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The Middle School

My daughter, Anna, was born with a vascular malformation. It did not become apparent until 6 years ago that she had a problem. We made many visits to a podiatrist, thinking that she had a torn tendon.

After repeated taping of her foot, medication, crutches, ice, and castings, it was clear that these were not working. MRI's showed that the problem was more than a tendon. It was what the doctors thought to be an intramuscular hemangioma. We were sent to Pittsburgh to a vascular specialist, but he would not treat my daughter when he saw her problem. We traveled to New York City for an embolization (injections) of her foot. It was not successful. At that time, there was not much known about how to successfully treat these growths. We decided to wait & pray that we would find hope.

At that time, Anna's foot condition was off and on. She would go weeks without crutches. Then there were times that she would be on crutches one day, off the next. It would depend how her foot felt or if it was swollen. It is all throughout the muscle in her foot. Something as simple as stepping on it the wrong way, standing up, anything would rip the muscle in her foot. Sometimes students would feel that my daughter was faking. I assure you all, she was not. Many visits & calls were made to the doctor's office. Many excuses were written. We also had gym excuses. At that time, Anna was in the middle school. Two different years, two different teachers, Anna was given a problem about gym.

The one year, Anna's gym teacher, forced her to walk on the track, even after being told by Anna that she couldn't. The teacher had the excuse from the beginning of the year. I visited the school, and spoke to the teacher. She informed me that she had a problem with anyone in her class who did not participate in gym class. My daughter had a gym excuse--a legal excuse that was to protect her.

The second year, a different teacher, Anna's gym teacher told her that she would participate in gym, knowing that she had the excuse, or he would bodily force her to go behind the bleachers to lift weights. I again visited the school.

I was inexperienced & was shocked to find that a school would go against doctor's excuses.
Anna was taken out of her gym class, with the promise of a lawsuit if it happened again.
I was also inexperienced to learn that a "lawsuit" means nothing with the school. (my opinion of course)

The principal of the middle school told me to write on Anna's health record when she started in the high school of her problem. He assured me that it would help with future problems. In all honesty, I did get results from the principal (Mr. Davis) in the middle school & I thank
him for that.

Comment: I cannot begin to tell you how many times at the middle school that Anna would call home, as the school did allow it. I was never told about policies and procedures.
They allowed her to call me, I would get her, as I would take Anna home, have her lay down, put ice on her foot, and let her Advil work.

The problems that we experienced in the middle school resulted in Anna being removed from her gym classes. Otherwise, my daughter would have to get dressed for gym, although she was not taking gym, and would be expected to sit & watch the other students do things she could not.
I felt that rather than have Anna sit and watch, why couldn't she be in the library doing other homework, or in an art class--where she is strong.

So, Anna was put in the library. This treatment that my daughter got in the middle school was very good compared to what the high school offered.....

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Last modified: August 31, 1999 02:18:24 AM

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