Sonya and Michaela Starting Over

[Shy-Diapers]

Michaela frowned at the toilet. There was no way she’d be able to get onto the toilet independently. She was already embarrassed enough that she needed help with getting in and out of her chair, but she couldn’t even get to the toilet on her own. 

Wanting to be independent though, Michaela nodded and let Brenda help her up. She got her braces and crutches on and started trying to get turned around properly to the toilet. She couldn’t really bend down that easily with her crutches. Usually when getting on a chair she would slide on from the side, but she couldn’t do that with a toilet. It didn’t help that her feet would dangle also, since she was still kind of short. 

After trying for a while, Michaela let out a frustrated groan. “UGH!” She said, trying not to cry. “I can’t do it!” She said sadly. She wanted so badly to be independent, but without the proper design and equipment, she couldn’t be. 

[Ishigreensa]

Brenda watched her struggle for a minute or two so as to intrude on her, but when she finally admitted that she couldn't do it, then she finally approached her.

"Would you mind if I helped, honey?"

Brenda bent down to her and waited for a reply.

(Did she somehow already get undressed for the toilet?  Maybe while still in the chair, or does Brenda need to help her get her clothes down, too?)

[Shy-Diapers]

(She got undressed. I thought I mentioned that. It’s mainly leaning against the wall and using that hand to push down her pants and underwear.)

Michaela sighed and nodded. She was frustrated that she couldn’t do it by herself. 

“I can’t do anything by myself no more.” She said sadly, clearly very flustered and worked up. Things were not easy for her at the moment. 

[Ishigreensa]

Brenda frowned.

"What do you mean, no more?" she asked.  "Had you been able to do this by yourself before?"

She lifted the girl to the toilet and held her shoulders just in case so she wouldn't fall off of the toilet.  She wasn't sure how the girl balanced herself on the toilet at home if she had such a hard time with stuff, and her feet didn't reach the floor yet.

"It's okay.  You can ask the teacher to call for me any time you need to use the bathroom, and I'll try to get there as soon as I can so I can take you, okay?"

[Shy-Diapers]

“There’s no bars by the toilet and I’m all bent over cuz my crutches are too short.” Michaela said with a sigh. 

“I could go to the bathroom by myself almost every time before! We worked really hard on it in PT.” She said looking down. It was embarrassing having to use the bathroom in front of someone she didn’t know that well. “We worked on lots of stuff. But it’s hard now.”

[Ishigreensa]

Brenda nodded.

"I think we are going to be getting you settled back in what you need.  I know the principal was going to have a letter written up for you.  Do yo know what a CSE meeting is?  It's where professionals, maybe your mommy, and you come and talk about what you might need to make your school life easier to make sure you get the best education we can give you.  If PT is something you really need, then you can bring it up in the meeting, but after we get your records, it will probably alrready be addressed."

She smiled at the little girl.

"Are you finished, honey?"  She thought she heard the stream die down.

[Shy-Diapers]

Michaela nodded. “I remember them.” She said as she grabbed the toilet paper. She had no trouble balancing because her trunk muscles were fine. She wiped herself and tried to wiggle off, but didn’t want to land funny and hurt herself. 

“Yeah I’m done.” She said with a sigh. She wished she could be independent, but she would fake what she could get. She just hoped she didn’t regress in her progress before she could get better equipment and become better adjusted to her new situations. 

[Ishigreensa]

Brenda picked her up and pulled her pants up as she moved her over to her chair.

"There we are," she said.  "Now, remember, when you go home, you need to stop by the office and get the paper.  I think we are having the appointment next Friday."

She got her back into her chair, and then started to wheel her out when Imelda came out of her stall.

"Let's get you two to class before you get in trouble, okay?"

Imelda looked up at the counselor.

"What is a CSE thing?"

"It's not really important for you, honey.  We are not allowed to discuss it with other people.  It's just a program to make sure that all the students are treated fairly so they can learn even if they have difficulties."

"Okay."

[Shy-Diapers]

Michaela looked down at her lap. She wanted to be as normal as possible but it didn’t seem like that was possible at this school. She didn’t want her classmates knowing she was in special ed. She knew there was a stigma around it. 

Back in class, Michaela sat in her chair. She barely got to use her crutches today. She didn’t get to move around the classroom too much, so she only really moved when it was time to get in her chair. 

[Ishigreensa]

At the end of the day, Brenda came to help her get in her chair again, and then she started to take her to the office to get the note for her mom.

"Remember, your mom needs to have this paper, honey.  It says that we will have a meeting about stuff to make it easier for you at school."

Imelda had given her a piece of paper just as she was about to be pushed out of the room with her phone number on it.  

"Call me tonight, okay?  I'm sure if your mom called my mom, they could work something out."

[Shy-Diapers]

Michaela nodded and put the paper into her folder in her backpack when they got to the office. She had put the paper from Imelda in the bag too, but didn’t plan on telling her mom. They had no phone at their house and she didn’t want to go to Imelda’s because she couldn’t invite her back over to her house. She’d love to play with Imelda, but she felt guilty that she couldn’t return the favor. 

“I wonder if she’s coming to get me.” Michaela mumbled softly as she waited with Brenda. “She was late to get me yesterday. But I dunno if she’s coming today. I hope we don’t have to wait long for the city bus.” She said, mostly just rambling her thoughts of the top of her head. “I hate the bus. It’s so yucky. And sometimes it takes forever cuz not all the buses have room for me and my chair.” She continued to talk a little about her life, not really realizing it for a while. 

[Ishigreensa]

Brenda frowned.

"Aren't you riding the school bus yet?" she asked.

Brenda thought about what the girl was telling her.  "Do you know why your mom was late getting you?"

She thought a moment, and then she smiled.

"If you guys have to take a bus back home, maybe I can take you in my car.  I still won't have room for you to sit in your own chair, but we can fold it up and put it in back while you sit in the back seat.  It should work like that.  I don't think there's a problem with me taking you home as long as your mom is in the car, too."

[Shy-Diapers]

Michaela shook her head about the school bus. “I dunno if I can. I dunno how far we live.” She said with a shrug. 

When asked about why her mother was late, she bit her lip. She had to think of something to say. “We don’t havd a car yet. She was supposed to get a ride from um....friends.” She fibbed, trying to keep her home situation a secret. “They crashed so she had to wait for the bus to be able to pick me up.”

”I dunno if momma will like that.” She said nervously. She didn’t want the nice counselor woman to see that they only lived in this tiny little apartment, and that they didn’t even live in all of it. 

[Ishigreensa]

"Well, I think I should take you home even if your mommy doesn't like it.  You really should be using a school bus.  Regardless of how close to the school you live, there is something in the law that states that reasonable accommandations must be made for students who require it, and you can't wheelchair your way to school."

She smiled at her.

"I'm sorry that your friends had a car accident.  Are they okay?"

[Shy-Diapers]

Michaela frowned and looked down. “Okay. I think she likes coming home with me though.”

She nodded about the accident. “Yeah momma said they just have some broken bones.” She said before a long pause. “She said it’s not like daddy. They weren’t going as fast she said.” She sighed and looked down, fidgeting with her shirt. 

She realized she was wearing school clothes. “I hope she doesn’t mind that I’m wearing different clothes.”

[Ishigreensa]

"Well, your mommy can't ride the school bus with you unless she's a volunteer or in someway works with the special programs.  I can't really do anything about that, and we can't have you taking the city bus either, because even from the bus stop, the school is too far for you to have to ride in your bumpy chair all the way."

She smiled.

"Don't worry.  Your mom and I will work it out.  Since your mom is coming, actually, and I will take you both home today, why don't you give me that letter back.  I'll give it directly to your mom so she knows about the meeting."

She heard her say something about the school clothes.

"Honey, those clothes were way too small for you.  Your mom had to know that.  Hopefully, she's washed you some clean clothes today, or maybe she'll do it tonight with you."

[Shy-Diapers]

Michaela nodded. Brenda was starting to make her feel more at ease. 

She grabbed her bag from the back of her chair and handed Brenda the paper about the meeting. 

She sighed about the clothes. “I dunno. We don’t have a washing machine yet. I hope she has clothes for me. I don’t like feeling icky cuz she had to wash my undies in the sink.”

[Ishigreensa]

Brenda frowned.

"Well, we can't have that, can we?"

She smiled.

"How about I take you and your mother to my house just to wash your clothes?  I have a washer and a dryer so it shouldn't take more than a couple of hours for you to do that."

She had decided that's what she'd do when Sonja came in to get her daughter.

"I'm sorry," he huffed out of breath.  "I'm late again, aren't I?"

"You're not that late.  I understand you had to take the bus here?"

"Yeah..."

The adults talked for a few minutes where the counselor had to convince Sonja to let her take them to their house, gather some of their clothes up, and then go wash them at Brenda's house.  After some convincing, seeing the paper for her daughter's CSE meeting, and so on, they were finally on their way to Brenda's car.

[Shy-Diapers]

“Momma!” Michaela smiled when Sonja came to get her. She hugged her mother tightly and smiled. She loved seeing her at the end of the day. 

“I can get in the car. I just need a little help.” Michaela insisted, putting her braces on. She slid out of her chair and used her for support. With some struggling, Michaela climbed into the back and buckled herself in. She should be using a car seat, but Brenda obviously wouldn’t have one unless she had a kid around Michaela’s size which was doubtful. 

She smiled triumphantly when she got in and sat down. She felt proud and independent. 

[Ishigreensa]

Sonja and Brenda talked a little more in the front while they drove to the little house.

Sonja was embarrassed, but knew she couldn't stop Brenda from coming in.  Well, she could, but she was afraid that what she could imagine might be worse than what was the real situation.

The wet bed was still unmade, and so Brenda saw that the bed had been wet in, and she saw that their living situation was not ideal.  Still, she simply helped Sonja gather up the things that needed to be washed, and again, as most most Michaela's clothes had pee stains in them.  She felt sorry for the little girl.

They got them all back in the car and went to Brenda's house to wash clothes.

"I want you two to have dinner with my family and me," Brenda said.

Actually, Brenda just had a husband and one boy that was still in preschool and then watched by a nursery until she picked him up.  She was late getting him that day because of helping out Sonja and Michaela.  They had to pick him up on the way of taking their laundry to her house.  It was a tight squeeze with the two bags of laundry in the back seat, the preschool kid's carseat and everything, but it had all managed to fit.

 

[Shy-Diapers]

Michaela decided to stay in the car while the adults got the laundry. It was easier for everyone because Michaela couldn’t move around her house too much and it was hard to get in and out of the car. 

When Brenda mentioned dinner, Michaela looked at her mother hopefully. Brenda was a nice lady and if she had a family and could invite them over, that must mean that she had enough food. Maybe she’d make a home cooked meal. Michaela smiled just thinking about it. It was wonderful to think that she’d get an actual dinner tonight. 

[Ishigreensa]

Sonja looked back at her daughter.  Her pride wanted her to say that they could manage, but her love for her daughter was stronger than her pride, and she nodded.  "Yeah, I guess it would be nice to eat with someone else for once."

Brenda smiled.

"Good."

She pulled into the house at last, and she started to get her son out of the car.

Sonja started to help Michaela at the same time.  It was one thing to get in the car, but it was going to be a little harder to get out because of the angle of the car door and everything.  It took some work, but they got Michaela in her chair at last, and then Sonja pushed her up to the steps of the house, where she made sure the braces and crutches were on right before she helped her daughter out of the chair.

"I'll let you walk for now," Sonja told Michaela.  "But I want you to come to me if it starts hurting to walk, okay?"

[Shy-Diapers]

Michaela was thrilled to hear that she’d be getting a real dinner for once. It had been so long. She was hungry. Getting in and out of her chair took a lot of work. 

She let her mother help her out and get situated before entering the door. She nodded and headed into the house. She wasn’t really sure what to do. She didn’t know if she was supposed to play with the boy or what. 

She didn’t really want to play with him, not because she was mean or didn’t like him. She just didn’t really think playing with a preschooler would be that fun. 

She decided to stay close to Sonja, not sure what else to do. 

[Ishigreensa]

No one even suggested to the kids to play together.  

Brenda knew that if MIchaela wanted to play, she would, and not all elementary school kids were interesed in seeing toddlers.

Sonja didn't think anything about it at all.

They were invited to watch TV for a while after Sonja had put her clothes into the wash.

Little Carl went to his toy box and started to get out some toys to play with.

[Shy-Diapers]

Michaela felt shy and s little anxious. She’d never been to someone’s house that worked at school. She wasn’t too fond of newer places and preferred her routine. She stuck close by her mother, not wanting to be too far. 

She was happy to watch TV again. It had been quite a while since she’d watched it. They didn’t have a TV in their side of the apartment, so she never really got to see anything. 

“I’m excited for dinner momma.” Michaela said to Sonja. “It’s gonna be nice having a real dinner!”