I worked and whether my name was Jewish and signed the paper that I did not have any alcohol or controlled substances issues. A lady at the check out stamped 4 stamps on my Social Services form – one rectangular, one triangular, and 2 round ones. +
Next was the Psycho-Neurology place that turned me down yesterday. It was the same lady as yesterday. She was still not happy I only had one form. I was praying I would not have to be caught in the middle of the fight between this place and the social services. Luckily, the lady gave up. I think it helped that I already had the four differently shaped stamps from the first place. So again, my name was checked against Rolodex-style files (nobody seems to have computers there), then I saw a doctor who asked me again where I worked and stamped the form. What’s up with this diagnostic technique? +
The third place took forever, it was specializing in Skin Diseases and STDs (makes you want to take a shower after going there!). I had to wait in line and then they actually were the first place to try to do some real diagnostics – they drew my blood and said the results would be ready in a week. A week! Well, that would not work! I wanted to have everything ready by Monday at the latest. –
I went back to my parent’s place and called my doctor friend. He said I was too quick and he knew a place where they could do the same blood tests within a day. He also said he would take care of the chest x-ray and oncology check. +
He was on his way from work and we agreed to go out for dinner with his wife (my best friend) and their 4-year old son. We went to a nice Italian place and had a lovely evening.
Total for today: 4 +s and only 1 -.
Good grief
Wow, what a lot of steps! You’d think you were applying to become an astronaut, not a mom. I hope you get all the correct stamps without as little hassle as possible!
Re: Good grief
They definitely want to make sure I am as healthy as an astronaut, so I don’t die any time soon and don’t orphan the child once again! It’s just insane.