Hana Anping Allen
Formerly Rao An Ping
DOB 08/13/03
Shangrao Social Welfare Institute
Foster Family
 

As our family awaited our referral, expected in December, 2004, we reviewed the special needs lists that arrived from our agency via email every couple of months. In September a little girl on that list stole our family's heart and we knew, without question, that she was to be a member of our family.

Rao An Ping was found abandoned on October 15, 2003 and, based on her condition, a birth date of August 13, 2003 seemed reasonable. This little girl was not just your average abandoned little girl. Rather, An Ping had a very serious medical problem. A problem that we guess led the parents to leave her where she might have a chance at life. A place where she might receive the surgery she would most definitely need. And a place where she might find a family who could care for her medical needs.

An Ping, on examination, was found to have a condition the Chinese called "congenital closed anus," and we Americans refer to as "imperferate anus or anal atresia. What this means is that this precious little girl did not have an anus. She did have what is called a "fistula," or a narrow opening through which waste could flow from the body. This fistula appeared to be the only opening on An Ping's bottom.

From the orphanage records it was determined that "she would be very difficult to raise, especially in a group feeding arrangement. Therefore she was sent to a foster home." All written records indicate that An Ping not only did well, but thrived, with her foster family. This family, we later learned, included a husband and wife, An Ping, and two older foster children, one with downs syndrome and one with cerebral palsy. What a family this must have been.

The story doesn't end there, though, with us falling in love with this little girl on the special needs list and bringing her home. No, the story has only begun and we marvel that Hana, as we now call her, is alive and doing well. In fact, when we brought her home and our surgeon prepared to examine her, his first request was, "Let me see her colostomy." Our answer? She has no colostomy. In fact, she had never had surgery. He was visibly shocked at this revelation, and this shock increased when he examined her. Not only did Hana not have an anus, which occurs in about 1 in 4,000 births, but she had what he called a cloaca, a 1 in 20,000 occurrence, and which means that her urine and feces were flowing from the same fistula. Further, he said that these children typically have a colostomy within 48 hours of birth if they are to survive. Well, Hana was 16 months old, alive and well, and no evidence of chronic kidney or urinary tract infections, which, at a minimum, should have been present.

Our surgeon went on to say that he recommended that we take her to the surgeon, considered one of the best in the world in performing these surgeries, to give her the best chance of a normal life. Dr. Alberto Pena, located at Schneider Children's Hospital in New Hyde Park, NY, was a long way from our home in Albuquerque, NM, however, we didn't hesitate. We were going to New York.

We found Dr. Pena was booked up prior to his relocation to Cincinnati Children's Hospital and we'd probably have to wait. However, one day we received a call asking us if we could be in New York the following Thursday. We were on our way, all six of us, for Hana's surgery.

When Dr. Pena examined Hana he commented to the attending radiologist that she'd "never see another little girl like this. One who had had no surgery, was alive and well, and with no history of infections. This little girl was a miracle."

Well, after 7 � hours of surgery and 11 days in a hospital, Hana was totally re-plumbed. She actually required the building of an anus, vagina, and urethra - all missing. We were told that she has an 85% chance of normal bowel and bladder control. Further, we ruled out heart and kidney problems, common with children with this type of defect. We have discovered Hana does have an additional problem that we are in the process of scheduling to be corrected, called a tethered spinal cord. After this second surgery, Hana should have a normal, healthy, happy life.

How do we explain why Hana's alive and doing so well? Well, our answer to that question is two-fold: First, our personal beliefs are that God has had His hand on Hana throughout her short life and has protected her. And second, the care she received from the foster family, and at the orphanage, saved her. They cared for her, fed her, and somehow were able to keep her system, as impaired as it was, working. The doctors can't explain why Hana's alive. They can't explain why she's so healthy. This is truly a testimony to God's grace and to the loving care she had to have received from the foster family and orphanage. I add the word "loving," here, because I feel that for Hana to have done so well could have not been merely due to being "cared for." No, she had to have been loved.

Also, we have been asked by several social workers if we have experienced any attachment problems with Hana. We can honestly say that from the moment we received Hana, at the Civil Affairs Building in Nanchung, we have completely bonded with her and she with us. She is as attached to her dad as she is to her mom. She also loves her two brothers and sister and they her. A child can only "attach to" and "love" others if they have been loved. Hana was loved. And by whom? Her foster family. What a blessing a foster family is to these children. For Hana, we believe it made the difference between life and death. That's a pretty big difference for one little girl.

Please e-mail me at webmaster@gurrad.com if you have any additional information or if your child is from here and you would like to post a picture here or other contact information.