Visit to Shamian Island

After our first really good night's sleep in a few days, we were up at the crack of dawn this morning to meet our guide in Guangzhou for Silas' medical appointment.  We met Lucy in our hotel lobby at 7:15 a.m. and hopped in a cab bound for Shamian Island.  We arrived at around 8:00.  First, Silas had to go to this little office and have a passport photo taken for his U.S. visa.  That went fine.  Then, we went to the medical clinic, where Silas was seen by an ENT doctor, a internist, and a nurse who took his temperature, height and weight.  Silas only cried a little, when the doctors took a look in his mouth.  He really hates that.  We can only look in his mouth when he's laughing and we tip hip upside down making a game of it.  That's how we found out about his fistulae.

Silas was born with a cleft lip/cleft palate, which is likely the reason he was abandoned by his birth parents.  The orphanage did an amazing job repairing Silas' lip, and we thought we would be haivng his palate repaired when we got home to Orlando.  On Family Day, the orphanage director told us that Silas' palate had been repaired over Chinese New Year.  That was a pleasant surprise.  However, the first time we fed him, about 20 minutes later, food starting leaking from his nose.  That was a signal that something may not be right with his palate repair.

The doctors confirmed our suspicion today that Silas has a fistula, a small hole in the palate, which allows food to enter the sinus cavity when Silas eats.  We thought he might have two.  The fistula doesn't seem to bother him much, but it does make feeding time messy, especially when he sneezes!  Ew!!!  We will have him evaluated by the cleft doctor, and they will likely do a surgery to close the fistula at some point.  But at least he doesn't have to have surgery immediately when we return.

Other than that, Silas has a slight cough/cold (which he probably caught from me.  Insert mom guilt here.), and a little conjunctivitis in his right eye, but other than that, he is a healthy kid.  To think he was labeled by someone as "special needs" is truly ridiculous to us.  The only need he ever really had was for a family.  He is so smart, funny, and personable.  We just can't believe how lucky we were to have found him.
Here are some random photos from around Shamian Island today.  Sorry there aren't more.  I think I'm suffering from a little photo burnout.  :)

Children lined up for an assembly outside their private school.  As you can see, much of Shamian Island is under construction right now as Guangzhou prepares to host the Asian Games in 2014.  Right now, walking around down there is a lot like being in a Super Mario Brothers game.

Military cadets in formation for the school assembly.  See the guy with his hand up.  He's telling me I can't take pictures.  I hope I don't get in trouble for posting this.  Doh!

Silas conked out at the Starbucks on Shamian Island.  I know, I know, no wonder he has pink eye, right?  When the kid wants to sleep, he sleeps.

My "germphobia" was happy it was a short nap on the couch.

A beautiful jade boat in the lobby of the White Swan Hotel.  The White Swan is pretty legendary as many, many adoptive families have stayed there over the years.  It's a pretty incredible hotel, as we saw today.  The common areas are extraordinary, and there were many adoptive families running around with their babies.  But the rooms are small and the beds are hard, so we opted to stay at a newer hotel near the U.S. Consulate.

Chinese barbed wire.  We spotted this wall near our hotel and thought it was pretty inventive.  Shards of broken class embedded into the top of a concrete wall.  I doubt it would do much to deter the determined, but it probably keeps the pests away.

Tomorrow we go to the consulate and take an oath relating to our pending orphan petition.  On Thursday, we'll pick up Silas' visa and do a little more sightseeing.  On Friday, we leave for HOME!!  Can't wait to be there with our sweet baby boy!