[vgn700]

I was born July 19, 1951 at Cook County General Hospital in Chicago, IL. My adoption was through Chicago Foundlings Home, although I have been told that my birth mother was not a resident there as was customary with most of the adoptions thy handled. She was from Tennessee, born in early July, 1932, and had turned 19 earlier in the month. Almost no information seems available about my birth father, except that he was in the "service." That could have meant Korea about that time.

At birth, I was given the name James Robert Brinkley or possibly Brinkly.

I was adopted by a wonderful couple who had been trying to conceive and/or adopt for about 5 years. I have always known I was adopted. I was told that my birth mother could not take care of me and had been caring enough to allow me to be placed for adoption.

My adopted parents carefully explained confidentiality promised my birth mother. I still feel an obligation to respect that, but would like to know more, including needed medical background information. I would be interested in a mutually agreeable reunion, should that be possible. Birth mother would be about 72 years old now, unknown about birth father.

I began posting my information in some adoption forums after a trip to Chicago in 1994. I have never heard anything. I cannot afford to spend any money searching, as I am caring for an elderly parent and another disabled person. I would gladly accept any volunteer help or suggestions, as I am basically homebound these days, but I do have great Internet access.

If I could only communicate one-way, I would like birth parents to know that I fell into as capable hands as could have been hoped, and I will always feel gratitude for the sacrifice they made to give me a better life.

If I could communicate with anyone considering giving a child up for adoption, I would tell them my story, and the fact that I know there are many prospective adoptive parents out there who are financially prepared, morally right, and have matured while waiting, just as mine.

I am attaching a picture of me as an obviously happy baby.

Best wishes to everyone for a safe and happy holiday season!!

[thesearchguru]

Search Angels are volunteers and do not charge for helping you with your search. You can find Search Angels by state/region. The most widely known and recommended search angel organization is the Volunteer Search Network:

http://www.vsn.org/

. Once you have information from the search angel source there are several factors to consider before contacting the person that might be your biological relative. Talk to several search angels before making a decision which one to use for your search.

· Ask the search angel to match up information in your non-identifying information to the person that they have located. Sometimes the non-identifying information can be similar for many people with a common, similar or identical name.

· Make sure that you and the search angel have discussed and are in agreement about your contact preferences when your birth family relative is located. If you want to make the initial contact yourself make sure this is fully understood before the search starts. Also, if you do not want other members of the birth family notified that you are searching for their relative (in-lieu of actually finding the birth parent or adoptee) be sure to inform your search angel not to contact extended family relatives. Many possible reunions have been derailed because the birth mother heard from a relative (who did not know about the relinquishment and adoption) that you were looking for her. Always be respectful of the privacy of the person that you are trying to locate. Contacting relatives is not respectful of a birth parent or adoptee’s privacy.







Other great websites to check out:
http://www.adoptionchat.com
http://www.adoption.com
http://www.adopting.org
http://registry.adoption.com/