Tomorrow's The Day - maybe

Do you remember me writing about Ashley being injured at school by a school employee? Yea, it was a while ago - September 17th to be exact. A full month ago.

I also provided a few updates along the way, but still have not gotten much information from the school district. Whenever I would email or call, the answer was the same, "We're conducting a thorough investigation", and "We can't share anything because it is a personnel matter."

I've continued to push for answers and finally this week was told by the school principal that the 'investigation' would be finished by Friday of this week. The principal assured me that he would contact me by the end of the day Friday.

We'll see...but trust me, you all will be some of the first to hear the results!

Today is Thursday - come back late tomorrow and we'll see if the 'results of the investigation' are an adequate explanation.

Special Exposure Wednesday

Ronnie spent last weekend at a wheelchair basket ball camp run by the coach of the paralympic wheelchair basketball team. He got some great pointers for improving his game!

Homecoming King

This is a nice story, but wouldn't it be even nicer if inclusion was such a common fact of life that a story like this didn't make the national news?

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Doctors Who Understand

I've been so pleased recently to find doctors who understand the challenges of getting a child with significant special needs to an appointment.

They are the doctors whose staff asks if you would like the first appointment of the morning or the first appointment after lunch break for your child who doesn't handle waiting very well.

They are the doctor's whose offices have automatic opening doors for the parents who are pushing a large wheelchair, carrying things, and sometimes holding the hand of another child.

They are the doctor's staff who offer to hold something, to help push a wheelchair.

They are the doctors who speak to your child even if your child doesn't see, hear or speak.

They are the doctors with a light touch, a soft word, an encouragement. Doctors who don't lie about something hurting, but who comfort after the hurt.

They are the doctors who let you mail in your co-payment rather than digging through a bag while holding a chair, another child, and maybe even suctioning a child. They are also the doctors whose staff will offer to fill out forms for you instead of handing you a clipboard and a pen.

They are the nurses who don't mind putting pressure over a bleed no matter how long it takes rather than insisting on a bandage that your child will pull off in under 10 seconds.

They are the doctors who will accept your typed list of medications, prior surgeries, and medical history and not forcing you to enter the same information on their forms.

They are the doctors whose offices have a quiet room for your child that gets upset if there is too much stimulation in the regular waiting area.

They are the doctors who will electronically send a prescription to your pharmacy or at the very least, call it in so you don't have to keep up with the paper script and so the medication will be ready when you arrive at the pharmacy.

They are the doctor's receptionists that remember your child's name and say hello everytime you walk in, not just demand to see your insurance card.

They are doctors, nurses, and staff who "get it", and I am so grateful when I find people like that.

What about you? What makes your doctor visits better for both you and your child?

Never Ever Doubt

This post is dedicated to my dear friend, Lynnette, and her beautiful daughter, Brooke.

If you think I am going to go away quietly, you are so wrong. If you think you can wait me out, again you are wrong.

By now you should realize that I will do absolutely anything to ensure my daughter's rights are not ignored. You may think you know her, and maybe you do a tiny little bit. But you have no idea of the true and complete person my daughter is.

You've never held her as she struggled for breath or was burning with fever. You've never seen the fear in her eyes as the doctor takes her away for surgery. You've never experienced the love in her eyes at a trusting touch. You've never heard her laugh, her deep belly laugh, when the dog licks her face. You've never seen her flutter her eyelids when a cute boy walks by, or seen the distress brought on by seizure after seizure. You've never really experienced how her whole face lights up when she finally understands a concept she was being taught.

You are her teacher in title but not in action.

If my daughter learns anything from you, it would be the following:

• Adults lie
• Adults drink alcohol and then tell their students that they are the reason
• Teachers don't always like teaching nor do they always like their students
• Teachers can be rude and sneaky

What you may not understand or choose to accept is that I am a teacher also. I teach children just like my daughter all the time. I take my job very seriously, and I want all my students to know they are respected and loved and that I have high expectations for them. I will try hundreds of different approaches to find the one best way to teach a particular student.

Why? Because I believe in them. I want to see their faces light up. I want them to know they matter.

My daughter deserves no less. If you refuse to be the type of teacher she needs, just step aside.

I will win this battle. I have right on my side. Never, ever doubt that.

Happy Friday, Everyone!

Ashley made a model of our state (Virginia) out of her lego blocks! She's so talented!

Rhapsody!

I decided I needed some ASL music today. Here is a great video, although ASL purists may disagree with the artistic license taken by the group.