hshbmom
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9478
posted
Hi Lymies,
I received a threatening phone call from the school social worker last week. She said they don't have evidence my dd has a medical reason to be absent from school...they could take me to court.
I took the principal a prescription for homebound education in early October...LLMD said she needed it because of her multisystem involvement of Lyme disease. He copied it and seemed satisfied.
The principal stated he'd start the 504 process. ??? That's very different from homebound education.
Apparently that prescription wasn't enough for them. Now they want a letter from the LLMD stating why dd needs homebound education. LLMD did write a letter, but it didn't answer the questions the principal & SW have. Also, it contained one slight, but very significant error. He stated a particular problem as the main reason she can't go to school. That problem has completely resolved...I even told the school that last month.
I don't want to be picky, but the letter doesn't really describe why dd needs homebound education now. She has different symptoms now....and other problems such as fatigue.
Do any of you have a similar letter I could look at? I would appreciate it.
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Dd finally got some pain meds...Ultram ER and Lortab 5. It seems to help a little sometime, but not all the time. I'm afraid she'll become a drug addict.
Should I expect medication to make her life much more comfortable...or just tolerable??????
Nancy
Posts: 1672 | From AL/WV/OH | Registered: Jun 2006
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Aniek
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5374
posted
Nancy,
I can answer your pain medicaition questions, not the others.
First, study after study shows that the proper use of pain medication for chronic pain does not result in addiction. If your daughter has pain, then she will not get the "high" feeling that causes people to be addicts. She will get used to any woozy feelings they cause.
She will with time need increased doses. This is physical dependence/tolerance which is completely different from addiction. It's just a phsycial reaction to the meds and totally normal.
When I worked with pain specialist, he said the goal of pain management is to get people to a 3-4 on the pain scale. It's not likely pain will be eliminated with pain meds.
But, through Lyme treatment, pain can eventually be greatly reduced or eliminated.
-------------------- "When there is pain, there are no words." - Toni Morrison Posts: 4711 | From Washington, DC | Registered: Mar 2004
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hshbmom
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9478
posted
Hi Aniek, dd's pain only gets down to a 5. She said this pain, at it's highest, is 2-3 times greater than breaking her hip (which she did last year). She says she'd rather break her hip again, than go through this pain. At least she would recover & the pain would be gone.
Dd was diagnosed with fibromyalgia secondary to Lyme disease.
I read somewhere that the pain of Lyme can be excruciating...at the level of people who just got out of surgery. I believe it.
Dd tried Ultram, then Flexeril, but neither did much.
Nancy
Posts: 1672 | From AL/WV/OH | Registered: Jun 2006
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Aniek
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5374
posted
Nancy,
How long did she try Flexeril, and at what dose? It didn't work for me until I was taking 20mg every night.
My pain is mostly muscle pain, that's why the Flexeril worked. I also took Vicodin with the Flexeril when needed.
It took me about 6 months working with a pain specialist to find the right combination of pain meds. It's not easy. But remember that it's ok for her to take the pain medication. She needs it.
-------------------- "When there is pain, there are no words." - Toni Morrison Posts: 4711 | From Washington, DC | Registered: Mar 2004
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hshbmom
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9478
posted
Up, up, and away!
Posts: 1672 | From AL/WV/OH | Registered: Jun 2006
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letter from doctor, with diagnosis, description of treatment (not specific, general IE: antimicrobial medications)
plus symptoms (IE: fatigue, joint pain, cognitive difficulties, headpain, ect) have LLMD list all general symptoms.
and "it is medically necessary that XXX recive homebound instruction".
and all letters re: Lyme should include something about condition fluctuating, doc will alert school as to any changes in homebound status.
the letters should include a time frame for the request (say 1 - 2 months) and plan to update as you go along (next letters can simply prescribe extended service and refer to the first letter as still the situation)
KNOW THIS: the school district's role is to EDUCATE the child, taking the symptoms into account. not why or what or how, or ask for medical proof or tests, ect -- they are not qualified to judge this nor do they have the right to ask for this information - your child's physician is his/her medical care provider.
what the Doc says is word. do not tell them more than this, they have no right to know more than this. medical records are personal and private.
the school's role is not to diagnose, question, or pass judgement on medical care or reccommendations.
be very careful because they should not be threatening you with court, this sounds like they are stepping out of bounds.
provide said letter from doctor alone.
-- if the school then has further questions pertaining to their ROLE AS EDUCATORS, ask them to put the questions in writing, and you will sign a release to have the doctor address said questions in writing (note to you - as long as they are reasonable questions)
the principal and the social worker are not medical professionals treating your child. there are HIPPA laws, afterall.
they have no more right to ask about or judge Lyme disease than they do to judge or pry into cancer treatment.
Lyme disease is not at issue, the school need only respond to the docs orders and the symptoms delineated as to how they impact daily life/abilities.
end of story.
get this to them quickly by certified mail. keep copies, and do not speak to them about it. if they catch you on the phone, say - sorry, gotta go, could you drop me a note on this?
seriously -- get the paper in order and beware of school personnel overstepping their bounds.
you may want a 504, for homebound instruction, just based on the simple outline above.
what are the symptoms, how do they imapct learning, what is the plan - condition will fluctuate - doc will advise school with updates.
done.
mo
Posts: 8337 | From the other shore | Registered: Jul 2002
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