Tuesday June 14, 2011

Ajay's leg appears to be a tiny bit better this am. He was up most of the night scratching, restlessly in the night. I couldn't seem to stop him from itching and I felt so bad. I massaged his legs, and tried to occupy his hands from the intensity he felt throughout his infected leg. The scratches were so intense that he looked like he was scratched by a cat. Deep enough to bleed and make him more miserable. I used lotions and Benedryl and nothing seemed to work. When morning came, he awoke with several scratches on his left foot and now right calf was now swollen and reddened just like the left one started 4 days ago. I looked into his eyes and not only saw an exhausted boy but also one with a swollen shut left eye. He apparently got bit on the cheek near his eye and it swelled shut. He looked worse than a rerun of Rocky IV. I felt so bad for him. He itched and itched not only his legs but his eye. Paul and I were amazed and confused by the mosquito bite again, as we have not once been bit during this trip. We saw one in the hallway and once in our room, but killed it immediately. We thought we were free of these pests. Unfortunately, Ajay is attracted to these like a magnet.

 

I gave him more Benedryll and went to breakfast. Poor little guy he looked miserable, but ate well as if nothing was really wrong. Bless his heart. He still had a pretty happy disposition for such a sleepless night.

 

Well, its the day we all have been waiting for...June 14, 2011....Consulate Appt. Today was the day we processed every last piece of adoption paperwork and submitted to the United States Immigration Dept here in China, applying for finalization and processing of the Chinese Visa allowing Ajay to be given permission to go home to the United States. Its the final step! All is well at the appt and went scheduled as planned, only taking about an hour from start to finish, allowing all 10 families to do the same.During the ceremony we are asked to swear and affirm that all the statements you have made and documents you have submitted to obtain our child's immigrant visa are true and correct. If all documentation is complete, the visa should be ready to pick up the next day, and in our case is 330pm on Wednesday June 15th. Ajay's passport containing the visa as well as prepared documents in a sealed envelope, will be returned. We will take the sealed envelope to the United States Customs representative upon arrival in Chicago, and they will open the sealed documents, and further check for accuracy. Then, Immigration will file for proof of Ajay's citizenship, which will be sent within 45 days. (although he is immediately a USA citizen upon boarding the United States airplane, the "proof" of citizenship helps tremedously in getting a US passport and SS card)

 

On Wednesday after receiving the visa, we will be taken to the Guangzhou airport to prepare for our 730pm departure to Beijing. We will stay at the Hilton within the Beijing airport until 6am in which we will depart towards the boarding gate, ticket counter, and luggage check, in preparation for our flight to take off at 750am Thursday morning. We are scheduled to arrive on Thursday 750am in Chicago (yes we lose a day, by leaving a day ahead from China and arriving on the same date in Ohio).

 

I will try to post if Internet is connected via a wireless site at the airport hotel, to let you all know of our safe arrival. If not, I will post again to let know we made it safely to Chicago, for a 5 hour drive home to Ohio.

 

Thank you for everyone support and prayers during this special journey to Ajay!

 

Until tomorrow...