The crazy way that things can go wrong...

After all the planning, organizing, waiting, and preparation, so much of international adoption is still a crap shoot. So much can still go wrong. It's not probable, but it is possible. Being an absolute control-freak, I've tried to prepare for every possible scenario. My paperwork is copied, color-coded, and scanned. The bags are organized in such a way that we can survive temporarily if one is misplaced by United Airlines, etc. You get the idea. But, how exactly does one prepare for something like this? Here's the international adoption process, effective July 1, 2009:

1. Complete masses of paperwork. Travel to China. Adopt. Assume responsibility for child.
2. Have child tested for TB.
3. If child tests positive for TB, stay in China for 2-6 months, as child will not be allowed to travel to the US, but is no longer the responsibility of anyone in China. What if you can't stay? What if you, say, have a job? or another child at home? Or, I don't know, perhaps only have a Chinese Visa that allows you to stay in China for 30 days. (By the way- that's pretty common. 30 day visas are the norm.) Then what?

The new rules have good intentions, but have produced the wrong outcome. Check out what this family has endured as they had to leave their new adopted 4 year old daughter in China.

Granted, no one wants TB infiltrating the US. But, the US will issue a travel visa to any Tom, Dick, or Harry without submitting them to a TB test. If the child in question was their biological child, born abroad, with or without TB, she would've been granted a visa without question. Again- the CDC has good intentions. They just didn't think this one through.