Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Department of Social Services

Time just keeps getting away from me! We had a very stressful week. I'm so embarrassed to say that DSS came to my door last week. For the past 16 months, I've been Tommy's sole caregiver. He requires constant attention and the housework suffered. Because of the lack of attention to the house, we developed a pest problem. Then wouldn't you know it, but after I've screamed at the top of my lungs for someone to come help watch Tommy so I could clean my house....the nursing agency turned me in to DSS.

I ended up putting my family in a hotel for a week, came home and cleaned by myself for about 12 hours, throwing out anything not nailed down. My mother-in-law drove down from KY and watched the boys, including Tommy, so that I could get my house spotless. See? I had help watching Tommy and I got my house cleaned up! Morons. The only good thing to come out of this was that DSS paid to have my house professionally fumigated.

Now we are home. I figure now I have a clean slate to work with and it won't be such a chore to keep up. I was wrong. It's still just as hard, but at least I have a nurse coming in a couple of days a week now so that I can work on a deep scrubbing at least once a week. The other day is for running errands.

I'm still in shock that the one place I was finally able to get help from are the ones who stabbed me in the back. I have been told they can lose their nursing license if they don't turn me in. How about the benefit of the doubt and not kicking someone when their down? It's over now. Time to move on. I still have one more inspection in about 3 weeks and the older boys have to see "their" counselor. Other than that, I'm off the hook. I'm angry and upset that it happened this way. But like I said, clean slate. Right?

3 comments:

Nancy Jensen said...

My word, Renee... what a mess! It is terrible the way the nursing agency stabbed you in the back but I am glad that you were able to get your house clean and fumigated.

I know how hard it is to try to keep your house up while caring for such a special child... and mine never had a trach!

You are a wonderful mother and don't ever forget that!

(((hugs))) to you and I'm glad that you finally have at least a little bit of help coming in. They really should provide housekeeping too, but that's just my opinion. ;-)

(((hugs)))
Nancy

Christy said...

This is so sad Renee. So very sad. They are mindless pencil pushing bureaucrats, clearly not parents of special needs kids. I'm so sorry you had to go through all of that. ((HUGS))

Awesome Mom said...

That sucks, but at least you have a much cleaner house now. You are amazing for not having lost your sanity after being the sole caregiver for Tommy for so long.

Diagram of Tommy's Heart Defects

Diagram of Tommy's Heart Defects
Double Inlet Left Ventricle with Transpostion of the Great Arteries