Skip to main content

At Ease

One of my biggest worries at the present time is Ashley's transition to middle school. My worry goes beyond my baby girl going on to middle school. My worry is that the teachers and administration at the middle school will not be as accommodating with our concerns regarding Ashley's health. The staff at Ashley's elementary school spoiled me and certainly helped ease my fears when Ashley started elementary school in 2003.

Since Ashley's liver doctor does not want Ashley to take PE next year, I felt it was important to set up a meeting with the school administrators, 6th grade counselor and the school nurse before the new school year. Today at 2 pm I walked into the school office a little nervous that I would not be able to protect Ashley while she was in middle school. After the meeting was over I left relieved that Ashley will be good hands at her new school.

The school not only accepted that Ashley would need to be exempt from PE because of health issues, they also came up with a plan that would help me and Ashley should she get sick at school. Normally the school's policy is to send the kids back to class if they are not running a fever, with Ashley that is not acceptable. The middle school administration assured me that Ashley will not be sent back to class for any reason unless I say she can be sent back to class but only after the school contacts me. They are creating an entire new system to insure Ashley's health at the middle school is a priority when needed, a different protocol will be in place just for my baby girl.

In August, a week before school starts I will meet with all of Ashley's teachers to introduce them to Ashley and to help them understand Ashley's health and how they can work with me at taking care of her while she is in their class. We live 40 minutes away from the middle school so it is very important to me that I feel comfortable leaving my daughter's care in the hands of strangers.

The one thing I hope Ashley's teachers remember is that they may have 2o something kids in their class but the only child that matters to me is Ashley. I don't care how the other children are treated or how they behave or what the teachers feel is normal or acceptable for their students, I only care about my daughter! I know my daughter, they don't. I parent my daughter and they don't. I discipline my daughter and they won't. Open communication is key, I am not going to tell them how to run their class and they aren't going to tell me how to treat my daughter. I am protective, aggressive and proactive when it comes to my children. I have great kids so obviously I am doing something right.

I am at ease with Ashley's move to middle school, now if I can only feel at ease with Ashley's health.

Comments

Unknown said…
I am so glad Sanford Middle was able to help you feel at ease. Please bring Ashley by my classroom in August, or before, just so we can know each other. I will always be available to help you with Brad or Ashley if ever you need me!

Elizabeth

Popular posts from this blog

Living through Dance

In just about six weeks Ashley will dance, not just any dance; she will be competing in a big regional dance competition by dancing her very first solo.  It's completely amazing, seeing Ashley dance, watching her live through dance.  When Ashley was born almost 11 1/2 years ago, I never ever thought, we never thought Ashley would live to dance much else do her first solo.  I can't believe I am crying as I type this.  I didn't think I would get emotional.  It's just amazing!  When I put her in dance at age 3, I did it because I knew I needed to stop sheltering her.  She needed to be around other children.  She needed to feel normal despite what is trying to zap the life out of her; despite her disease.  Honestly I never thought Ashley would be a good dancer or even a great dancer, I just knew dancing was safe; it was the one activity the doctors felt didn't put Ashley's life at risk.  Little did I know how much dancing did and still d...

ALF vs COTA - Loosing Sleep

What would keep a person up past 3:30 am? Decisions... As most of you know we have been using ALF (American Liver Foundation) for Ashley's Liver Transplant Fund. However, in the past year, we have found that ALF is not offering us what we need among a few other reasons which I will not blog about. When we opened Ashley's account with ALF we did so quickly after the death of my dad during Christmas 2006 and New Year 2007, we did not have time to research the best fundraising organizations. There are so many organizations out there from ALF , COTA , NTAF . But because of my dad's untimely death and because his dying wish was that friends, family, etc. donate to Ashley to help defray our medical costs, the first organization that came to mind was the American Liver Foundation. After all, Ashley does have a liver disease. Now, both my husband and I are wondering if we should have used COTA. We have also thought and inquired about opening up a local trust fund for Ashley. Howeve...

Answers lead to more Questions

In great Ashley fashion, she did very well with her trip to the hospital and recovered well from the procedure. Right now, Ashley is off with her Grammie getting spoiled by shopping. With no one in the house but me and the pets, I am off to my own devices which usually means I have to much time to think, to research, to worry, to vent, to hope and to pray. Today Ashley had a broncioscope to find out why she has been coughing for six months. After getting up at 4:30 am and at the hospital at 6 am, the scope began at approximately 7:30 am. The procedure itself took less than 30 minutes. The outcome of the procedure left me with more questions than answers. We do know why Ashley is coughing, Ashley has a vocal cord dysfunction, enlarged adnenoids and tonsils. Finding out why Ashley is coughing is good news, however, we also learned that Ashley may have other issues involving her lungs. There was 60mL of fluid in her lungs. Some samples of her lungs were sent for a cell count, bacterial cu...