Bumps....

As I think I have mentioned earlier, in gathering documents for our dossier there are explicit directions that have to be followed or your document might be rejected. Which leads me to:

MEDICAL FORM

This is a very simple form that has to be filled out by a doctor. And by very simple, let me explain...

The form looks like this:

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APPLICANT’S NAME:

DOB:

ADDRESS:

MEDICAL HISTORY

Have you ever had Tuberculosis? (Circle one) Yes/No If yes, please explain_____________

Tumor? (Circle one) Yes/No If yes, please explain____________________________________

Heart disease? (Circle one) Yes/No If yes, please explain_________________________

Liver disease? (Circle one) Yes/No If yes, please explain_________________________

Sexual disease? (Circle one) Yes/No If yes, please explain_______________________________
Neuropathy? (Circle one) Yes/No If yes, please explain_______________________________

Mental disease? (Circle one) Yes/No If yes, please explain______________________________

Other Communicable disease? (Circle one) Yes/No If yes, please explain___________________

Alcoholism or substance abuse? (Circle one) Yes/No If yes, please explain___________________

Any genetic disease? (Circle one) Yes/No If yes, please explain_________________________

Any surgical operations? (Circle one) Yes/No If yes, please explain_________________________

PHYSICAL EXAMINATION
Height:_________m Weight____________kg

Blood pressure:_________________________

Vision: L______ R______
Hearing: (Circle one) L: Normal/Not Normal (please explain)______________________________
R: Normal/Not Normal (please explain)______________________________

Heart: (Circle one) Normal/Not Normal (please explain)_________________________________
Liver: (Circle one) Normal/Not Normal (please explain)_________________________________

Lungs: (Circle one) Normal/Not Normal (please explain)_________________________________

Lymphatic system: (Circle one) Normal/Not Normal (please explain)_______________________

Thyroid: (Circle one) Normal/Not Normal (please explain)_______________________________

Nervous system: (Circle One) Normal/Not Normal (please explain)________________________

BLOOD TESTS (Date of Test): _________
Routine Blood Test: (Circle one) Normal/Not Normal (please explain)________________________
HbsAg: (Circle one) Negative/Positive (please explain)___________________________________
Liver Function: (Circle one) Normal/Not Normal (please explain)____________________________

Is the patient taking any medication? If yes, for what purpose? (Circle one) No/Yes (please explain)_______________________________________________________________________

PHYSICAL TEST RESULT: (Doctor must answer the two questions and sign)

Is there any physical, mental, or psychological unfavorable elements of the adoption applicant, which will affect the upbringing of the child? (Circle one) Yes NoIs the adoption applicant’s state of health suitable for raising a child? (Circle One) Yes No

Physician’s name: (please print clearly)

Signed:

M.D. License No.:

Date:

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These instructions accompany the form:

TO EXAMINING PHYSICIAN: Please copy both pages on Dr.’s Letterhead
Your medical report is of paramount importance to the Vietnamese Adoption Authorities in its examination of the qualification of the adopting parent(s). You are kindly requested to fill in all the blanks. Please legibly type all information. Thank you for your cooperation. DO NOT INCLUDE THIS PREVIOUS PARAGRAPH OR “EXHIBIT 2” ON THE ORIGINAL MEDCIAL CERTIFICATE.
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So I go to the Doctor and have this physical completed on August 11th. By last week, I still don't have the form. Same thing with Mark. Mark did get a phone call saying that he needed to call and make ANOTHER appointment to get the form filled out.

So I call up there and explain that the reason we made the orginal appointment was to have the forms filled out. And someone in their office was supposed to type the information in the form. They put me through to a lady who proceeds to tell me that "she just doesn't know what she's supposed to type. " I explain that she simply needs to make sure the "no"s are circled, and anything that needs written in should be typed. Pretty simple, right? Apparently not. I offer to have the form filled out completely in Microsoft Word and email it to her so that all she has to do is print it out and sign it. Well, they don't have any email access. WHAT KIND OF DOCTOR'S OFFICE DOESN'T HAVE ACCESS TO EMAIL? Apparently ours.

After an hour conversation, this exchange occurs: (about 10am)

Me: So can you tell me when I will be able to pick up these forms?
DR Office: Well, we have wall to wall people today...
Me: You've had these forms for over a month..
DR Office: I can try to get to them.
Me: I would like to pick them up sometime today.
DR Office: I guess I'll get to them. I'll have to do it on my lunch break (said all sarcastic-like)
Me: OK, see you at 3pm.

Fast forward to about 2:30 when Mark arrives to pick up the forms:

Mark: My wife sent me to pick up these forms....
Them: (they haven't even started them) I didn't understand what she said she wanted....

Now you guys see that form. It's not hard. My comment was: Put it on letter head. Circle the answers. Type anything that needs to be written in. How hard is that!?!?!

So after waiting an hour, they finally get the forms done and hand them to Mark. I am on the phone with Mark at this point. Then Mark says, "They wrote Angela on your form." (This is a whole different issue because I have had this conversation with the Dr's office on MANY, MANY occasions that my name is NOT Angela.) I tell Mark that these are official documents that must be notarized, authenticated, etc. They will have to fix them. (Mark is very exasperated at this point) So I hear Mark say: Her name is Angel, not Angela. Their response? "Can we just put Angel in parenthesis?" I tell Mark to tell them no, that they need to redo the form. Finally after two hours, Mark gets out of there. Man!!!

So I get home to look at these forms. The first thing that I see? The forms are all crumpled up. The second? NOT ON LETTER HEAD! One would think a doctors office would know how to fill these types of forms out.

So I give Mark the news that he will have to go up there again. But this time I fill the form out in Microsoft Word. EVERYTHING. Type everything that needs put in. (Meds, etc) The only things that need done are:

• Photocopy onto letterhead
• Circle answers
• The doctor needs to sign the form

So Mark goes in there. Apparently the doctor isn't in this day. So he calls me and asks, "They want to know if they can just use a stamp to sign his name". I guess thye didn't pay any attention to the bottom where we have to notarize the form saying that the doctor actually filled out and signed the form. So Mark has to again make another trip back there.

So I get another look at the final documents. Well, the doctor did not fill out any of the form, simply signed it. This doesn't bother me, as I just go in and circle all the answers. This "letterhead" is the most crappy letterhead I've ever seen. After talking to Mark, instead of using letterhead, they simply cut the top of a prescription form out, taped it to the top of the form, and made a copy!!! Well, hopefully this works, because I don't know what I would do if I had to go back there....

Keep in mind there is no way I can do this story complete justice without talking about it in person....