Reunited Adult Adoptee with Over 20 Surgeries

Thirty-three year old reunited adult adoptee with over twenty surgeries - that is me.

My parents adopted me when I was 13 days old on August 7, 1974 from Edna Gladney Adoption Agency in Fort Worth, Texas.

Two high school teachers raised me. Papa taught senior level English at the same high school attended. My parents chaperoned my prom and my father sponsored my senior class. He handed me my diploma on stage at high school graduation. Yet, even with this abundant life I was given, I still never felt "complete," as if there was still a part of me missing.

While driving me to my elementary school one morning, Papa explained to me how I was "chosen and special" and how I was adopted. I reacted positively instantly and felt from that point in my life there was something unique God had made about me.

My grandmother, Nana took the movie theatre when I was 8 years old to watch, "Annie." Afterwards, I had many thoughts cross my mind, such as "Where is my birth mom and my birth dad? Do I look and act like them?"

I remember some of family teasing me that night after the movie as I had already memorized all of its' music and could not stop singing one particular song titled, "Maybe". I repeatedly sang my favorite lyrics,

Maybe in a house
All hidden by a hill
She's sitting playing piano,
He's sitting paying a bill

My curiosity increased over the next several years. At age fourteen, I began having horrible pain several days out of each month. Several gynecologists told me nothing was wrong and that I simply had worse cramps than some other females.

As a twenty four year old college student, I realized I could not handle this pain anymore. By that time, I had become very anemic and had still not received any diagnosis. While my college sweetheart (now my husband) and I were chatting one day, he said, "'Chelle, I think it is time. I think you need to know your birth family's complete medical history."