Being a cleft child is not easy - A new hill to climb

Unexpectedly lost our little Maltese today.  I rushed Precious to the emergency hospital, promised them anything and asked them to save our little one.  They tried, they really did.  I cried, comforted my mom and then took Alex to his speech therapy session.  Alex figured it out later but did not pepper me with questions because I was so generally teary.  What a little sweetie.  I fed my kids, watched a rerun of Sister Wives (being from the valley I kind of get their sense of family), and then all of us sat on the big couch and watched America's Next Top Model.  My kids got bored and played their leapsters - they just wanted to be close because they sensed I was sad.  Kids learn so many things from us.  Today they got a lesson in grief and how to be kind even when your heart is breaking. 

That is not the hill.  That is normal life and knowing wonderful beings either of the two-legged and/or four-legged variety that bring love into your life means that there will be a loss.  It does not lessen the joy that being brought to your every day.  And as they say, all dogs go to heaven.  I wish people like us had it so easy.

  In midst of everything, it became clear that Alex is yet facing more abuse at school.  Yesterday, a boy picked a fight with him, and after he became agitated, he was held by a teacher and this kid started punching him again.  IN THE FACE. 

IN THE FACE.  The teacher told me the kid was suspended and they were taking steps to deal with the issue.  Then today, I go to pick up Alex and he is being weird, not wanting to come near where the teachers are.  I didn't think much of it (after a long day at the dog emergency place) but then I see their daily report of his behavior.  Before I can even say anything  (got the call about the dog and put Alex into speech therapy so I wasn't really caring about the often vague report) Alex tells me the kid that beat him up yesterday was back in school today and punched him in the eye first thing this morning. 

omg.  I was there at the school and nobody told me.  All they said was "they had a day."  No wonder they didn't engage.  No wonder they threw Alex's backpack onto the porch while I was getting him off the top of the swing set.  No wonder they had shut the door to the trailer. 

I was a bit slow earlier.  It has been a hard day for me. 

But Alex identified the hill we need to take.  (Forgive me, my step-dad was a Marine and I was an officer in the Air Force so the military terms make some sense to me).  The hill I refer to is getting the school,or another, to be a safe place for Alex. 

A cleft kid should not have to be hit in the face everyday at school.  Given how horribly Alex was abused in Russia for being cleft, I feel doubly horrified.  And angry.  And enraged. 

How dare these people.  They refuse to listen to even the most basic information but they then turn around and allow Alex to experience what he did in Russia. 

Wow.  I thought my day was bad when I panicked and rushed my dog Precious to emergency.  I cannot believe I learned that I have basically allowed Alex to be targeted daily for being cleft. 

How do people protect their disabled children?  When I came home and engaged all the specialists, I thought my child would be safe.  I was wrong.