Want To Be A Big Sister

Two years ago I applied to be a Big Sister in the Big Brother/Big Sister program. You can see the beginning of my journey here


During my interview two years ago, I had asked him to be honest with me if he thought I would be matched. He assured me that I would but it could take a while because of the number of girls in the program is less than the boys and he didn't see my disability a problem.

Realistically, I knew my disability was going to make it harder to find me a Little. People can tell me anything they want but I know how people can be reserved, As a nurse I had to work harder to prove to patients and employees that I am capable of most things anyone else can do. And I can always improvise to do something that is more difficult for me to do.

After a couple of months, they had found a Little for me but before we met, she got sick and was postponed. I called a week later and they said they were going to look for another one for me.

I had not heard from them since.

Last week, I emailed the case worker regarding my change of address and phone number and requesting the status of me being a Big. I reminded him who I was.

He responded that he remembers me vividly.and thought I had alot to offer a child. He admitted that my disability was an added challenge but the main problem is that there are not as many as girls. He informed that he was going to have a meeting with his staff the following week and see if they can pull all their resources to find me a child.

The following week, as promised he wrote to be again:

I will place a request in to the school counselors to identify a girl 6-9 who faces some of the obstacles that you have conquered in your life. I am touched by your tenacity to become a mentor and will do my best to assist. We will aim to have a kid around August or September as our cut-off for making school-based matches is March. (school matches do not meet in the summer and we want matches to get a significant amount of time together before school ends)This is good as it gives my caseworkers time to search through the schools we serve.Please contact me in late August and I will hopefully have someone identified. I am again sorry about the wait and hope the little we find will make up for the time invested.

So please pray that God sends me a Little that needs someone like me as a mentor. I want to make a difference in a child's life.

Random

ME VS INSURANCE UPDATE

I am still working on my appeal to my insurance company. It takes a while to  research the drugs. I'm searching for the letter of approval for Provigil years back but I don't know if I'll luck out on that. Yesterday, I received my prescription for Adderall. Funny thing is he made the prescription for only a month.

Concerning my weight loss and illness in the last couple of weeks, I am feeling better. I am very impatient with myself healing. I think the Periactin is making me a little sleepy but my tummy is better. Eating like a little pig. I am continuing my ENSURE. It is not bad like I remembered it when I gave it to my patients when I worked a Nursing home 20+ years ago. Maybe the chocolate does the trick? I almost think its addictive because certain parts of the day its like I need it. It is loaded with vitamins. I found a 16ct for 17.79 at Wallyworld online. Cheapest I've seen thus far!

RELIGION

My mom just called me. She is a devout Catholic and I was raised as such. However, in the past few years I have not  been as active due to my disagreements with their "laws". I do pray every night and read my bible. Anyway, she asked me if I was interested in going to an Anointing for the Sick tomorrow. She informed me its a 1-1/2 hour ceremony. I have nothing else to do and I figured it would a) Give my mom some kind of relief and make her happy b) It couldn't hurt and c) A brief unrealistic thought of hey, maybe a miracle could happen and I could be healed of all my medical woes. HA!

MY BABYGIRL

I have seen MyBabyGirl more in the past couple of weeks than I have in 6 months. She has finished her first year of college maintaining a very good GPA 3.6 or something close to that. She is just awesome and I am so proud of her. Since the semester ended she has been sorta lost. She does not know how to relax. I am so proud of her and I love her more than she will ever know.

DREAMS

I haven't posted any of my dreams lately. I've started some so I could remember, hopefully. I have about 3 in draft. Maybe I'll get to it one day. Last night I had a dream that My BABYGIRL and I went see Andrew and his mother Brit was there along with two young ladies I don't know. Anyway I was holding Andrew and Brit told me they were selling Girl Scout Cookies and they only had 10 bags left and the price would be 19.95. So I dug in my pocket and handed Brit $20. She argued with me that I didn't have to. But I told her MyLove loved cookies for a small desert after every meal. Here's a picture of our little man.

Is he cool or what? LOL

BIG AND LITTLE

If you are following my blog, you will know I signed up to be a BIG for a child in the Big Brother/Big Sisters a few months ago. Well I know they are looking at my references on my application. MyLove got his and my BFF said that she received a phone call, called back but they haven't connected as of yet. I can't remember who else I put on my application as a reference. I guess its a sign of aging. "SIGH"

TODAY'S OUTING

My cousin, Kathy and I are having lunch. We had started a few months back but all hell broke loose with me so we are trying to get back in swing with things. I still say God made us connect for a special reason. She has become not only a wonderful cousin but also a wonderful friend.

CONCLUSION

Thank you to my Blogger 8 followers and all you lurkers out there. I follow more than being followed here but it's all good. Thanks to all my Word press, FB and LJ friends as well as those who get emails who will comment and read or just read. I see bloggers striving for more readers or giving out 'awards". Although I would like more followers  I won't fret over it. I guess I am not a faithful blogger as some are or  my blogging is not as interesting but what the hell. I started this as sorta journal. I think it is so much fun watching the reactions to those who do get and give out awards. There are a lot of interesting blogs out there.

HUGS AND LOVE TO ALL

Big Brother/Big Sisters-edited

I'm editing this post because I found errors LOL.

I stay home alot since well...I can't work in my chosen profession..so doctor  permanently disabled me. I have a significant other but he works and lately its been late. My daughter is on her own so I am here alone alot of the time. The walls of this apartment sometimes begin to close in and I need to get out.

So I started thinking what can I do that costs no or little moulah that can feed my nurturing craving. I sit here and think of the years I worked and how I loved the patients. I was a geriatric nurse. The elderly are so cute. I always said they were old bodies with young minds.

I searched online and in the newspaper with MyLove's blessing. I came up with Big Brother/Big Sisters program. I read alot on the site but was concerned about them accepting me as a volunteer due to my disability. So I wrote to them and the responder told me they took anyone who had a good heart and willing to commit. He listed orientation dates.

I asked my daughter before I went how she felt about me being a "BIG". She said she thought it was okay.

Although she moved with her daddy before she went on her own a couple of years ago, I've been having this nurturing need of late. I just miss her and the things we used to do.I definitely am not trying to replace her being a BIG. Those who know here knows no one can ever replace my baby girl.


Thursday night I went to orientation. A case worker just went over a packet which most of it was what I read online. It's a justifiable long process to become a "BIG". My next step is wait for them to call me for an interview. They do a criminal background check and absolutely check  references.

I am ready to make a difference in a little child's life. The case worker said most come from low income homes and abused. My goal is to be a friend to the child and make a difference in their life.

Let me explain the program is.

There are two ways to meet my Little. The Community Based and the Site Based.

The Site Based is a commitment for a school year. You meet your Little at the school during a non core subject and spend 45 min every week with your Little. We can talk, play games, read a book etc.

The Community Based is a commitment for one year with minimum of twice a month for at least an hour meeting your Little.

I think I may start at the Site Based and go from there. Site based can be converted to Community Based.

What's good is you can be a friend to a child in need. We are close contact with the case worker, child and parent.

The case worker also went through statistics of child abuse. I knew it was bad but it is scary.

It is estimated that 1 in 3 girls and 1 in six boys will be sexually assaulted before the age 18. That is so sad. I figured it this way. My child has two best friends, one out of those 3 girls could be sexually assaulted.

Abuse is done through manipulation, deception and bribery. It leaves the child feeling its her fault. How I know this so well especially manipulation and bribery.  I shiver thinking my child and I suffered through it but I think we are stronger for it.

85% of abuse cases, females are victims. that leaves 15% males. Regardless, its a disgrace!

Children rarely lie about being abused.

This is quite interesting: Abusers are not mentally ill. Only 10% of abusers suffer from serious mental illness or psychosis. I always said they were sick or a screw loose. Evidently most are not. Makes me wanna cry.

Approximately 84% of the child sexual abuse in the US is perpetrated by an individual familiar to the victim. Less than 20% of the abuses are strangers. That is scary to know someone near you could abuse your child, isn't it?

Children sexually abused between 8 and 11 are the largest percentage. Innocent children!

30% of sexual abuse involves alcohol abuse.  That is no real surprise.

And last but not least: The individuals who have experienced abuse seldom tell of the abuse. That's really sad and upsetting.  I sure hope if my child was, she would come tell me.

They told you signs of abuse and what to do. Quite interesting.

I'm looking forward to get a Little although I may have to wait until the school year begins again in September. But that's okay.

Ahh this is a much better post than the previous one.