CatherineM Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 One of the kids we take care of was assaulted last night. This is a kid who was born addicted to crack, has Tourette's Syndrome, fetal alcohol, and a bunch of things with abbreviated names. He was beaten up so badly in a group home that he lost a testicle. He's very small and slight because the fetal alcohol stunted his growth. The boys were walking down to the 7-11 last night for a slurpee, and got jumped. He was so upset that he wasn't making much sense, but he got dragged behind the store and set on fire. He's got road rash on his neck, a burned hand, and is missing half the skin off his back side. The best I can figure, they poured alcohol on him and lit it. I'll bet he needs skin grafts. Of course they waited until this afternoon to tell me. He's in the waiting room at the ER now. The other two boys are fine. They were busy with the other two guys and just have bruised knuckles. They are much bigger and better able to defend themselves. The guys they were fighting took off, and then they realized the little guy had been drug off and were able to rescue him before more damage was done. Of course their first concern was the loss of their slurpees. I'm not sure which is sadder, that this kid keeps getting brutalized, or that he seems to think this kind of thing is normal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
veritasluxmea Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 I'm sorry. I really am, and I will pray for you and everyone involved. Keep us updated, please. I don't have anything to say except that I named my female dog Life, and may the Lord have mercy on us all, smh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archaeology cat Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 Oh that poor kid! God bless you for being in his life! Prayers for all! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatherineM Posted March 12, 2015 Author Share Posted March 12, 2015 He came home without being seen. He has lost his health care card. We have to get another one from the registry, and it was closed by the time I found out he didn't have it. Normally I keep all those kinds of things, but he wanted to keep it because the group home didn't let him have it when he needed it. Keeping it was important for him to have control over something. They are nuts here about seeing the health card because health care is free, so undocumented people come here to take advantage of it. My son is going to have him sleep on his stomach tonight and we'll try to get him treated tomorrow. I want to scream at times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatherineM Posted March 12, 2015 Author Share Posted March 12, 2015 Austin made a phone call and he's being seen without his card. At times like this sitting on the provincial advisory committee on mental health and addictions gives you the phone number of a boss who can call and get a paper pusher to have common sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheresaThoma Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 Catherine. I will pray for all of you. And that is completely crazy that they would send a child home who had obvious injuries just because he doesn't have the health care card. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lilllabettt Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 is that a standard feature of socialized medicine, wherein a child with his backside burnt off is turned away from medical attention because he doesn't have the right card? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Makarioi Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 How horrible, I will keep you all in my prayers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatherineM Posted March 13, 2015 Author Share Posted March 13, 2015 I've never heard of anyone being turned away before. When Zach's mom died, since he was on her card he technically lost his coverage. They treated him no problem. Getting his medicine for free took some paperwork. I think it was because there are nine ambulances parked here right now, and the triage nurse lost it. Inner city hospital first week of spring weather, and everyone just goes a bit nuts. Bike wrecks, stabbings, and this is the closest hospital to the Red Bull ice thing. Lots of injuries. If you haven't seen it, imagine a bmx race on an Olympic bobsled run except instead of bikes or bobsleds, they are doing it on ice skates. The waiting room looked like a hockey locker room. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatherineM Posted March 13, 2015 Author Share Posted March 13, 2015 It didn't help that Branden didn't want us going in with him. He was afraid they'd make him strip in front of us. Having the Tourette's makes him hard to understand. This time Austin is in with him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archaeology cat Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 is that a standard feature of socialized medicine, wherein a child with his backside burnt off is turned away from medical attention because he doesn't have the right card? I don't know about Canada, but we didn't have health cards when I was in the UK. It was never a problem. I think it's odd that they did so here instead of treating him and then sorting it out later, but sounds like that isn't the norm, from what Catherine said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AccountDeleted Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 I don't know about Canada, but we didn't have health cards when I was in the UK. It was never a problem. I think it's odd that they did so here instead of treating him and then sorting it out later, but sounds like that isn't the norm, from what Catherine said. Yeah, I have lived in the UK and Oz, both with free medical care available and I have never had any problem being treated. We do have a card here in Oz (not in the UK, although there I had a number) but if someone didn't have it on them, they would still be treated and then depending on their situation (their visa status etc), they might be billed afterwards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatherineM Posted March 13, 2015 Author Share Posted March 13, 2015 3rd degree burns over 10% of his body. Going to be a long night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AccountDeleted Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 There's nothing worse than when bad things happen to one's kids. It's worse than when they happen to you! Prayers for him and for you guys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnneLine Posted March 13, 2015 Share Posted March 13, 2015 Oh, Catherine... praying for all of you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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