June 1, 2018
a father's perspective, Dads, growth hormone deficiency, HIV, June 2018 Feature - Celebrating Dads, Mike, Perspectives
1 Comments
So excited to kick off our June Feature, Celebrating Dads, with a post by Mike, a previous (and greatly missed) regular contributor. Mike has written some of our most well-loved posts… if it’s a post that has you both laughing and crying, there’s a good chance Mike wrote it. You can read all Mike’s …Read More
March 15, 2018
Family Stories, HIV, Infectious
3 Comments
Adopting a child with HIV was never on our family radar. In fact, it was so far “off” our radar when I first approached the subject with my very open-minded husband the reaction was an immediate absolutely not. Like so many other people that grew up in the 80s and 90s and learned about HIV …Read More
November 11, 2017
adopting a boy, cataracts, China trip, congenital blindness, cytomegalovirus, IEP, nystagmus, Sensory System, strabismus, vision issues, vision loss
3 Comments
Blind. I immediately recoiled. We had checked a lot of things on our medical conditions checklist, and I remember vision being one of them, but blind? How could we deal with that? I studied art history and archaeology in college, and work in a very visual field. How could I share the most important and …Read More
August 22, 2017
August 2017 Feature - Infectious, HIV, HIV Q and A, Infectious
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As we see more and more HIV+ children become available for international adoption, we thought that it would be beneficial to hear first hand experience on parenting this need. So we asked prospective adoptive parents what they really wanted to know about having a child with HIV; then posed those questions to both adoptive parents …Read More
August 17, 2017
August 2017 Feature - Infectious, HIV, HIV Q and A, Infectious
1 Comments
As we see more and more HIV+ children become available for international adoption, we thought that it would be beneficial to hear first hand experience on parenting this need. So we asked prospective adoptive parents what they really wanted to know about having a child with HIV; then posed those questions to both adoptive parents …Read More
August 7, 2017
August 2017 Feature - Infectious, HIV, HIV Q and A, Infectious
0 Comments
As we see more and more HIV+ children become available for international adoption, we thought that it would be beneficial to hear first hand experience on parenting this need. So we asked prospective adoptive parents what they really wanted to know about having a child with HIV; then posed those questions to both adoptive parents …Read More
August 22, 2016
a father's perspective, August 2016 - Infectious, Dads, HIV, Infectious, TB testing, tuberculosis
1 Comments
While it seems like forever ago now, in reality it was only about three and a half years ago that my wife and I began praying about adoption…. Like all parents my wife and I had dreams of healthy babies, healthy incomes, and a healthy marriage. Well, after fifteen, almost sixteen, years of marriage we’ve …Read More
August 17, 2016
August 2016 - Infectious, Family Stories, HIV, Infectious
2 Comments
“Why would you want a child with HIV?” asked an employee from our daughter’s foster home. The question took me off guard. After all, she lived with and cared for people with HIV. Without skipping a beat, my husband spoke up, “Because she’s our daughter.” Three simple words. She’s our daughter. Words that echoed in …Read More
August 5, 2016
a father's perspective, August 2016 - Infectious, Dads, HIV, Infectious
2 Comments
I’m an accidental parent. To be more precise, I’m an accidental adoptive parent of two children with special needs. No, my two adoptive kiddos didn’t just show up one day in a basket with a note tied to it (although, I’m sure that would have cut down on paperwork and the timeline). But I never …Read More
December 1, 2015
adoption realities, HIV, Infectious
0 Comments
Today is widely known as World AIDS day and is an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV, show their support for people living with HIV and to commemorate people who have died. To join in this battle, we bring you a guest post from a mom who shares a glimpse …Read More
August 13, 2015
August 2015 Feature - Infectious, Family Stories, HIV, Infectious
2 Comments
I had read a few blogs of people who had adopted HIV children from Africa and thought, “Wow. I could never do that. That sounds too hard.” Our hearts were lead to adopt for the third time from China. HIV was not even remotely on our radar because we had never heard of an HIV …Read More
August 7, 2015
August 2015 Feature - Infectious, Family Stories, Infectious, TB testing, tuberculosis
5 Comments
It took us a couple of weeks to get into the pediatrician after we got home from China. It wasn’t a big deal that we were waiting so long though. We’d already seen a nurse practitioner for the urgent medical issues, a specialist for her documented special needs, and the medical visit in China. We …Read More
August 1, 2015
August 2015 Feature - Infectious, Family Stories, HIV, Infectious
1 Comments
Continuing to spotlight different special needs each month, we just finished up a month of posts from moms parenting kids with craniofacial needs. This month we are focusing on infectious special needs: HIV, Hepatitis B, Syphilis and Tuberculosis. Grateful for each and every mom who shares so others might be encouraged to consider a special need that …Read More
March 30, 2015
Family Stories, HIV, Infectious
0 Comments
I want to see HIV+ orphans adopted into forever families. I can’t say this was always a goal of mine, but God has a way of getting us to where He wants us to be. For my wife and I that journey started in January 2011, while we were living in Asia, and friends of …Read More
January 23, 2015
guest post, HIV, Infectious, January 2015 Feature
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Two of the biggest topics in the HIV adoption world are disclosure and stigma. They are very closely related. So let’s talk about them. Stigma can be defined as a stain on one’s reputation, or a mark of disgrace. HIV sure does have a blemish on its reputation. So much fear of how it is …Read More
January 17, 2015
Family Stories, guest post, HepB+, Infectious, January 2015 Feature
3 Comments
When my husband and I decided in 2008 to adopt from China’s Special Needs Program, we knew we would have to fill out a medical check list. One of the needs we readily checked was Hepatitis B. I had contacted HepB as an adult and had cleared the virus without really getting sick. Of course, …Read More
August 28, 2014
congenital syphilis, Family Stories, Infectious
1 Comments
When we were in the beginning of our adoption journey, we wanted a child young as possible, and as healthy as possible. We wanted to see far ahead and be completely prepared for anything. The fear of the unknown was gripping, especially with a first adoption, and let’s be honest, I loved being in control …Read More
April 19, 2014
a father's perspective, HIV, Mike
7 Comments
It was just over one year ago that Anne and I returned home from China with Sam and Ellie. And as I reflect upon our time in China, I am struck by how much I treasure my memories from those first days together. I remember laughing at our first meal together when Sam and Ellie …Read More
March 19, 2014
a father's perspective, HIV, Mike
6 Comments
Mike is dad to six. Two of his children, adopted from China, have HIV. Today he shares from-the-heart about their journey. You can read a previous post he shared here. Growing up in the Midwest in the 80s, my picture of HIV was framed by after-school specials, the evening news, and MTV. I had never …Read More
July 7, 2013
Eileen, HepB+
2 Comments
My youngest just graduated from kindergarten. Come September, he’ll ride a bus, he’ll carry a lunchbox, he’ll have a pencil case. And so in preparation for all of that, we took him to the “big kid” school to register. I was given the usual forms–proof of immunization, emergency contact list, permission to access the internet, …Read More
June 15, 2013
HIV, Jean
2 Comments
I remember seeing him on my friend’s blog. I emailed her about him and asked a couple questions. She gave me the information she had on him… And then she gave me a link… Which changed everything… I felt like a boy was waiting somewhere in China for us and I wondered if this was …Read More
May 7, 2013
Eileen, HepB+
3 Comments
If you’d asked me seven years ago, right before we adopted our beautiful daughter, if I knew anything about Hep B, I’d have said sure. It’s a virus. It has something to do with the liver. What else do you need to know? As it turned out, our daughter’s case taught us that there was …Read More
March 12, 2013
a father's perspective, HIV, Mike
6 Comments
— A guest post by dad-to-six Mike Jutt who is currently in China bringing home his twins! “This is going to be the most shocking phone call of your life…” Those are the first 13 words Anne said to me when I answered the phone at work that afternoon. But it was the next three …Read More
March 7, 2013
Eileen, HepB+
5 Comments
It was 2 weeks ago and I’d just dropped my son off for afternoon kindergarten. On the radio, a woman with some title that I fail to remember was saying how important it is for children adopted from other countries to have ties to that culture, how crucial it is that their parents make every …Read More
February 7, 2013
Eileen, HepB+
8 Comments
If you ever check out special needs adoption forums, one of the most commonly asked questions, certainly in the top 5, goes something like this: Which special needs are EASY? It’s an honest question and one that parents who’ve experienced raising children with different special needs have tried to answer. I’ve jumped in many times …Read More
December 7, 2012
Eileen, HepB+
1 Comments
I have a great-grandmother, Verna, who lived to 103 years old. She tended her garden and lived in her own home until the very end, passing peacefully in her sleep. Verna is a shining star on my family medical history. My own father had debilitating arthritis as a child, as did a great uncle. Autoimmune …Read More
November 7, 2012
Eileen, HepB+
16 Comments
We met our son just a few month’s shy of his fourth birthday. He spoke clearly (clearly enough for us to understand many of his basic phrases), he had no speech impediments and was a good communicator. Our guide in his province said, “He speaks well and knows very much.” At home in the United …Read More
October 8, 2012
Eileen, HepB+
1 Comments
This is the night we’ve waited for! KICK! Always a treat we have in store KICK! We love each other more and more… KICK With every family night…. I’ll spare you the rest. My teenagers would turn 10 shades of red if you happened to look into our windows on a Sunday night and see …Read More
August 7, 2012
Eileen, HepB+
9 Comments
When we adopted our nearly 4-year-old son, it felt completely natural and right for him to copy the sibling closest to him in age, his 6 year-old sister. He needed a tour guide to escort him through his new life and she was mostly happy to fill that role. What I didn’t realize was that …Read More
July 7, 2012
Eileen, HepB+
1 Comments
Her saddest child. I don’t know who said it, but dang it if it isn’t true. When all 5 of my children are happy (not necessarily ecstatic about life, but you know, content and satisfied), it’s fairly easy for me to follow suit. Life is good. But when one of those 5 precious souls is …Read More
March 28, 2012
Eileen, HepB+
5 Comments
Hepatitis B Foundation 2012 “B” Informed Parent Conference An Outreach Program for Parents of Children Chronically Infected with HBV Saturday, May 19th 9:00-4:30 Holiday Inn Express Midtown 1305 Walnut Street Philadelphia, PA 1. The “B Informed” Conference for parents of children with Hepatitis B happens just once a year. You do not want to miss …Read More
March 8, 2012
Eileen, HepB+
4 Comments
ADOPTING A CHILD WITH HEP B WILL PUT MY FAMILY AT RISK: A few years ago, a woman looking to adopt a special needs child sent me several emails, asking questions about Hepatitis B. After a fairly long, friendly exchange, her last email included the following line, “I guess I’m just not comfortable bringing in …Read More
January 7, 2012
Eileen, HepB+
0 Comments
It’s been nearly two years since our youngest daughter had her last shot of PEG Interferon. Two years since we happily bid farewell to the sharps container and the alcohol wipes. Two years since we left behind the marathon naps and achy tummy and bloody noses. And two years since we learned that our daughter …Read More
August 7, 2010
Eileen, HepB+
1 Comments
My littlest one, my almost five year-old Cholita, is ecstatic about a certain date circled in red on our calendar. It’s not her birthday, it’s not Christmas, it’s the day she’ll head back to school. She adores all things scholastic–sharpened pencils, little chairs, worksheets, story time, sharing time, recess, and don’t even get me started …Read More
July 7, 2010
Eileen, HepB+, video
23 Comments
It’s been less than six months since my daughter finished her year-long treatment with interferon. The needles, the sharps container, the smell of the alcohol wipes, that whole experience has quickly become a distant memory. At age four, it’s doubtful that my daughter will remember anything about it into adulthood. That’s wonderful, but at the …Read More
March 6, 2010
Eileen, HepB+
1 Comments
Have you read many medical journals? Have you perused through any articles in the Journal of Gastroenterology? Let me tell you, I’m not completely convinced they’re written in English. So when my big kids started asking questions about their sister’s hepatitis, I had to get creative. If you happen to be a pediatric gastroenterologist/hepatologist, just …Read More
December 7, 2009
Eileen, HepB+
4 Comments
When my oldest was in kindergarten, each child in his class was assigned a number and asked to show that amount. If they had the number 50, they could bring in 50 M&M’s or 50 marshmallows, or 50 whatever. Somehow we landed the big kahuna–one thousand. My son hopped with excitement, waving his paper in …Read More
September 22, 2009
CDC, Stefanie, TB testing
0 Comments
There is newly released protocol for TB testing, dated September 18, 2009.It applies to children age 10 and younger.Visit here for more info.
August 31, 2009
Family Stories, HepB+, Infectious, Living Hope
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by Mary, mom to a daughter from China with Hepatitis B It all started after watching three beautiful Chinese girls in dance class with my daughter each week. I had time to sit and chat with the mother who adopted these three beautiful girls from China. Each week we talked more about the adoptions. Adoption …Read More
May 4, 2009
cleft gumline, cleft lip, Family Stories, HepB+
0 Comments
by Amy, mom to Naomi from China with cleft lip and gumline, Hep B and an abundance of joy Our adoption journey started in 2002. My first born son was just 2 years old. We were at an Easter party when a friend stopped by with her brand new daughter from China. She did not …Read More
February 8, 2009
Craniofacial, Family Stories, hearing loss, HepB+, Infectious, microtia, Sensory System
0 Comments
By Andrea, mom to Lydia Mei from China with a SN of unilateral microtia/aural atresia We began our adoption journey in hopes of adding children to our home, but ultimately we found a much greater purpose and passion. The road to parenthood by way of China brought us into a deeper understanding of how we …Read More
January 31, 2009
Family Stories, HepB+
0 Comments
By Tamara, mother to ShuQin from China with HepB+ I have three children. My son is a teenager, biological and a great kid who adores his sisters and is their hero. My two girls are adopted from China. They are 8 months apart in age (virtual twins) – the tiny twosome are the same height, …Read More
December 10, 2008
Family Stories, heart defect, HepB+
0 Comments
By anonymous, mom to Fei Yan from China with a heart defect (VSD) and Hep B+ When we began the adoption process we were pursuing a healthy child. God had other plans and soon opened our hearts to the children on the waiting child list. We filled out a form with our agency in April …Read More
November 19, 2008
Family Stories, HepB+
0 Comments
by Eileen, mom to Maya from China who is HepB+ May 23, 2006 was a landmark day for our family. The day started with a phone call from our adoption agency. They told us that the night before they had e-mailed us the file of a special needs child and they wondered if we’d had …Read More
October 20, 2008
Family Stories, HepB+, Infectious, Lifeline
0 Comments
by Lisa, mom to Grace from China who is HepB+ My goodness. Where to begin. My husband and I were perfectly content with our life and the way our average sized family filled out our average sized home and average sized vehicle….life was sort of just bouncing along and then, there in my contented state, …Read More
