The Adventure Begins

August 1, 2012

Joseph and I have decided it's time for us to have a baby.  

We live in South Korea and we are American's working and living here. 

In looking for information online we found some--but not enough--information to answer our questions for being foreigners and our desire to have a baby.

This blog will chronicle most of the experience and have specific information about our experiences for anyone who has questions or would like to do the same thing.

August 1.

Joseph and I used all of the phone numbers for the doctor's office and not one was working.  A promising sign. 

We got on our bikes and rode across town to try and find the hospital. We knew the general location from an acquaintance who had her baby there. 

Upon arriving we went to the receptionist and explained we would like to see the doctor.  We were shown in and asked if we spoke Korean and then a conversation was held half in English and half in Korean. 
We were told we had the wrong office (the correct one was the building next door) and we needed to go meet that doctor as soon as we could to get acquainted and seen right away.  Okie dokie.

August 2.

We arrive at 2pm for our appointment only to be told the doctor is in an emergency C-Section surgery and can we please wait?  No other option really, so sure.

We meet with the doctor and he is great. 

He begins by asking us a few personal questions about our marriage (how long, etc.), where do we live in the USA, how long have we lived in Korea, do we want a baby and when do we want a baby. 

I get examined and it was the strangest doctor's examination I have ever had.  I changed into a mid-length skirt and sat in a reclining chair.  A curtain separated my top half from my bottom half and to the right of me on the floor was a large blue bucket with medical instruments in it.  Used medical instruments. 

Closing my eyes from that I looked to my left toward the ultrasound machine.  I received 2 examinations.  One was an inner-ultrasound machine to make sure my parts are okay (yes, they are) and I don't know what the other was for but it seemed to be just a pro forma yearly exam. 

Where was my husband during all this?  Sitting comfortably on the other side of the partition watching my parts on a TV monitor. 

We were told to try 3 separate days then wait until the 20th to take a urine pregnancy test.  We were told if the test is positive to call and make an appointment with him (our new doctor) and if the test was negative to call and we will make an appointment with the specialist. 

Making an appointment with a specialist seems a bit premature, but in Korea that's how things are done. 
Most medical procedures from face lifts to liposuction are done efficiently, fast and well.  Koreans do not have time to take off from work to get their teeth cleaned much less have a face lift or a baby.  Hence the speedy time frames.