Update on Student

[Jean]

For all of you who were so supportive and helpful when my one student had congestive heart failure last spring, I will bring you up to date. As you may remember he recovered in time and there was some hope that his heart would go back to normal size. He had lost over 50 lbs and was being allowed limited physical activity.

He had his 6 mos. check up last week and told me yesterday that it was not good. He has been told that the heart is loosing muscle ?(this is what he says) and is back to pre-sickness size. He has also gained 65 lbs. He seemed to be really happy that he would need a heart transplant . He says they have put him on the list. I asked him about his weight and he said that the doctors gave him really strict instructions for a very strict diet.

However, the father quit the job people here at school found him last spring less than a month after starting. The kids do not have good nutrition and the school counselor has twice asked us for donations for food until she could get them to the community pantry. They have a family counselor from the county services, but it seems to be a never ending struggle to get the family to follow up with help offered.

Just a glimpse of the frustrating hurdles that public schools need to surmount before we can even begin to educate these kids. Also how lucky we are in our families in this season of Thanksgiving we have much to be thankful for.

 

[sylviayasgur]

hi jean!
wow! what a sad story. it must be difficult having this whole situation be so close in your life.
i'm so sorry to hear that he'snot doing well and that things in his family are so "down". hopefully, social services will help and he will be alright in the long run.
makes you count your blessings and be thankful for what we all have. thanks for the update.
be well and have a good thanksgiving.
-sylvia

 

[hensylee]

Dear Jean - I remember it well. Was hoping the child would be ok. I can understand the kinds of frustrations you are going through as I once worked as county social worker and what a struggle. Folks like these need constant care and maintenance to keep making it as they can't/won't do it on their own. You have my sympathy. I do hope the young man will be able to get his new heart, but the authorities may need to remove him from his home situation if he is to survive. We have a recently new member, Jennifer, who has a heart transplant and under the best of circumstances she is doing well - so it can be done, but would imagine this young man will have a struggle. My prayers and thoughts are with him - and the school staff, too, as you most likely are all involved. God bless

 

[Zazzy]

Dear Jean,
What a sad situation for that poor child to be in. Something like this gives each and every one of us a lot to be thankful for this season... we have our homes, our families and our health, no matter how frail it may be.

I hope that your young student gets his heart. I agree with Hensylee about his home situation.

You and the other staff members are to be commended for your caring and thoughtfullness.

Take care and please keep us updated.

Love,
Zazzy