[blparent] Challenges with hospital

[Karla Hudson]

Hi Group, 

I have been watching the posts regarding the family who may have taken their
baby away by CPS. I have mentioned this before on this list. When I had my
first child I had an interesting experience with hospital nurse with 28 year
of experience. The hospital Social Worker also offered us WIC when we were
totally not qualified. I believe these individuals have an interest in
protecting the child. I am thinking they just do not know exactly what to
protect them from when it comes to blind people. They make all kinds of
assumptions as they are unable to believe that they themselves could care
for a child without sight. 

Also, I think as persons who are blind we need to become better at lying.
When asked if I would have sighted help at home with my baby I lied and
indicated that I would have such help. The joke was on them as the friend
who came to help me was also blind and happened to be on staff at the
hospital. Anyway, after all the annoying challenges the hospital put my way
I finally wrote a letter to the CEO a few months after my daughter was born.
Well, the Social worker had to contact me and apologized. Did I let her off
the hook? No, she received a lecture from me regarding the importance of
reviewing the file before making assumptions. She would have seen there that
we did not qualify for WIC and that our OBGYN wrote a note indicating that
we were extremely independent and prepared to have our child. 

So this can happen to the best and most independent of blind individuals. 

Karla