When the School Nurse Called my office...

Yesterday my office phone rang and Adria's school nurse was on the other end. Immediately, my heart paused for a second, fearing that something was wrong with my little girl.

On the line was a different nurse than normal, yet I soon realized my instinctive fears were unwarranted. She called because the usual nurse at Adria's elementary school was out sick, and she wondered if I was available to meet her at noon and show her the catheterization routine with Adria.

Thankfully, I did not have any mid-day appointments, but either way I would have made myself available. Over the years, I have learned that not all nurses know how or are able to catheterize children. Plus, it is a very sensitive and personal procedure that I don't want someone I have never met doing.

The nurse on the phone was very sensitive to that and to Adria's comfort level.

Fortunately, Adria is very comfortable with her usual school nurse, and they've developed a great routine for taking care of Adria's unique needs.

Every day after she enjoys her free lunch in the cafeteria, she and her teacher walk down to the nurse's office while the rest of her class heads out to recess.

So yesterday, I went ahead and left work to join her for lunch to make sure I was there in plenty of time to meet with the new nurse (she's actually been with the school district many years, but had not met Adria yet). I was filled with a sense of gratitude that I work just one block away from Adria's school.

How could I ever hope or ask for a better scenario for our family during this year of Adria transitioning into FULL DAY school??? God is good and His plans are always better than ours...even if the pathway is often rocky.

It's actually really fun to join Adria for lunch. This was my third time going and now Adria's not the only one excited and surprised to see me...her classmates are as well :)  The teachers don't eat with them in the cafeteria, but there are about half a dozen lunch monitors milling about.

When lunch was over, Adria led the way down the hall to the nurse's office. The nurse was still on her way coming from the other school, so Adria got a bit impatient waiting 5 minutes.

Once she arrived, we exchanged introductions and then she asked Adria how Nurse Dawn did things. Adria eagerly showed us her routine.

This is the bed/cot where Adria goes for her routine and the privacy curtain on the left.
Johanna wanted to try it out one day (not yesterday)

• She walked over to the bed/cot next to the wall and pulled the sanitary white paper roll over it (like at the doctor's office).
• She led us into the bathroom and pointed to a shelf that held a basket filled with her supplies: Catheter kits, diapers, and wet wipes
• She yanked on the edge of a large white privacy curtain hanging from the ceiling and pulled it out so that it concealed the bed
• She struggled to climb onto the bed because she kept slipping on the white paper, but mommy gave her a boost.
• She pulled her bottoms down and then Mommy took over, demonstrating to the nurse how we catheterize
• Put on gloves. Wipe private area. Open catheter and attach urine collection bag. Insert into urethra. Wait about 5 minutes until urine flow stops. Remove catheter and trash everything. It's not so bad really. We are used to it.
• After that, Adria told us we forgot to give her the cup of water she always gets when coming to the nurse. Oops! So she got her cup of water (hydration is so important for her to avoid UTIs)
• The nurse also gives Adria medicine every day to help with her bowel routine, but we struggled to find where it was among the menagerie of prescription bottles, inhalers and other medical devices for children. This nurse has her hands full!
• Finally, she got her medicine and we left the nurses office.

Since the "routine" took longer than normal, I knew Adria wouldn't have much time for recess. I put her into the little wheelchair that sits unused in the hallway and quickly wheeled her through the halls to the door for the playground. She loved the ride, but even so, we were too late. The children were already lining up to come in.

Adria was momentarily distraught that she had missed recess, but her teacher cleverly reminded her that she would have fun in gym class later...and Mommy took her for an extra little fun spin down the hall in the wheelchair. 

All is good. Our daughter's life is full of daily challenges and inconveniences, but you would never know it by her attitude. She's one happy little gal.

Even as I left to return to work, the mother of a boy in her class stopped me and told me how her son talks about Adria. He said she is so pretty and nice since she's always laughing! Too cute. But...I do have slight cause for concern, this is the same boy that just a few days ago Adria told me was her favorite boy and that she "loved" him. Really? Am I already having to worry about little boyfriends??!!! Um, so not ready for these conversations.

Hmm, which will be more challenging over the next few years... teaching her to catheterize herself? or teaching her how to properly respond to and treat boys?

Life happens and they grow up whether we are ready or not!

So, the nurse's call was no tragedy, but it led to a little adventure nonetheless.

Our cute Adria in her school uniform for picture day last week.

OCTOBER IS SPINA BIFIDA AWARENESS MONTH - EMBRACE, EDUCATE, EMPOWER