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MRSA Hits Home

In the last few months there have been confirmed cases of MRSA in central Florida, a few of the cases resulted in deaths. The MRSA cases have been in surrounding counties from where I live, but yesterday I learned that there is a confirmed case in our county. Normally, I wouldn't be alarmed but this confirmed case is a student at Ashley's school. This student is not only in Ashley's school but in her class and this student sits next to Ashley in a few classes.

I am very upset at how the school handled this confirmed case, or should I say mishandled this case. First, as of yesterday they have yet to notify anyone in the school especially parents of children with chronic/life threatening illnesses, compromised immune systems, etc. I found out about the MRSA case from another parent, a rumor maybe, but I owed it to Ashley to find out if there was truth to that rumor.

Since I eat lunch with Ashley every Wednesday I decided to see if someone in administration would pull me aside to tell about the MRSA case. As I walked in the school office I was greeted by the school receptionist-nothing, then I saw the administrative assistant-nothing. As I waited for Ashley's class to arrive at the lunch room, several 5th grade teachers waved at me but none of them told me about the MRSA case. Maybe it's a rumor, maybe not.

As I am trying to enjoy my lunch with Ashley, I am getting more and more irritated that no one told me about MRSA in the school. Curse words began to form in my mouth but of course I did not make a sound. After getting home that afternoon, I called the school and talked to the principal. She tried to smooth things over but she knew she had made a big mistake. She tried to make excuses but there are not excuses for stupidity, for the lack of common sense. She tried to blame others for her mistake or her lack of sound judgement but the mistake is hers and hers alone.

Two weeks ago I had a meeting with the 5th grade team, the clinic nurse and the district school board nurse. During this meeting, we discussed Ashley's health and updated her health care plan. This meeting is conducted once a year and the one thing that has remained constant is that the school is to notify me immediately if there are contagious viruses, etc. at the school, whether it's one case or many cases, this is to protect Ashley. Having a child with a compromised immune system due to her liver disease, we have to be prepared and we can't be prepared if we aren't notified.

There is no excuse for the school not to have contacted me. Sure Ashley more than likely will not contract MRSA but now that I know and if Ashley were to develop a red irritated open sore, spider bite, fever, etc. I can at least tell the doctor to check for MRSA since Ashley was exposed to MRSA in the classroom.

There is some good news, the student with MRSA is being treated with the right antibiotic and after being in the hospital and/or care of doctors for two weeks, she is back at school.

Am I overreacting? Maybe I am and I don't care if people think that I am. They don't know what I live with every day; the fear, the anxiety, the stress of having a child with a liver disease. And until they know a little of what it's like they have no right to judge me or say that I am overreacting.

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