SD is in the hospital-- thanks to crappy parenting.
This is probably going to sound callous as hell but I gotta get this out here so I don't say it to FDH.
FDH is in a city two hours south of us right now, trading in his car. He planned to go straight from there to pick up SD12 and SD15 at BM's house. Then they were driving to another state, six hours away, to visit OSD for her birthday. They planned to stay all weekend. I planned to have a quiet weekend to myself.
I got a text out of the blue from BM. She said "Have FDH call me. It's an emergency". Given our current relationship (no talking), I took her for her word and frantically called FDH. Well, it was an emergency. But one created by them and letting their kid run the show.
SD12 is diabetic. When she was first diagnosed, FDH tried to get her to allow me to learn to do her insulin injections (both the ones she does during the day for meals, as needed, etc... and the one at night that keeps her glucose low as she sleeps). She refused to allow me to learn and FDH didn't challenge her. So I would have been in the same position I am about to describe.
Apparently, she stayed home from school today because she wasn't feeling well. BM went out for a work appointment and SD started having rather high readings. When she gets that high she becomes obstinant and refuses to give herself insulin and refuses anyone else's insistence or intervention. Or she falls asleep hard and you can't wake her. Not sure what happened today. But they now live at BM's BF's house, and like me, he has no insulin training, and should never be left alone with SD. But he was.
So the glucose level goes over 400 and he can't do anything and BM is not home and not reachable. So he calls an ambulance. The paramedics refuse to give insulin (may be protocol?) and rush her to the children's hospital.
FDH is now on his way there. He thinks she will be OK. I have no doubt all she needs is an injection.
So why am I peeved?
1- The ambulance is going to cost a fortune and FDH will be stuck with 70% of the bill which will impact our household. This was totally unnecessary. If they are going to leave their kid in the hands of the BF or me, they need to make sure we know how to handle these situations. Calling the ambulance for this level seems excessive in my opinion and could've been avoided altogether.
2- BM admitted that "she may not have taken her overnight insulin last night". THIS after she read FDH the riot act the other day for not giving her this shot at exactly 930 PM and accused him of being a bad father for it. And now she doesn't even know if she had it all last night?
3- Weekend plans are pretty much ruined for everyone, including the birthday girl, OSD. All because of neglegence and allowing SD12 to dictate who gets to learn to give her injections.
Don't get me wrong, I am concerned for her and sincerely want her to feel better. But this was all for nothing.
Thanks for letting me vent.
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Comments
I am not going to the
I am not going to the hospital. My hands are tied. She's on her second therapist but BM rarely takes her.
FDH just called and I told him that it is seriously dangerous to leave SD home alone with either if us until we receive proper training. This is just crazy.
I do agree but think in cases
I do agree but think in cases of emergency at least everyone should have the knowledge how for cases like this...
Normally, she gives herself
Normally, she gives herself the shots. But when she's too high or low, she loses the ability to make rational decisions. That's part of the disease. And she is also irresponsible with it. So it is up to her parents to make one of two choices: 1- NEVER EVER EVER leave her in the care of the BF or me unless we are properly trained and skilled at giving her insulin (not on a regular basis-- just in case of emergency like this) or 2- Train us properly. I've watched it a million times but I could never do it with out learning how with first hand experience. And emergency is not the time to practice. One of the other. It is far too dangerous to do what happened today.
And I agree-- they screwed up. Not the boyfriend. Why the hell would BM leave her home with him when she knew she was sick from diabetes-related stuff?
She is supposed to get a pump
She is supposed to get a pump next week. But that is even more responsibility on her as she will be totally self dosing. With the shot, people can see what's going on.
Exactly. And she's combative
Exactly. And she's combative with regular levels. It's insane when she is too high.
It sure can kill you. That's
It sure can kill you. That's why we need to know what to do in case the parents aren't around.
I don't think that's the case
I don't think that's the case in this scenario. She seems really sick and is still in the hospital.
However, I have witnessed her using her diabetes to manipulate her parents many times. Even her therapist and her own grandfather think that's the case.
Today, I think she's really sick and her mother should have 1- made sure she took her overnight insulin and 2- never have left her home alone with an untrained adult.
I understand the 'her body
I understand the 'her body her decision' thing, but that only goes so far... and making sure her medication is given to her properly is NOT negotiable in someone under 18. My brother is not my kid but he is significantly younger than I am, and has a whole line up of medical problems. Everyone, EVERYONE who watches him for an extended period of time has been given the run down and some training on everything. My mom, my dad, my SM, myself and my siblings, boyscout leaders, teachers, even FDH.. We all know how to change his G-tube if it bursts, we all know how his medications and formulas are given and how to troubleshoot his feeding pump if it messes up(he's 15 and does that himself now but whe he was young), we've all been trained with an Epi-pen.
I don't think you learning to inject her in an emergency is going against her rights, when someone is willfully trying to commit suicide it's perfectly acceptable to have them restrained and brought to a hosiptal "against their will", even an adult. But a 12 year old who willfully is neglecting her health is allowed to do so? Even though it could kill her? That's ridiculous.
Thank you. It's like saying
Thank you. It's like saying if her heart stopped I could be held on assault charges for performing CPR. There are laws to protect people from stuff like that. Any adult who supervises her needs to make sure they can assist in the event that she cannot.
UPDATE: She is being held
UPDATE:
She is being held over night. She's still feeling awful and glucose is only down to 290. Poor kid.
The part that really gets me is that it turns out she was vomiting all morning. When she throws up, you are to ASSUME it is a diabetes-related issue. The last time she had one of those major spells was when she was first diagnosed and hospitalized in ICU for a week. Yet, BM left her, clearly very ill today, in the hands of her poor BF who had no idea what to do.
We've never even met. But I
We've never even met. But I know damn well that I will not ever be alone with her for a minute until I am trained. Not taking that chance after what happened today. But of course, FDH would have never left me alone with her in that shape.
I am sure her BF will demand the same after what happened. Poor guy must've been freaking out.
Way to go BM..
Way to go BM.. :O
Seriously. That woman needs
Seriously. That woman needs to get her head out of her ass ASAP.
In a situation involving a
In a situation involving a MINOR she has no say so and it is not assault and battery it's implied consent that if the PARENTS were present they would want the injection given. I'd refuse to be alone with the kid till I was trained, and no EMS system at least around here uses insulin in the field as it's case specific so it's treat symptoms and transport. being sick and diabetic will screw up BS levels especially in a kid. She should of gone to a Dr. long before it became an emergency but BM obviously gives no f's and the BF may not of realized the seriousness of the situation until it was an emergency. I feel bad he got stuck having to make that decision and he made the right one.
I agree. He totally did the
I agree. He totally did the right thing. He had no other choice. Who knows, he may have saved her life. Just hope both BM and FDH learned some lessons today about monitoring her more closely and leaving her with people who can't help her.
I'm sorry for SD and her
I'm sorry for SD and her being in such danger this morning. I was reading clear your frustration for not being 'trained'. You can teach yourself the insulin and the blood test kit. What you would need to learn is the correct levels and the dosage on the other.
Not to downplay the seriousness of SD's disease (because it is very serious stuff), but you can swing by like Walgreen (Walmart is cheaper on the strips). You do not need a prescription to purchase a monitor nor test strips. Practice taking readings on yourself. There are step by step how-to on even you tube to guide you along. Of course you'll only get good readings, but it'll teach you the how to. You can also teach self 'art' of injection. No not with the insulin or on real person, but with syringe, water and an orange.
But learned the how-to isn't going to help you in your situation. You best just not be alone with SD. Even if you knew how you can not chase down an unwilling person, combat their refusal and do it. This girl would have to be passed out before you could use what you learned. I know you feel helpless and all you want to do is be able to help her, but if she is unwilling to allow you or BM's BF to do this, you're training will do you no good. And chasing down and trying to control the girl while you did what needed done could/would perhaps injury you both.
Your best bet right now if for her BM and father along with the child's doctor to bring the girl around to where reality sets in and this girl understand she's is killing herself with the way things currently are.
The best of good wishes for the little girl. Her disease sucks. Its so hard for a child to fully understand the horrible consequences of the entirety of their disease if not properly watched and treated and cope with all this.
Thank you for your
Thank you for your suggestions. Those are very good.
You are right. She is as big as me and I've seen the force of her when she's combative. I would not want to go toe-to-toe with that.
I hope she does learn to manage it. I think this may have ruined her chances for getting a pump which she's wanted for over 2 years. I'd be surprised if that's not delayed due to this. A big piece of that is responsibility. So that might give her a good understanding that if you mess around with this disease, you end up in the hospital and lose the reward you thought you were getting. But her parents really need to reinforce the seriousness of this by making sure they are top of this disease and monitor her closely. They need to set the example for her.