Apr 13, 2020
Did you know there are like 12 variations on baby shark
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Did you know there are like 12 variations on baby shark
Being a foster parent getting a placement in the middle of a global pandemic is really something.
Drove to the middle of BFE because social workers aren’t allowed to facilitate any drop offs or pick ups and. Sitting in a parking lot with tweakers literally coming to my window asking if I’m supposed to be here.
I mean at this point I don’t even know...
Me today.
My FS is supposed to go home tomorrow and we haven’t heard from his bio dad — who he is supposed to go live with — for two weeks.
His social worker is aware but is pretty ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ about it.
Like if this is NBD I’m happy to keep him.
We’re supposed to handle the hand off — which is going to break my heart — I’m just trying to make our last day as good as I can, but I’m so stressed out and upset.
Me: It's such a nice day. Gonna go for a walk after work with my baby.
The Sky exactly one hour before the end of my shift: All the goddamn rain!
Buddy's Social Worker: Hey surprise video chat tonight?!
The kids had a bunch of foster care related appointments yesterday. It occurred to me to ask the X-ray tech about radiation exposure, since this was my 3rd time (or 4th?) holding a kid while they got X-rays in the past 2 years. And I had one when I had pneumonia. She said they use a lower dose for babies so it's okay.
I was looking at my tax program over the weekend (I've used TurboTax for years) and, knowing that I can claim Bugsy as a dependent because he lived with me for more than half his life in 2014, thought about the fact that I would need his Social Security number in order to claim him.
Then, I thought about whether he even HAS a Social Security number. He came into my care at age 7 weeks and, at that time, he was homeless. Even if the hospital submitted the paperwork, where would the SSA have sent his card?
So, I called his case worker at my agency. Apparently, this question has come up before. The answer? They're not sure.
Lovely.
Introducing solids?
Hi fellow foster mommies! Bugsy turns four months old on Friday, and I have a question about introducing solids. I have no doubt that he's ready for me to S-L-O-W-L-Y introduce single-grain cereals -- he can down 9 ounces of formula in one sitting and still act hungry; he's a good supported sitter; he can hold his head up 90 degrees while on his tummy and support himself on his elbows; plus he's been working his mouth like crazy the last few days.
But here's my question: Do you make the decision on your own to let the baby try cereal, or do you wait for the next doctor's appointment and ask the pediatrician first? Keep in mind, because I have to keep his care at the crappy inner-city clinic, his next appointment with the pediatrician is four days before he turns FIVE months.
This is yet another one of those situations where, if Bugsy was my son and not my foster child, I wouldn't hesitate... Just looking for some advice from parents who have more experience with babies -- and the system!
Bugsy's had this persistent cough for more than a week now, dating back to the baby laryngitis. The cough wracks his entire little body and sounds like it's hurting his lungs. Plus, he's still a bit congested. Whatever's going on, it's been more than a week and I want to take him to a doctor.
But oh, foster care! When Bugsy first came into my care, I met his mom at his two-month check-up at the inner city clinic where she had been bringing him. She told me she really wanted to be able to come to his doctor's appointments, and since she relies on public transportation, that means I'd have to keep taking him to the clinic -- which is more than an hour away from where I live and work.
Besides the fact that Bugsy's mom missed his next doctor's appointment at the clinic two weeks later, the reality is that I live in the northeast and it's November. It's not realistic to expect that I'll be able to drop everything and drive Bugsy an hour each way to the doctor every time he gets sick this winter. Plus, it's an inner-city clinic -- he's seen by a different doctor every time and there's no continuity of care.
In fact, at that second appointment that Bugsy's mom missed, the doctor who saw him kept asking why we were there. We kept telling her the other doctor told us to make the appointment. After a few minutes of studying his chart, she couldn't figure out the reason for the special appointment, so she listened to his heart and lungs, did a few other doctor-y things, and sent us on our merry way.
So, this cough thing that Bugsy has...
I had mentioned to his case worker about the possibility of getting him established with a pediatrician less than a mile from my house. I never really got a straight answer out of her, so today, I called her and asked. Bugsy had a visit with his mom today, and I didn't know what the protocol was -- did I need Bugsy's mom's permission to move his medical care? I don't think so, but my case worker did want to get the go-ahead from his county DSS.
After I heard that, I said screw it and called the pediatrician's office to make an appointment. I figured the worst that could happen is DSS comes back and says no, I can't move his care, and I have to cancel the local appointment.
Miracle of miracles, I got him an appointment for 1 tomorrow afternoon! So if DSS calls back now and says I can't get this baby some medical attention ASAP, I'm going to be one PO'd foster mama...