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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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