Jonathan's Story
Viewing comments for Chapter 19 "The Accident"Our fostering journey with a severely disabled boy
26 total reviews
Comment from Paul McFarland
What a terrible experience for Jonathan and you, Wendy. It is difficult to do, but you were right in not pressing things too far. I'm sure that Jonathan would have suffered if you had.
reply by the author on 06-Mar-2024
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What a terrible experience for Jonathan and you, Wendy. It is difficult to do, but you were right in not pressing things too far. I'm sure that Jonathan would have suffered if you had.
Comment Written 05-Mar-2024
reply by the author on 06-Mar-2024
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Yes, you are right. Not much would have been gained by suing. Money means nothing to Jonathan. Thank you so much for reading and reviewing. I appreciate it very much.
Wendy
Comment from jmdg1954
Wendy, I'm a grown man, 69 years old and I'm in tears for this young man. He is living the only life style he has ever known and then to be subjected to this pain and ridicule by the care worker and the Head of Whatever she was in charge of, her job status should have been questioned. But for Jonathan's well being and future, your hands were tied not to stir the waters.
My bloods boiling right now. We have the same negligence in health care over here as well. To most employees, its only a job and they do the minimum required because the pay stinks!
If I can ask, just so I have a perspective, what year was this?
You certainly are Jonathon's angel!
John
reply by the author on 05-Mar-2024
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Wendy, I'm a grown man, 69 years old and I'm in tears for this young man. He is living the only life style he has ever known and then to be subjected to this pain and ridicule by the care worker and the Head of Whatever she was in charge of, her job status should have been questioned. But for Jonathan's well being and future, your hands were tied not to stir the waters.
My bloods boiling right now. We have the same negligence in health care over here as well. To most employees, its only a job and they do the minimum required because the pay stinks!
If I can ask, just so I have a perspective, what year was this?
You certainly are Jonathon's angel!
John
Comment Written 05-Mar-2024
reply by the author on 05-Mar-2024
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Hi John, thank you so much for your compassion and deep care. Thank you too for the six stars, a validation of my writing, and an encouragement to keep going. This story is the reason why I haven?t been posting photos of him. It?s hard to get a nice photo of him with no front teeth. It still brings tears when I think of what he went through, and I am constantly reminded. The year of his accident was 2008.
Writing her thesis was the priority for this woman, head of health care, and she was not a nice person.
Thank you again for your interest and care.
Wendy
Comment from GWHARGIS
I think the head woman in charge should be tarred and feathered, dropped on her face and then you and Sheryl can diagnose her over the phone. How uncaring, unscrupulous and inhumane. This is terrible. I'm sure it was hard to write, because it was hard to read. Keep going if you can. Out of sixes but of I had one, it'd be yours. Gretchen
reply by the author on 05-Mar-2024
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I think the head woman in charge should be tarred and feathered, dropped on her face and then you and Sheryl can diagnose her over the phone. How uncaring, unscrupulous and inhumane. This is terrible. I'm sure it was hard to write, because it was hard to read. Keep going if you can. Out of sixes but of I had one, it'd be yours. Gretchen
Comment Written 05-Mar-2024
reply by the author on 05-Mar-2024
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Thank you Gretchen. It was very hard to write, yes. I value your reading and reviewing because you show such great support and encouragement. And thank you for thinking it was six worthy. That?s so lovely too!
Wendy
Comment from Tom Horonzy
Poor Jonathon. What a terrible plight to fight each day with so little mobility and not a voice that can be discerned. How bad is social medicine Down Under? Dang, and here you were in the middle when your duty were greatly reduced. Tough road.
reply by the author on 05-Mar-2024
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Poor Jonathon. What a terrible plight to fight each day with so little mobility and not a voice that can be discerned. How bad is social medicine Down Under? Dang, and here you were in the middle when your duty were greatly reduced. Tough road.
Comment Written 05-Mar-2024
reply by the author on 05-Mar-2024
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Thank you very much Tom. We actually have an excellent public health care system, free as well. One can choose to get private health insurance also. The fault here lay with the disability service, a private company, covering up the seriousness of the accident, and not asking for the medical help he should have received.
I appreciate your reading and reviewing.
Wendy
Comment from Dolly'sPoems
This is unbelievable Wendy, poor Jonothan has gone from being cared for with you for years, to being neglected in this institution where they don't care about him. How very sad and also annoying Wendy. I would be hopping mad just like you at this awful incident where Jonathan suffered and continued to suffer as they dragged their feet when getting him proper medical attention. Who are these people? I can't believe this happened in Australia Wendy. Did he have implants in the end? Is he okay now Wendy? How very shocking this post is, thank you for sharing the details with us, love Dolly x
reply by the author on 05-Mar-2024
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This is unbelievable Wendy, poor Jonothan has gone from being cared for with you for years, to being neglected in this institution where they don't care about him. How very sad and also annoying Wendy. I would be hopping mad just like you at this awful incident where Jonathan suffered and continued to suffer as they dragged their feet when getting him proper medical attention. Who are these people? I can't believe this happened in Australia Wendy. Did he have implants in the end? Is he okay now Wendy? How very shocking this post is, thank you for sharing the details with us, love Dolly x
Comment Written 05-Mar-2024
reply by the author on 05-Mar-2024
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It was a horrible time and the covering up of information was shocking. No, he could never have implants because there was insufficient bone density to hold. He is okay, at present. Thank you.
Thank you for your very caring review, Dolly. I appreciate it a great deal.
Wendy
Comment from Rachelle Allen
Oh, my freaking gawd, Wendy!! How horrendous for you and Jonathan and Sheryl to accept such substandard treatment on SOOO many levels. Such deceit and neglect! I am SO sorry this was something any of you had to endure. Oy!
It's hard to call this a "good" chapter, but it is extremely well-done, considering the alarming nature of its content. I repeat: OY!
xoxox
reply by the author on 05-Mar-2024
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Oh, my freaking gawd, Wendy!! How horrendous for you and Jonathan and Sheryl to accept such substandard treatment on SOOO many levels. Such deceit and neglect! I am SO sorry this was something any of you had to endure. Oy!
It's hard to call this a "good" chapter, but it is extremely well-done, considering the alarming nature of its content. I repeat: OY!
xoxox
Comment Written 05-Mar-2024
reply by the author on 05-Mar-2024
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Thank you so much, Rachelle! I knew you would be outraged by this chapter ... It was horrendous at the time, and to think of the pain of trying to manage eating when he had a fractured jaw! It was quite unbelievable that it was information they knew at some point but never divulged. Thank you so very much for your support and for your compassion and care. Thank you too for the six stars. I'm incredibly grateful.
Wendy
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My pleasure.
Comment from kahpot
That is just downright ignorant and arrogant, how can these people be in charge, do they not care, a child is a child and any accident? should be treated as such-with urgency, I have had several broken jaws, and was eating threw straws for weeks, (not normal) a very emotional read, very well written****kahpot
reply by the author on 05-Mar-2024
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That is just downright ignorant and arrogant, how can these people be in charge, do they not care, a child is a child and any accident? should be treated as such-with urgency, I have had several broken jaws, and was eating threw straws for weeks, (not normal) a very emotional read, very well written****kahpot
Comment Written 04-Mar-2024
reply by the author on 05-Mar-2024
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Thank you Kahpot. Yes, it must have been so painful trying to eat "normally" when no one was even told his jaw was fractured, and the ones in charge kept it quiet and to themselves. Many thanks for your understanding and kind review. Appreciated a lot.
Wendy
Comment from Wayne Fowler
I want to choke somebody (s)!
This is totally unacceptable. Had it been the CEO's child...
Or a government official's child...
I wonder if a cash settlement might have been enough to hire private care?
reply by the author on 05-Mar-2024
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I want to choke somebody (s)!
This is totally unacceptable. Had it been the CEO's child...
Or a government official's child...
I wonder if a cash settlement might have been enough to hire private care?
Comment Written 04-Mar-2024
reply by the author on 05-Mar-2024
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Who knows? The thing is he needed three shifts of people to cover around the clock care, and would have had to employ others for weekend work. Such companies often have lawyers who can squirm their way out of anything, and even if he won, he still wouldn't have his two front teeth. Thank you for reading and reviewing this shocking story. I appreciate your support very much. Thank you too for the gift of six stars. I am so grateful, because that means a lot to me.
Wendy
Wendy
Comment from Debbie D'Arcy
Firstly, Wendy, I'm so sorry I screwed up on your rating yesterday. Just as I was saving it, I noticed that I'd entered 5 in error and of course there's no coming back. And now I've run out of the paltry supply because, if this doesn't wind me up - your experience - nothing will. The anger and frustration in your powerful write are palpable. And I find myself willing you on to make your valid points. It's the total lack of respect, care and honesty that's all so infuriating and I'm not surprised that you were exhausted by the end of this chapter. And then the prospect, after painful surgery, that he wouldn't be able to have implants and that, in turn, would inevitably exacerbate his eating issues. All this through institutional neglect to which no one would own up! A nightmare for you and Sheryl! Thanks for sharing this shocking account that needs to be told. Take care Debbie
reply by the author on 05-Mar-2024
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Firstly, Wendy, I'm so sorry I screwed up on your rating yesterday. Just as I was saving it, I noticed that I'd entered 5 in error and of course there's no coming back. And now I've run out of the paltry supply because, if this doesn't wind me up - your experience - nothing will. The anger and frustration in your powerful write are palpable. And I find myself willing you on to make your valid points. It's the total lack of respect, care and honesty that's all so infuriating and I'm not surprised that you were exhausted by the end of this chapter. And then the prospect, after painful surgery, that he wouldn't be able to have implants and that, in turn, would inevitably exacerbate his eating issues. All this through institutional neglect to which no one would own up! A nightmare for you and Sheryl! Thanks for sharing this shocking account that needs to be told. Take care Debbie
Comment Written 04-Mar-2024
reply by the author on 05-Mar-2024
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Thank you Debbie for your kindness. Don't worry about the six - just knowing you found it worthy is a source of great encouragement. There are too few offered to us to share.
No one ever owned up, to this day we don't know who was on duty that night, and the cover-up went right to the top with the CEO. It shouldn't have been too hard to at least apologise. Yes, it made everything worse including his eating. Other people with a broken jaw have to use a straw for weeks because of the pain - he'd just had to manage. It was an incredibly difficult time for us. Thank you for your very caring and compassionate review, and for your support.
Wendy
Comment from Jesse James Doty
I am as shocked as you were the day after this happened. A fractured mandible is indeed a broken jaw and it should never have happened no way possible for him to move so fast, I believe you and I do not believe that care worker who claimed he fell in a matter of a few seconds. I am so sorry you have to leave him there in that care home! I wish there were more choices for him to receive the quality of life he deserves.
Jesse
reply by the author on 05-Mar-2024
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I am as shocked as you were the day after this happened. A fractured mandible is indeed a broken jaw and it should never have happened no way possible for him to move so fast, I believe you and I do not believe that care worker who claimed he fell in a matter of a few seconds. I am so sorry you have to leave him there in that care home! I wish there were more choices for him to receive the quality of life he deserves.
Jesse
Comment Written 04-Mar-2024
reply by the author on 05-Mar-2024
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Yes, me too, I wished there was somewhere else he could go, but there wasn't. Thank you so much for understanding, and for this very caring and supportive review of this hard and shocking story.
Wendy
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You did your best, Wendy. Knowing that should help you empower yourself for the next journey. I admire your tenacity.
Jesse