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There
are plenty of blessings to go around in the story of little Janay and
the
large, loving Carter family of Richmond. Janay had a bit of a rocky
start in
life. Not long after her birth she developed severe eczema and asthma.
But she
now is an active two-year-old, thanks mostly to two very dedicated
grandparents, the Rev. James and Doretha Carter, and the CHIP of
Greater
Richmond staff. “She’s on a lot of medications, but she’s a normal
two-year-old, into everything,” Janay’s grandfather said recently.
Concerned
about his granddaughter, Rev. Carter took her to a primary care doctor
not long
after she was born. She was immediately hospitalized, and the family
was
informed that Janay would require a lot of special care. It was during
November
1999, while Janay was in the hospital, that the Carters were referred
to and
enrolled in CHIP. Janay’s mother, Jamie, lives around the corner from
them.
Since their daughter was working and overwhelmed caring for Janay’s
three
siblings, James and Doretha stepped in to help. With CHIP’s support
they were
able to provide in their home the care that Janay needed. As Janay’s
health has
stabilized, their daughter Jamie has been able to share more of the
care for
her daughter.
CHIP
home visitor Barbara Baker recalled that early on "Janay had a real bad
case of asthma, and she had eczema on her arms, face and stomach. The
child was
miserable. She needed all these treatments at home and she had many,
many
doctors' appointments." Janay also was found to have a number of food
allergies,
including wheat, eggs, milk and peanuts. "These foods affected
both
the asthma and eczema," CHIP nurse Cathy Smith said, so they needed to
be
totally eliminated from the baby's diet. "It's been a complex case,"
she declared.
Genuine
teamwork is the best way to sum up how the Carters and the CHIP staff
have
worked together to help Janay. Cathy provided the Carters with help and
advice
regarding the specialized diet that Janay requires. She also provided
education
and advice on how to manage Janay’s asthma, how to recognize wheezing
and other
signs of childhood asthma, and what can trigger asthma attacks. “The
nurse was
there regularly, checking on the baby,” said Rev. Carter, adding,
“Anything
that was needed she would point out to me, and she would come back
later to be
sure everything was okay.“
One
of the family’s major issues was transportation to Janay’s many medical
appointments, which CHIP often provided. In addition, either Barbara or
Cathy
would go by the Carters’ home after Janay’s medical appointments to
follow-up.
Given the particularly complex and expensive requirements of caring for
Janay,
the staff helped the grandparents with budgeting and dealing with the
logistics
of daily living. CHIP also helped the family get allergy-proof covers
for
Janay’s mattress and pillow and an air-conditioner to improve the
indoor
environment during hot weather.
As
a result of this partnership, Janay’s health has improved
significantly. “You
can’t even hear Janay wheezing now,” said Barbara, appreciatively. “Her
lungs
are clear. Janay doesn’t go to the doctor every week like she used to.”
Cathy
concurred, “Janay has been stable for a while now. She does real
well.
She’s now able to spend more time with her mom, Jamie, and her brothers
and
sisters.”
The partnership remains an effective one. Rev. Carter recently praised
the CHIP
staff. “They operate from the heart,” he said. In turn, Barbara and
Cathy
commend the grandparents’ dedication and hard work and how the entire
family
has pulled together. “The Carters were very welcoming, very open to
advice and
help,” said Barbara. “They’ve really been hanging in there with Janay.”
Cathy
added, “They are a neat family, very loving and been hanging in there
with
Janay.” Cathy added, “They are a neat family, very loving and
supportive.”
It’s obvious that all who have been involved in this relationship have
grown
and benefited – most of all, two-year-old Janay.
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