The New Homeless on NBC's Dateline 7/4/03 @ 8PM (EDT)

jnette, ASN, EMT-I · Jul 6, 2003

I agree, Steph. There are a lot of questions yet to be answered. I do tend to think the parents were not fully aware of many things until it was too late. Wandering around homeless also has a way of numbing otherwise rational thought processes .. from the sheer trauma and stress of it all. Kinda like asking a severley traumatized victim of domestic violence "why didn't you do this, why didn't you do that?"

Guess we just don't know what was REALLY going on with these young parents, but I'd sure hate to pass judgement without knowing. Sad story, truly sad.

allnurses Guide · Jul 6, 2003

Morning Jnette! :)

Skipped church this morning to pay bills and do some cleaning without my toddler wanting to sit on mommie's lap and so sent him off with his daddy. I'm sure God will forgive me

I'm not trying to be judgmental regarding this baby and his parents but I am trying to understand. There was a gap here that this family fell through and I don't think the story in the newspaper is giving a complete picture. I'd like more info so this doesn't happen again. To tell the truth, there are times when I discharge new parents and their sweet little newborn that I just pray hard . . . . the awful truth is, come people should not be parents. How to fix that is the problem . . . .

Now, back to paying the bills and listening to Lyle Lovett . . . driving my kids crazy with that one. :chuckle

jnette, ASN, EMT-I · Jul 6, 2003

Originally posted by stevielynn
Morning Jnette! :)

I'm not trying to be judgmental regarding this baby and his parents but I am trying to understand. There was a gap here that this family fell through and I don't think the story in the newspaper is giving a complete picture. I'd like more info so this doesn't happen again.

I'm sure you weren't, Steph, and sorry if you thought I was implying that you were.. not ! :) I was speaking in general terms, and "thinking out loud", if you will.

Have yourself a great day !

TinyNurse, RN · Jul 12, 2003

I missed the program unfortunantly ( my cable is disconnected).

However, I feel the need to post. I just graduated ADN school on June 13th, and am to take NCLEX next week. I will start my full time job when I pass. Until then, my foodstamps were loaded on the 9th. I live in Metro/govt. housing ( yes, you need an address to even get food stamps or medicaid)

Thank God for student loans, and govt. assistance, and grants, or my 3 yr old son and I would have never made it.

I am so glad to have finished my education, and I will now be able to get off of all government assistance. I thank them for all the help they have given me. Welfare even paid for NCLEX and my Ohio state board fees. It took an extra week than other students I graduated with, but they paid still.

Also, Salvation Army turned me down, in May when my gas was shut off, i had no hot water or heat. ( and ohio was still sorta cold then).

I'm boycotting Salvation Army.

Two churches got together to pay my gas bill. For alot of people, it's difficult to even locate resources. I'm an educated person, and it took me two weeks to locate someone who could help me get my gas reconnected.

When/if these people seek care in your ER, or hospital please be prepared to offer resources. Please don't judge.

I remember doing my OB clinicals, a poor mom gave birth to a premature baby. She wanted to breastfeed. She did, and all of the nursery nurses kept complaining about how she drinks mountain dew. Then the mom came in and asked for some recieving blankets....... The nurse went off on her, and I wanted to step in, but i was just a student.................. When the mom left, I asked her what the situation was all about, the nurse said "well, she is always asking for something, trying to get something for free".

No, i have not been homeless since i've had my son, but I do have a strong reverence for the poor and homeless. They need as many resources as they can get!

I'm just so happy I graduated nursing school. Finally, I'll have a job that is in demand, for decent wages that I can get my cable turned back on, and move out of govt. housing.

Please God, let me pass NCLEX!

Thanks for listening, and that poor family to have been malnourished. Resources need to be made available!!!

Jenni

palesarah · Jul 12, 2003

I was in tears reading through this thread, right up until your post tinynurse- thank you so much for sharing your story. Congratulations on making through nursing school and best of luck on your NCLEX!

It can be so hard to see how easy it is for people to fall through the cracks.

mother/babyRN, RN · Jul 12, 2003

21 years ago while a single mom, I ate macaroni every third day in order to feed my child and pay the heating bill. No one would help me because I was a nurse and it was understood that I could always have a job. I neglected to tell my parents about the situation because I was proud and my child was being fed and cared for...After the third month of that, my mom noticed that I was too tired and losing weight....I still hate macaroni....I still don't know that I believe all options were explored in the case described. Sounds as though they slipped through the cracks...Awful and sad...But, we DO send babies home with homeless people and people I would never consider able to care for them, homeless or not. Anything to keep families together, I have been told.....

MishlB · Jul 12, 2003

Originally posted by TinyNurse
I missed the program unfortunantly ( my cable is disconnected).

However, I feel the need to post. I just graduated ADN school on June 13th, and am to take NCLEX next week. I will start my full time job when I pass. Until then, my foodstamps were loaded on the 9th. I live in Metro/govt. housing ( yes, you need an address to even get food stamps or medicaid)
Thank God for student loans, and govt. assistance, and grants, or my 3 yr old son and I would have never made it.

I am so glad to have finished my education, and I will now be able to get off of all government assistance. I thank them for all the help they have given me. Welfare even paid for NCLEX and my Ohio state board fees. It took an extra week than other students I graduated with, but they paid still.

Also, Salvation Army turned me down, in May when my gas was shut off, i had no hot water or heat. ( and ohio was still sorta cold then).
I'm boycotting Salvation Army.

Two churches got together to pay my gas bill. For alot of people, it's difficult to even locate resources. I'm an educated person, and it took me two weeks to locate someone who could help me get my gas reconnected.

When/if these people seek care in your ER, or hospital please be prepared to offer resources. Please don't judge.

I remember doing my OB clinicals, a poor mom gave birth to a premature baby. She wanted to breastfeed. She did, and all of the nursery nurses kept complaining about how she drinks mountain dew. Then the mom came in and asked for some recieving blankets....... The nurse went off on her, and I wanted to step in, but i was just a student.................. When the mom left, I asked her what the situation was all about, the nurse said "well, she is always asking for something, trying to get something for free".

No, i have not been homeless since i've had my son, but I do have a strong reverence for the poor and homeless. They need as many resources as they can get!

I'm just so happy I graduated nursing school. Finally, I'll have a job that is in demand, for decent wages that I can get my cable turned back on, and move out of govt. housing.

Please God, let me pass NCLEX!

Thanks for listening, and that poor family to have been malnourished. Resources need to be made available!!!

Jenni

So how did you pay for all the tattoos and piercings? The avatar you chose is interesting. And we wonder why nursing has a bad image? I guess there are a few out there who keep the image going. And you wouldn't have to pray about passing your boards if you had attended class. I am so glad you are a new nurse, so you can have your cable turned on.

fergus51 · Jul 12, 2003

Wow, what is with that?! Do we have a catty response smiley yet?

jnette, ASN, EMT-I · Jul 12, 2003

Originally posted by palesarah
tinynurse- thank you so much for sharing your story. Congratulations on making through nursing school and best of luck on your NCLEX!

It can be so hard to see how easy it is for people to fall through the cracks.

Ditto ! Please let us know when you'll be taking your NCLEX ... I'll make it a point to say an extra prayer on your behalf ! You will make one great, insightful, and caring nurse, Tinynurse... you may be tiny but your comittment and dedication is HUGE... and your heart all -encompassing. I'm proud OF and FOR you ! :kiss

I wish you well in your life and your career... take what you have learned through experience and use it to assist others less fortunate than ourselves... but I have a feeling I don't EVEN need to tell you that !

Be blessed.

roxannekkb · Jul 12, 2003

Reading the obit, there is a long list of grandmas and grandpas and aunts and uncles . . . . . where were they when this little baby was dying of malnutrition?

With this long list of relatives, why was this family homeless? Could no one offer shelter to them? Help them in any way? I don't know what the finances are of their relatives, but surely, would a grandma want her grandson living on the street and starving to death?

It does seem that there is a lot of information missing, but then, I find that often in news stories. Or you read two news stories and the facts are somehow changed. Half a story here and there, but often minus imperative facts.:imbar

MishlB · Jul 13, 2003

Originally posted by fergus51
Wow, what is with that?! Do we have a catty response smiley yet?

You can call me catty, but give me a break. She was so poor she didn't have gas, but she sure had plenty of money to have tattoos and piercings done? She was able to get student loans, grants, AND have her NCLEX paid for...I don't think this situation even compares to being homeless. Poor baby, is your cable turned on yet....

TinyNurse, RN · Jul 13, 2003

it's ok,

my piercings were done WAY before I had my son, and only one of them was done professionally. I was like 18-19 years old. Two of my tattoos were done for free, and the other was a birthday gift.

My avitar was animated in animation shop, and I wanted something pink, but also nurselike. Unfortunantly I couldn't find a doll that I could resize and have it fit on the avatar.

it's ok, if you think my avatar stinks, and it's ok if you think i'm a brat. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

Thanks to those who wished me luck on NCLEX!