Friends 'R' Family

char59 · Global Moderator

As you probably remember, I am a special needs nurse. Shortly after I started working in this field, I was working with a little boy with mental and physical disablities. I worked with him for 5 years. One day, my boss called me to tell me he had passed away. This was shortly after I lost Jessica and David. This hurt alot. I had gotten really close to him and his family.
About 6 months after Jessica and David were killed, my boss asked me to care for this little Mexican boy. I was a little hesitant. I noticed his birthdate. It was Sept, 20, 2002. That is the date of Jessica's accident. This little boy was also a TWIN. I just about lost it. The family knew of my situation. They treated me as one of their own. (even tho, I was as old as the parents).
I became known as MamaChar. When I started with him, he was 6 months old. He became my grandchild of sorts. I guess you could say, i treated him like a grandchild. His brothers and sisters (there were 11 of them) became part of my family. I would come in at night and he would be looking for me. I always got the biggest smile. It didn't bother him when Mom went to bed, as long as I was there.
This child had Down's Syndrome, resp distress and heart problems. He required a trach to breathe and oxygen. He couldn't eat so he had a feeding tube. He would let me do what needed done without any problems. Some of the other nurses had problems. I was the one who taught the family some of his cares.(like changing the feeding tube). With his trach, there were trach ties that held it in place. He would occasionally pull at the ties or the oxygen tube. So you had to check to make sure everything was tight. There is a reason I am telling you this. It will become apparent near the end.
When I started with him, I didn't think I could do it. The birthday, the accident, and the fact that he was a twin. Is this just so unreal? My grandson was half hispanic. I thought there was just too many simularities. I thought I couldn't handle it. My boss had faith in me and thought it would be good for me.
I fell in love with him and the whole family. I was with them for almost 2 years. During that time, I was able to get him to take some steps, he was sitting up by himself. He wasn't able to talk, but he did communicate in his own way.
There was a couple of times that he had to go in to the hospital, for resp problems. That was hard for me, about as hard as it was for the family. But still only being in the hospital twice in two years was pretty good, so we as nurses were doing a good job.
Yet when there was a problem with another nurse, it was me the family came to. Then I had to relay the message back to my boss. But things did go fairly smoothly, in that department.
I became good friends with this one nurse. She had lost her son to suicide about a year before we started this case. This nurse will become important near the end also. She help me through things with Jessica and David.
I took many pictures of Juan, just as I had of David. There were some pics that I had a little trouble telling them apart. rolmao

I need to get my thoughts together as to how to proceed with this. I will finish this in a short while. But this is a new beginning, sort of...

mrsmuffin · Site Manager

Char you are such an inspiration to us all. I look forward to reading more of your story. (((((hugs))))))

Shirley · Graphics Manager

I have chills running up and down my spine as I read your post.....Char.......God Bless you.........You are a angel sent to this family..........I firmly believe this.......(((((((hugs, my friend)))))))