Need advice on this "itchy" situation...

[twintotwin]

Dear Friends,
OK, this story is so unbelieveably long and drawn out that encircles the whole scabies scare. So I will try to keep from drudging as best I can. Please forgive me in advance.

As you all know, we had a scabies
scare in my home this weekend.
One of our nurses was tested positive.
My family, the teachers, therapists and
other nurses apparently are not showing
symptoms.

Agency "A" where scabie nurse comes from
(hate to call her that, she's a great gal).
Well "A" tells me Sunday night they want everyone
who's been exposed to scabies nurse to get treated.

I call the pedi and our GP doc.
Both docs call in a cream without seeing us.
They say it's their policy to treat anyone who's
been exposed. Ok, great, no trip to the doc for
this reason.

I call agency "A" and inform them of what the
result of my calls to the docs were. Told them the pharmacy just dropped off our meds and we're starting it right away.
(1pm monday)

I ask "A"'s director what is the plan
for the nurses. They tell me they don't
have any answer yet. She said she'll
"call me back in a few". She calls at 4:20pm
to tell me I need to have my doc office fax her over "documentation" that we were being treated.
That I did. Still no answer on whether or not
I have a nursing or not.
Then she (evil director) calls at 5:20 to tell me
the doctor put in his notes that we were "seen" in
his office and therefore treated with the cream.
And she "knows that's not the truth" since
I told her earlier about the office policy and
how we were just being treated.
Then she proceeds to tell me that we all have
to be SEEN by our doc to get "clearance".....
I freaked out on her at this point because
here it was 5:30pm! And I was calling her all day
trying to get an answer.
Then she springs this crap on me after
my docs office is closed???
AND I haven't had a
nurse in 3 days
so my husband and I are
complete zombies
as we spend every second
washing our laundry in hot water and
cleaning & soaking every toy???
Plus taking care of our children, feeding
and bathing them???? Uh, being parents
to 3 toddlers, 2 of them
w/severe special needs?

Is she hitting the crack or what??
So I scream into the phone something
about how
"we are NOT going to the doctor, that the
treatment alone is ACCEPTABLE, that how
she WILL be sending a night nurse in so we
can get some sleep after cleaning up after
the mess their nurse made with this scabies
ordeal (bless my nurse's heart).

So I get a night nurse after telling the director
she is extremely annoying and I never want
her to call my house ever again. (whew)

Ok...you think that's it?

Well the scabie nurse is out for a week. She does 40+ hours here and she does everything.
We will be missing her MUCH.

So now for the 5th day in a row we have no nurse.

Question: Why does scabie nurse have to be out for an entire week? The treatment takes 12 hours and the bugs are dead within 24 hours.

I am wondering if Agency A's evil director is busting my chops...because if so, I can do a much better job at the busting of the chops. (as you all know).

Anyway, Thursday is the bronc and I just don't need anymore stress than this ordeal has given me. It's very bad. My heart feels like it's going to jump out of my chest.

OH! forgot this one....since the agencies
nurses and my family were treated phrophylactically...
I get a call from the school district tonight, telling
me that they won't be treating their teachers and
therapists before they come back into my home.
They feel it is unneccessary since they have no symptoms.


Now we just spent 3 days scrubbing, washing, boiling,
and bleaching everything and anything...
plus smothered our bodies with total poison for 12 hours...including my 11 month-old baby...
so they can just waltz right in here and
continue with my kids like nothing has
even happened?? That's it???

Now if one of these therapists is just in her
"incubation" period and she has no symptoms,
but 2 weeks from now does see symptoms....
then it everything I've written up above ....all over again.

Please educated scabies people please help me on this one.


I just don't know how much more of this
I can handle in my life without
going postal. Thanks.

Love kerry

[sandra]

Unbelievable. I wonder if the nurses are scared they will get it again. I really don't see a reason for those nurses to be out once everyone has been treated.

I don't know what you can do about the therapists except refuse therapy until the incubation period is over. I think that is what I would do about that. There is no way I would want to go through all that treatment, laundry, etc again.

If the director is doing this she is the one losing money for the agency. Is there someone above her that you can call? I know ours is a private agency and I've never spoken to the owner, but I'm sure if I raised enough I could.

[Livi's_mama]

Oh my goodness honey! You have been thru the ringer a few times this week haven't you?

I am so sorry!

In the best interest of your family, I would not let the teachers or therapists around anyone, until you are 110% positive that they do not have scabies! You don't need to go thru all that again.

Now you say Agency A...do you have another agency you can use? If so, I'd be switching immediately and then would have your scabies nurse transfer once she's in the clear (since you seem to like her)

I am having issues with my agency now and it's only been 2 wks. They call say they'll call back within in hr, then it's the next day.....

I don't want 500 nurses, I want 2-3. I am big on consistancy. They're having trouble finding nurses who'll do more than 1-6 hr shift per week. All I want is maybe 2/3-6 hr shifts. I have my saturday nurse and I love her.

If Olivia is still on the vent once school starts in July for Nate, I'll need nursing from 7-3 everyday, so I can take him to school and pick him up. I am so praying she's off the vent by then for atleast 1/2 days, so I can just go and leave the nursing behind.

[kimh]

kerry, it sounds like you need a large glass of wine and a few nights sleep! I agree with the others , no one in the house who has been exposed but not treated until the incubation period is over.
As for your nursing company if you don't already have another one I would be looking for one! Maybe your favorite nurse would be willing to change agencies when you find one. I HATE people who give me the run around. And I do not tolerate it.
Good Luck and I hope the kids fly through their scope this week!! I will be keeping my fingers crossed for you.

[Ann]

Kerry Ditto on not letting any therapists or teachers into the house until the incubation period is over. It's just not worth it. I am so sorry you've been without nursing for so long. I don't understand people who just don't care. It's my belief that "what goes around, comes around" ... so, hopefully the non-compassionate director will get her due. Doesn't help you any, I know. It seems a lot of us are running on no sleep lately and it is the most painful feeling.

Hang in there and good luck tomorrow.

[Kate]

Kerry-
I agree with the others about the therapists. I just can't believe that they themselves wouldn't want to be treated...I guess I would just to be on the safe side-whether the school paid for it or not. I'd be calling my GP. That's just odd...

The nursing agency. It sounds to me that the nurse that is calling in because she has to shower. Is obviously just using the situation to get a few days off. Did you tell that nurse you've been loobing up the whole house and your hands are fine>

I don't know what to tell you--maybe you just need to continue to bust some chops at the nursing agency- Your right, you don't need this stress. Your life is stressful enough just day to day without any scabies problems and nursing problems.

I wish you , wish there was something we could do to help.

[nicksmom]

Kerry
I've called your house several times since we got home, I did not realize things had gotten this out of control. Call me when you get a chance and I will take Maise for the day or come over so you and Matt can get some sleep.

I warned you about that WHACKO nurse and that horrible agency!! You let me know when and I'll go down there and give them a dose of Kerry/Carrie x2

Call me!!!

[twintotwin]

Thanks guys for reading the world's longest story ever told.

But I think I labeled it Agency A because I have a "B" as well. But "A" is really a good agency as long as I am not dealing with some kind of crisis. 99% of my nurses come from there and they're all very good, normally reliable nurses who been here for almost 1.5 years.
It's just everyone is either taking advantage of the situation for a little vacation or is being overly dramatic.

The other agency just had the one nurse do the treatment and would have sent him back but he's not here until next week anyway.

UGH

[Melisande]

Girl, what a story! Good God! I agree with everyone else. Don't let anyone in your house who hasn't been treated. You would think they would want to be, but that's just me, I guess!

Maybe it's so common, they aren't phased by it? (that's kind of scary too. We'll hope not.)

Yeah, I think this director is bustin' your chops. I'd call the owner, if you can. That's a bunch of crap.



Well, tomorrow will be a better day!!

[sassyangel4u2nv]

Kerrie,
I am soooo sorry about what you are going through. I have had some problems from my nursing agency where I am wanting to get a new agency. I believe you should let "hand hurting nurse", I would have told her let her hand keep hurting and not come back. What a poor excuse not to come to work. Then the director. HOLY I am learning not to let them walk over me. So the reason this all started is because of one of their nurses?? OMG I would be telling them to get the staffing there to take of you and your family. I feel your pain and understand the situation. I would not let anyone in your home who has not been treated.. Why would you want to risk again for something like this to happen?? No way in my book. GOOD I hope you get a spa treatment for this.