I Was Not Their First HIV Health Care Provider

Whenever one of the kids with HIV come home to the Colorado who have been adopted by a family, we are able to review some medical records ahead of time. It is kind of a crap shoot how much we know about the child before we meet him or her. Many factors come into play, like the orphanage they come from, the access to medical care as well as the agency who is managing the adoption. Most of the kids see Dr. Sophie in the World Wide Orphans Clinic.

I have wanted to meet and talk with this doctor for years. I hope to learn more about the care the kids are getting while they are still in Ethiopia and share with her how they look when they come home. I want to talk to her about what we do here to help the children with some of their medical needs while they try and adapt to new families, new cultures, new foods, new rules, new routines. This is all happening while these kids are missing their best friends, their caregivers, and their Ethiopian families. They have suffered inexplicable loss, trauma, and fear like we can't imagine. The kind of stuff that just a lot of hugs and kisses alone won't heal.



I hope to share with Dr. Sophie the wonderful stories of families who persevere, who handle audiology, cardiology, radiology, and endocrinology visits with grace. How they navigate TB clinics, mental health visits, developmental screenings and mail order pharmacies (which if you know me well you know that those are the true bain of my existence), massive co-pays, and endless trips to the lab with stool samples and small frightened kids who have to stick their arm out once again for yet-another-poke.

If you would like to donate to help us bring some much needed medical supplies please click on the HIV to Home link to your left. Today they emailed and requested some pediatric sized IV bags so they can better serve the children in Soddo. We are leaving in about a week and are very excited.