Sunday, June 10, 2007

Thank you for Your patience and a grab bag freebie





You can rest assured when I am gone for a little bit like this..that I am busy doing something..to improve the quality of life for my child..in some form of letters or phone calls in hopes to improve his chances at growing up to become as productive member of society as he can be.
In Labrador..that means many changes have to happen within the health care system and education system in order for him to have those opportunities to do so...leaving here is not a financial option for us.
There are no charity groups or Groups to compensate in a rural area..like in major centers.

There was a recent story in our local paper ..one that in my opinion told it like it really is..for children facing mental and physical challenges..You can read about the story here..and what the family talks about is the truth...Compared to other parts of Canada and the world..what the special children of Labrador get is almost comparable to a third world country. Provincial cut Backs in Health Care and Education are severely having an impact on the future of our children..and they are growing up not being given the opportunity's to become productive members of society..and a future burden to a already over burdened social care system..and will become resented..for being such a burden...(update, the original article has been removed from their site I am planning on emailing them to ask permission to put it on here.


I was approached by a reporter to do a story regarding things that have happened and are happening to my boy..after hours of reviewing..reports and documents I have written in the last years..I felt so deeply saddened by it all and felt as though I had failed to protect him from people I should have been able to trust.
It was very difficult and painful to look at the battles we have faced..I sat with the reporter..for a few hours..but later that night declined to do a article as I felt it was not in my child's best interest..and the article would not depict the whole picture..which is far greater then just the school board..but lack of funding to attract professionals to work in a rural area.
We are in desperate need..for speech pathologist, educational specialist, nurses, doctors..and there is not enough money going to these things to attract them to come here, which is very sad. There is a need for missionaries and Charity's to get involved, a big brother organization and many many other things..such is the way of rural living in Labrador and Rural Northern Canada.
I opted instead to write yet another letter to the school...At first I thought it would do not good...but when I looked back at a twenty one page report I did..two years ago..when my child went missing in -28 degrees of weather..in February month...from school...with no hat, coat, mitts on..and I was called at my place of work and told he was missing from school..I realized that I had indeed made small changes and showed I was trying hard to communicate with them in a positive way despite the fact that my child could have died..that was very hard, to tuck away the anger I felt at that time and be positive.
When he went missing that time..and they called me..at work.
I asked where is he..they told me that they did not know..that he was off school premises and not there responsibility, now how a nine year old child with left hemiplegic cerebral palsy gets off school premises, who cannot walk very easy when he is supposed to be with a student aid at all times is beyond me but only an indication of the quality of care he gets in school.
We took him out of school after that for over a week....and that was the last time he went missing from school.
Prior to that when he was seven, there were more incidents with him going missing - one time he was found him on the bridge trying to find his way to his mommas work and a young girl in town found him there and took him to me. He was supposed to be on the special needs bus coming home...it has been a long hard experience...his education is sub standard compared to the capital of our province or the rest of Canada .. small .. success's have been made.
The school now has a special education and life skills room.
They are still not wheelchair accessible..but there to...are our hopes for future change...but when I go missing this is what I am at.
Sammy is my first priority.

I let Sammy pick out what to share today...and did a grab bag of what he picked..you won't be disappointed..he likes bright colors..and says all women like flowers momma...

You can download Sammy's Grab Bag of Goodies Here
Thank you for all the lovely comments..you are appreciated and give me happiness and sunshine....and make life easier just by being in it..thank you so much for that...
Thank you to Silvia for listing me.
Thank you to Ikea Goddess for listing me.
Thank you to Selena for listing me
and to others who may have promoted my blog spot that I may not know about..

35 comments:

Rainee said...

Thanks hon. Thinking about you and sending the strength you need to continue on in your quest to get things changed. Thanks to Sammy for picking out these beauties in the goodie bag.

BelindasScrapz said...

Sammy indeed sounds like quite a special boy :) and not in a disabled kind of way but in a kind and loving way. I hope that your reports do make a difference and that someone listens. We live in a rural area and have no insurance so no access to health care and very few doctors take the medicaid that is available to low income children. My daughter is lucky to have a very good family doctor who does take it that is not a far drive. I am thankful for that. She is also healthy though she has a birth defect that is right now dormant. I hope it remains that way for her.
Thank you as always for sharing
Belinda

grambie said...

My hearts just shed tears when I read about the inadeqencies in this world today in a so-called civilized country. KUDOS to you for taking up the charge for your child & all the others in the same situation. The breakthroughs that you have made might not seem much to you, but know it is a large obstacle that you have overcome, beaurocracy. Continue to use this blog to reach out & continue to tell your darling son's story so that others can understand what it means to have catastrophic health care needs within a family. I fully understand it when the co-pays are way beyond the financial burden that you & your family can bear.

Health care is outrageous in prices here in the US. but I am thankful that so far my Blue Cross Health Benefits from work along with Medicare has covered it. For a 5-day monthly Oncology treatment for approx 7 hrs a day, it comes to approx $45,597 each mth, excluding Dr's visits, etc. I have had 8 mths of treatment.

What has happened to the promise that school-aged children are covered in health benefits & the schools are a part of that treatment factor? Continue to use your blog to enlighten the world that things are not equal between the haves & the haves not. My prayers along with my hope for your son will remain with me in my prayers. Leavin LUV!! XOXOXO

jill said...

Joanne, God bless you and thank Sammy for me. I LOVE surprises and can't wait to get Sammy's Goodie Bag opened to see what lovely things are in there. May your words continue to be heard and cause change.

Anonymous said...

I haven't looked in the Grab Bag yet, but I bet I will love everything in it, especially is Sammy picked it out. Thank you, Ssmmy and tell Mom thanks for making the goodies.

JulieO said...

Give Sammy a hug for me and tell him thank you for the wonderful gifts, all of the flowers he chose are beautiful.

Anonymous said...

Thank you Joanne, Sammy was correct, I do love flowers. But I expecially love the swirly thing with the flowere on it. It is beautiful. I am so sorry for all your troubles with the school board. I also read the artical in your paper about the other parents problem with the school. What a shame. I wish there was something I could do to help.

Unknown said...

Thank you so much for sharing this grab bag!! Can't wait to peek inside to see what treasures Sammy picked to share!! HUGS to both of you!!

Kim B said...

Hi joanne- Just sending you a Big thank you for the "bag" that Sammy chose- I have a sister who is "mentaly retarded" due to a lack of oxygen when she was born(also hospital neg)- she now has a "job" with a "help group" and feels like she is "the bee's knees"..lol, but it was a long struggle to eventually get there.. Sending you hugs and to Sammy too.
Love
Kim

Anonymous said...

WOW! I am appalled at your story, not the story itself, but the sub standard care you recieve for your son. I am in Alberta and special needs children here get the best opportunities, schooling, work, play, education, health care, etc. I will hold your situation up in prayer.

Sharon aka Scrapcat4914 said...

WOW! Sammy you did a awesome job on your picks for the goodie bag!!!
TY so very much!!!!

ida macken said...

Thank you & Sammy for the grab bag, I am sure i will love it as I do love flowers, Hugs to Sammy & some for Mamma too ;-))

Anonymous said...

Welcome back! I have missed you!
Kathy M

Inma said...

It's sad to read about the problems and inconveniences you face on a daily basis regarding the problems of your child, and I hope there is more work done in Canada and where you live to improve the conditions of people with that kind of necessities. I guess it's true what you say that making the local and regional authorities aware of the problems you face and deal with, will be helpful. But even though I'm sure it's terribly painful going through some papers and the story of your child, one thing that would also help, is making the general public aware of the case as that will always put more pressure on authorities to do their best in certain issues.

The job you are doing with your child is, considering the circumstances, unbelievable and certainly hard and at times painful. So I hope and wish you the best to you and your family. :)

Thanks a million for the "Grab a bag" and best wishes. It's really nice to read you. :o)

Anonymous said...

I'm so touched by your writing.
I'm sorry but my language skills are not enough to express my feelings.
I wish you and your family the best for the future, I hope something changes for better.

Thanks for your freebie.
Franziska from Dresden Germany.

Kimberly said...

I understand exactly what you are going through. Although we're from rural ontario but the same situation applies. I think it's rural Canada as a whole. There just isn't the facilities and the lack of health care professionals is a black spot on Canada's health care system as a whole! We finally pulled my son out of school because of lack of proper care and untrained care providers. My son has spastic, quadraplegic CP a long with several other severe health problems. The care he has received and continues to receive since we moved from a large city to a small rural area is sub-standard at best! I'm cheering for ya' hon - takes a special person to fight for what should basic human rights in this great country we live in. Keep going - it takes a while but eventually they listen!!

Hugs
Kimberly

Muka said...

thank you for the surprise bag, and to Sammy too for picking out whatever's in it! (sooo excited to dl and unzip... LOL) hugs to your boy and to you, too!

Nicole said...

Thank you so much for this grab bag of goodies.

HeatherB said...

My heart goes out to you + your family and your situation. Best wishes in your fight for what you and Sammy are entitled.

And thanks for the grab bag...nice of you to share when you have so things that need your attention! :-)

Anonymous said...

You make me feel ashamed with the little I do when you work so hard to make changes for your son and others. May you have the strength to continue. Thank You and your son.

Anonymous said...

I just found your blog and have been reading about your son. I hope things inprove for you both. Please thank him for the wonderful grab bag gift.

Rona said...

Sammy, thank you for picking the goodies for the bag. I'm sure I will love them! :)

You are a strong woman, Joanne!

Peggie said...

These are lovely elements. I love the flowers. Thank you.

Amanda said...

i hope you get the help you need!
thanks for the goodie bag! your son did a good job picking it out!

Anonymous said...

Sammy did a wonderful job of picking out items for the grabbag! He is so right about women liking flowers! Thanks, Joanne, for sharing your talent and thanks, Sammy, for choosing such lovely items!!

xashee's corner said...

i LOVE the grab bag goodies and thank you so much for sharing ;)

Anonymous said...

Thank you for your lovely gifts. Sammy is absolutely correct that flowers and bright colors are the best of the best.

My heart goes out to you with your struggles in fighting the system. I will pray for a positive resolution.

Your creations are so beautiful! Only a person with beauty in their heart could make such wonderful things.

Anne

mel hains said...

thanks so much for your grab bag! much love,
mel
xxxxxxxxx

Kimberly said...

Hi Joanne,
I have a nephew with cerebral palsy. He is still 1, so my sister has not had to deal with the education system yet. It is always good to hear someone fighting for what is right!

I also wanted to let you know that I posted a LO using your Little Girls Garden kit. I am absolutely in love with that kit! Thank you for sharing it!

BIG ~~HUGS~~ for Sammy!

Anonymous said...

Thank you, Joanne...and please thank Sammy for me...I looooove flowers...;o)

Dixie said...

Thanks so much!!!!

Cyn said...

"all women like flowers momma..."
That is adorable! Ty for stopping by and Im adding you as a blogger on my list of blogs! Take care

Anonymous said...

I have taken the time to read your story. You and Sammy are in my prayers. I lived in Nfld. for a while and know how isolated Labradore is. Every bit of awareness you can create helps the plight of all special needs children everywhere. Thank you for sharing your story and a special thanks to Sammy for choosing the pretty things in the grab bag. May God bless and keep you.

Anonymous said...

Thank you to Sammy and yourself for the grab bag.

Lots of luv

Chris

Faith said...

Thank you so much for sharing your talent. Please tell Sammy thank you for choosing the flowers. I will definitely add you to my blog list, you are one special lady, Joanne.