School Nursing

I just wanted to revisit this since when we were getting ready for Caelan to go to school I had some huge reservations and concerns.  However, things seem to be turning out really well.  His Nurse at school has worked with trached children before.  She gets it and it so refreshing to know that she understands that by suctioning or dropping saline down his trache you're only looking at a short term solution but really your not helping him out in the long run.  Caelan's got a good strong cough and he can clear his trache on his own.  Sometimes it's a lot of work for him but he can do it and it's better that he does it himself.

Caelan has little joy in seeing the Nurse in the morning when she arrives.  He's quick to grab Mom, knowing that he'll soon be off to school.  He enjoys school but I think he likes the idea of staying home with Mom a bit better... Could be just my perception though!

Yesterday I had the chance to chat with his school Nurse for a bit and she said that in the morning he's very "Mommy, Mommy, Mommy"  Everything is about Mommy.  She says he has little time for her.  He's quick to take off and play and participate in activities.

As the day goes on though and there are more challenges presented to him he starts looking for his Nurse.  She's noticed that when Caelan doesn't want to do a given task presented by his teachers, they get the same big "no" huffy-arms crossed-big bottom lip-turn of the head attitude that we get here at home! They often let it go, but will present the task again a while later and if they get the same reaction they'll try again a different way... Unfortunately our Caelan is a stubborn little man and they often get the same response.  It's around these times that he goes searching for his Nurse.  I think he's fed up with these Teachers presenting the same thing to him, that he's clearly already said he didn't want to do and he's looking for an escape knowing that he gets to go home with her.  At this time of day she's the best thing ever!  He's even gone so far as to get his little red emergency kit, which he knows goes with him everywhere, and bring it to her signing 'home'.  If that's not clear I don't know what else he could do to get his point across.  He's done with the school day!  Luckily this is later in the afternoon and he is almost done - it's not like it starts at ten o'clock in the morning!!  That would make for a long day!!!