Emergency return to Miami

May 9

On my 4th night in Bejing, I woke up at 1am and could not breath due to my bronchitus. After trying to catch my breath, I called the emergency medical dept of the Tour insurance company, went to ask the front desk to get a doctor (which they interpreted as an ambulance), and to connect me to my Tour guides room in the hotel, packed up things to take, and was driven to the hospital in Bejing. They gave me oxygen on the ride to the hospital....which is when I called my sister Rhonda in Rome. I was scared and grasping for air as I gave her the case # and all pertinent details...phone # , contact name, etc......In between gasping for air we were laughing at my how neurotically organized I am. Rhonda called the American Embassy and found out that the hospital I was being taken to was the best in Bejing.

Upon arrival at the hospital, I had to pay for the ambulance in cash ($30), fill out forms and pay for the Dr and hospital (about $30 each). The doctor spoke broken English, but was thoughtful and I began to trust him. The meds he gave me (another $30) turned out to be the same as the specialist in Miami would have given me. After I returned to the hotel and rested for a few hours, I had to decide whether to continue to the next city with the tour group or return to Miami. As sad as I was about not being able to finish my trip, I felt I had to go back to miami to recover.

sitting next to me on my flight home was a couple who was bringing home their newly adopted chinese 8 mo old daughter. She had been abandoned at a bus station, which is common since it is against the law to bring a child to an orphanage. It was a 2 year process to arrange the adoption. They adored her and took turns holding her the entire 12 hr trip.