Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: FRAGILE (02/23/17)
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TITLE: Gently | Previous Challenge Entry
By Allison Egley
03/01/17 -
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Our young son, Kyle, had tripped down a small step, cried out in pain, and refused to put weight on his leg. My husband, Brandon, and I decided it might be best to take him to the ER. We called the next-door neighbor to watch our other kids.
Once at the ER, they asked questions about what had happened.
“He was walking and he tripped, and then he refused to put weight on his leg. We thought we should get it checked out, just in case.”
They took Kyle back for x-rays, and soon the doctor returned.
“It seems that Kyle has a broken leg. It also appears that there are other, older fractures, too. How did you say this happened, again?”
Older fractures? How could we not have known? There had been times Kyle had cried out in pain, but we assumed... I repeated the story, my husband holding my hand.
“I’ll make note of that,” the doctor replied. “We’ll be back shortly.”
“We’ll?” He and who else? I assumed he meant the rest of the medical team, but I was mistaken.
“Mrs. Greer? Could you please come with me?” a woman asked. I got up, and my husband followed. “Mr. Greer, if you could please stay out here. Someone will be here to talk to you in a few minutes.”
I glanced back at Brandon, fear in my eyes. What was happening?
I was escorted to a room with a couple of chairs and a table.
“I’m Ms. Cline with Child Protective Services.”
Child Protective Services? What? I was so confused.
“We have reason to believe Kyle has been abused. Dr. Pratt says that he found evidence of multiple fractures on your son’s x-ray. Do you have any explanation for this?”
“What? No. I mean... I don’t understand. He was just walking and tripped, and…”
We aren’t necessarily suspecting you Mrs. Greer. Has your husband ever been alone with Kyle?”
“Yes. I mean, he’s my husband. He’s Kyle’s Dad. Of course he’s had time alone with him.”
“And have you ever noticed your son, or any other children, crying after being with him?”
“No. I mean…”
The rest of the interview went by in a blur. I can’t even tell you what I said. All I knew was that Kyle wasn’t going home with us. CPS had to finish their “investigation” first. “Interrogation” seemed like the better word to me.
I walked out and glanced at my husband. From the looks of it, his interview went about as well as mine. Silently we walked to the car. He slipped his hand in mine and gave it a reassuring squeeze.
A few days later, CPS came to the house to investigate and to question our other children. When they told us they found no evidence of abuse or neglect in our other children, I thought this was all over. But it wasn’t.
“You see, Mrs. Greer, sometimes parents will choose one child to bear the brunt of their frustration.”
I hated myself for the next few days. Was I too hard on the kids? What about Brandon? Sometimes his temper got the better of him. Could it cause him to... No. I must stop thinking like this. It caused a rift in our marriage. Even though we trusted each other, it was as though there was one area of mistrust we had with each other. What if something had happened while one of us had been alone with the children?
After a while, we finally got an answer. Kyle was having similar problems in his temporary placements. We finally had a name for what was going on.
Osteogenesis Imperfecta, or OI, also known as “brittle bone disease.” Not child abuse. The weight taken off our shoulders was palpable, but it was only replaced by a new weight, one that would not be so easily relieved. We learned a new way of life with Kyle: ways to prevent fractures, and good exercise and physical therapy programs; ways to relieve pain when he gets the nearly inevitable fractures; and ways to prevent abuse allegations in the future.
I gave Kyle a big hug when I first saw him again. A gentle one. We’ll get through this, Kyle. And Mom, Dad, and God will be with you every step of the way.
***************
While this story is fictional, it is based on fact. Osteogenesis Imperfecta is often not caught until a child is taken to the ER for an injury, and parents are sometimes accused of child abuse due to x-ray findings.
http://www.oif.org/site/PageServer?pagename=fastfacts
http://www.oif.org/site/DocServer/_Child_Abuse__Child_Abuse_or_Ostegenesis_Imperfecta.pdf?docID=7189
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