Don't Poke Mama Bear

Some people talk about this protective mode that mother's go into and compare it to that of a Mother Bear. We will do anything to protect your children so please, don't poke Mama Bear.

This Mama Bear has been through quite a bit w/her young cub and was wondering who she would lash out at. Well after much consideration and time to let things dwell in my mind, Mama Bear decided to take it out the woman at Missouri First Steps (MO's Early Intervention Program). You see back in January when the geneticist diagnosed Z with NS she also put in a call to First Step's to get Zachary qualified or at least an evaluation. When this woman called me back and we had a 10 minute phone conversation she then decided that Zachary did not qualify for FS. She didn't know what NS was and didn't offer to send someone to our house for an interview but did wish us well and said he just wasn't delayed enough and if he fell further behind then to feel free to call them back.

I took her words as the end of this quest. Never thought more of her turning us down but kept pondering the fact that she didn't offer to look into what NS was nor did she offer us a meeting. She just dismissed my son, my son who has had a very rough go of it, like he was nothing. This is what bugged me and ate at me. Finally I spoke up. In the past week I mentioned this to Dr. Kate, to the genetics nurse and to our parents as teacher representative. All of them were furious at how easily Z was dismissed. They woke up Mama Bear and made her realize some twit was messing w/her child. This twit sent me a letter and some information on therapy places that were over 30 miles from my home...excuse me? I was so mad that in my fury and disappointment, yet again in the state of MO, I threw out all those papers so I don't know the twit's name...probably better for her.

Well last night I got online and I went to the first steps site and read how each family is entitled to an at home interview. Say what? Well those words hit mama bear and sent her over the edge. I wrote a long email to MO FS's and told them how this twit dismissed my son. I told them how hard he fought for his life and how yes he is delayed and it may not be the 50% they required but they owed it to my son to evaluate him and that the twit who called me should have said, "Well Mrs. Foster, I am not familiar with NS but let me do some research and learn more about it and then I'll call you back and we can discuss this.". I told them that I hoped all kids in MO were not treated like this and that I was just truly disappointed in this entire program.

At 9am this morning my phone rang. It was a woman, the director, of the St. Louis office of MO First Steps. She apologized for the way we were dismissed and agreed it was handled inappropriately. Wow! I accepted her apology and told her that I didn't even know if Z was truly delayed in gross motor skills or just a bit slow but I did know that kids w/NS have low muscle tone and I needed them to tell me if they felt he was truly delayed. If not, that's fine. I should have my interview set up by the end of this week. Mind you, if Z isn't walking by 18 months then we will be taking this into our own hands and getting him in therapy but if the state is willing to help us, I am going to let them.

As a friend pointed out to me, let's hope the person who interviews us is NOT the same twit I spoke with! Let's also hope this twit learns the errors of her way and does not dismiss any other children so easily. Let's hope she also learns that you do NOT poke the Mama Bear, especially a very tired Mama Bear!!!