nicki9 Posted January 23, 2008 Share Posted January 23, 2008 I've been off work today as my youngest has chicken pox and I've just found out that one of the 14 yr olds I teach has been put into a coma by Dr's as he has serious meningitis. I feel so low - how could this happen, I was teaching him on Monday and he seemed fine. apparently his sister was really upset today - understandably, but all her friends were at school and only one person at a time allowed in hospital room. There is an emergency staff meeting tomorrow am, but I'll be at home with my daughter. I so hope it is not bad news. I am torn as part of me feels I should be with my daughter, this proves that life is too short to put work first, but part of me really wants to be with my year 9's tomorrow afternoon. We have a really good relationship and I feel I should be there for them as well. I just hope and pray no-one else has contracted it. His poor family. chicken pox seems nothing in comparison. apparently it was thought he had the virus going round at first, now he is in ICU. What with this and fiinding out my brother has MS I'll be glad to get January over and done with. I know there are a number of teachers on here, its hard to explain how close you feel to the kids you teach, yet when something like this happens you are only really a distant person and need to be strong for the others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 Oh dear, how awful. I can imagine how torn you must feel. Sorry to hear about your brother's diagnosis too. I hope you have better news of the young boy today and that your daughter is improving too. All the best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cate in NZ Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 What terrible news . I do hope that the young lad pulls through, and that the news tomorrow is good. Sorry to hear about your brother's MS diagnosis as well . At least chickenpox is a minor irritation by comparison, but I hope that your little one recovers quickly. Thinking of you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 What sad news . I really hope he pulls through. I know what you mean about kids you work with - we recently had a suicide of a former pupil and everyone was really affected by it. So sorry too to hear about your brother. Hope the chickenpox isn't too bad and your daughter recovers quickly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkleeeeee Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 oh, thats terrible news, my sisters best friend at school died of meningitis about ten years ago. she was devestated, it is a horrible thing to get as they can sometimes lose limbs in desperation to save the child. i am a teacher as well and people dont realise how close you can be (not in a creapy way, but in a maternal way) to the children you teach. i would have stood in the way of a bullet for any of mine. i sadly lost two of the boys i taught at my old school (one to cancer and one is a car accident) and it is very upsetting. i do hope he is alright. the survival rate is higher than is was ten years ago. look after your little girl and try not to worry to much. it makes you realise how short life really is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
little chickadee Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 I used to be a teacher and I understand how close you feel to your students. In a lot of cases, you actually spend more time with them than their parents. Really hope your lad pulls through.Thinking of you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 My son's school sent a letter out just after he atarted in yr 7 because a lad in his year was in hospital with meningitis, thankfully he made a full recovery and no one else caught it. Then just before Christmas one of the lower sixth boys at his school died from sudden adult death syndrome and this cast a really sad air over the place which is a really nice community. Hopefully this boy will pull through please keep us posted, it is only natural that you should be torn by your commitments, you are bound to form bonds with your pupils when you spend so much time with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGirlsMum Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 My heartfelt thoughts are with you at the moment. It is just under a year since my friends little boy died of Meningitis. He was just 2 and his elder brother same age as my youngest, had chicken pox as my eldest had. So we were waiting for the little one to come out in chicken pox but very sadly he didn't. Our whole school was very hard hit by this (64 children) and now every time I see daffodils or hear Twinkle Twinkle Little star (reminders of his funeral) a tear rolls down my cheek. In fact it is happening now as I type. But take care and if you can let your pupils know you are there for them if not at school at the moment, but let them talk when they want to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorkshire Pudding Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 Nicki, my heart goes out to you and your school. I teach too, and we lost a y9 boy a year ago to a sudden infection which caused septicaemia. It was devastating for everyone. I hope your student recovers and that we'll soon see you posting good news. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiggy Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 so sad, we lose little ones from time to time (GP surgery) it affects everyone, but little ones do recover so quickly, one of my GPs had her little boy in hospital last year with meningitits he is fine now, I hope your young lad recovers soon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xraylady Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 My dear little niece died in Sheffield Childrens Hospital last June. First symptoms to irretrievable coma was less than 6 hours. Please, if you have children, please, check out the recommendations for available immunisations at http://www.meningitis-trust.org/ Please. Please. The website also has link to info for teachers & parents - perhaps this may be of help in your situation. I can highly reccommend the helpline. I sat & cried on the phone to the most well-informed and sympathetic volunteer - completely unfazed that I was calling from the US It helped. We can all be a stand against meningitis. What it takes is concerted public efforts for vigilence & to maximize protection for our children. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 Oh my word! I am so sorry to read that. A terrible tragedy. SCH is just a hop skip and a jump from where I live and we are so lucky to have it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xraylady Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 What with this and fiinding out my brother has MS I'll be glad to get January over and done with. Sorry about the MS diagnosis. I have been diagnosed for almost 6 yrs now - doing better with Tysabri. Encourage him to make contact with his local MS society, even if only online - and then get out of the advice business and just be his sister. A diagnosis like this seems to inevitably inspire an overwhelming tide of well-meaning, but under-informed, urgently profferred 'miracle-cures'. This is a journey he needs to take himself - my experience is that the 'helpful' advice acts more like a roadblock. If he has confidence in his neurologist (I am sure he is smart enough to determine if it is a good dr-pt fit) & has access to current, proven, reliable information from a trusted source - he will work out his own path to accommodating this diagnosis. Expect him to do all kinds of u-turns & re-appraisals of how to live with MS & do what you can to listen & support him in whatever current approach works for him. It is exhausting enough to deal with this wretched disease every day, without having to feel it necessary to defend your current approach to family & friends. He will find links to many sources of support online if he wishes, for example http://www.mssociety.org.uk/ For what it is worth, I continue to work in radiology, since my diagnosis (6yrs) & in close conjunction with one of our radiologists - diagnosed almost 20 yrs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicki9 Posted January 24, 2008 Author Share Posted January 24, 2008 Thank you everyone for your kind words. The boy at school is in an induced coma still and staff were told this morning that the next 48 hours are critical, I'll keep praying. I was horrified to learn that some parents had phoned the poor boys parents at hospital to find out if he was in their children's classes. I can understand their concern, but surely they realised the boys parents would not appreciate calls like that at hospital. I will keep those help line numbers handy and e-mail them to my colleagues at work. It seems that yesterday everything seemed to cave in at once, sometimes days are just like that. My little girls chicken pox is beginning to scab over and though itchy she has eaten more today. At least it is out of the way whilst she is young. My brother is coming to terms with the MS, thank you for the advise xraylady, I have ordered some pamphlets from the MS society for my parents to read. I feel a lot more positive today that things will improve for everyone, and at least I know I have done all I can. Once again thank you for your support and sympathy, it really has helped me to feel stronger today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jules. Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 About your little one's chicken pox- have you tried running a bath in which you infuse wheatgerm contained in a old pair of tights? It turns the water green but is lovely & soothing on the skin I usd this with both of mine, & the water can help calm them as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helly Welly Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 Definately get in touch with the MS society. My MIL volunteers for them and they work tirelessly to help sufferes and their families. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicki9 Posted January 25, 2008 Author Share Posted January 25, 2008 I will try the bath idea today, as the spots are becoming v itchy. Thank you Jules. I have passed on the ms society details to my mum and she seems calmer now she's read the info. I think it is the not understanding that if the worst. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
