Disappointed but not surprised

Harry has been sick since he came to our home going on three weeks ago.  I have had him at the doctor three times (once at the urgent care on Sunday afternoon). He was referred to a pulmonary specialist.  I am exhausted from trying to get him well (not to mention Rayne man is sick too) between doctor visit and treatments every 4 hour through the night I decided to reach out to his case worker for help with this appointment.  He was picked up yesterday morning at 8am for the doctors appointment and two hour family visit following (since the family had court that morning as well).  I spent several hours the night before preparing him for his long day.  I typed up all his medical issues and medications he was taking on a time line so it would be easy for the doctor to see how his condition has progressed.  I printed labels that said peanut allergy and put them on everything they would stick to including his sippy cup.  He wore a peanut allergy bracelet that I ordered special for him.  I made a separate sheet for the workers that listed the medications and time they should be given one was an antibiotic that I put on ice because it had to be refrigerated.  Packed a peanut free lunch and snacks, so all his needs could easily be met.  He was picked up at 8am I went over with his worker the details of his day and the content of his bags.  She texted me at 3pm the time he was suppose to be bringing him home saying that her coworker was taking him to the ER because someone gave him a peanut butter cracker.

He arrived home at 7:30pm and thankfully he did not have a reaction.  He had not been given any of his medications or dinner.  None of the food was touched in his bag (his family brought lunch) so he easily could have been given some of his packed lunch or a snack while he was waiting in the ER.  I had to throw away the dose of antibiotic because it was now warm, and he had a new stack of prescriptions that needed to be filled, but no further instructions.  I quickly gave him dinner and his medication.  I piled all the kids in the car (now 8pm) and went to get the new medication he needed before he went to bed.  We have a wonderful pharmacist that is familiar with our family they were all filled in 15 minutes.  Came home cleaned up and got ready for bed after a tough day for our baby.

While Harry was off being neglected by they system, I took Rayne to his doctor because he was on his third day of a fever and the night before it spiked to 103.6.  He is very sad when he is sick, usually a very active boy he goes down for the count.  He was shivering, moaning and kept saying I need something, but did not know what.  He said to me “Mama you better stop touching me or you will get sick”  I told him it’s okay and that I wanted to take care of him and make him feel better, he replied “if you get sick then I will take care of you”.  He also brought a lollipop to give to his doctor so she could give it to another child that was not feeling well.  He does random acts of kindness without a thought.  Turns out it is just a fever virus and usually last between 5-7 days.  His doctor suggested no medications during the day (when he feels better) to allow the fever to fight the virus, then to give him fever reducers at bedtime to keep him from feeling so badly.  I also have been loading him up with proibitocs and vitamins to help fight it.  Last night it worked great and everyone got a good night sleep.  He seems better today, but I have decided not to take his temperature during the day as long as he is acting well… It only makes me worry.  Too bad I have to play these mind games with myself. J He started feeling bad this evening, his temperature was back up so I gave him some mortin and he is sleeping well now. 

It’s been a long couple weeks, but I am still glad we took Harry in as a placement.  Monty asked me last night if I was “surprised” that the system fails our kids.  I am not surprised but I am always disappointed.  The “system” of care is made up of people individuals that have choose to do what they do.  I am always hopeful that they put our children first.

During court yesterday they determined that the father of the older 5 is working very hard on getting custody of the 6 oldest, and there seems to be no reason why this won’t happen.  That only leaves Harry and his 1month old sibling.  There is a prospective family member that they are running emergency backgrounds on and we should know something by Friday.  If not the children will need to be placed in a foster home together.

When I called our FDS worker (that licenses our home, monitors us for safety and support us) to report the incidents from the day before, she asked if I wanted her to call placement and have him moved. I told her no that I could see it through.  It is so sad, and not his fault for being sick or the dysfunction of the system.  I am exhausted and will take a break after our little guy is placed safely in his long term placement hoepfully with some of his family.

Saving one child will not change the world, but for the child his world couldchange forever!