I want to tell y'all a story I was reminded of when some WSers were talking about AB maybe being a little slow. I think it had something to do with the way he talks, maybe it's his accent, maybe his affect is a little blunted. Anyway, I just skimmed it when I was supposed to be working. :crazy:
Ok here's the story:
I came to know about a remarkable man through work. This man (let's call him Mr X) called to let us know that his son (who had a pending claim) was going to be seeing a new doctor. He did not know how to pronounce the doctor's name but could call out the letters to me as he had the appointment card. He called out each very letter slowly. The doctor's name was Smith. He also gave me the phone number. He called out each number very slowly. And told me the date of the upcoming appointment.
After I thanked him for calling in with this information, he said "Did I do good? Did I do good?" I said that he had and thanked him again for calling. He said "I'm so proud of myself. I'm so proud of myself." It was clear that this man had a very low IQ.
His son had just been released from a psych hospital and they had applied for SSI for the son. As I read through the hospital records, I saw notes by various doctors and hospital social workers about being concerned about discharging the son to Mr X's custody, since Mr X clearly had significant cognitive problems. They contacted the DSS social worker who was assisting this father and son who assured them that Mr X was fine taking care of his son. They were all watching though; the hospital, the health dept, the school, the Dept of Social Services, the mental health center (records from all of these places were in the file). They all eventually agreed that Mr X was doing a good job with the son and they did not hide their amazement that he was able to do it.
I learned that Mr X had mental retardation and schizophrenia. The son had a psychotic disorder. He had not been diagnosed with schizophrenia but it was clear they were leaning that way. That's probably due to his age. He was a teenager. I learned that Mrs X had walked out on them when the son was a baby and Mr X had been raising him alone all this time.
Mr X was said to get his son to all Dr's appointments. He escorted him on the city bus. Mr X said to me "I know he needs to go to the doctor just like I need to go to the doctor."
Mr X also told me about a box he has. This box has all of his son's papers. Papers from schools, doctors, social workers. It's all in this box, all of it. He told me he kept every paper they ever gave him, related to his son. He said he can't read them and he doesn't know what they are for, but, they might be important and someone would want to see them. So he keeps them.
I saw in the records someone talking about the father bringing a large box of papers to the appointment with him.
The last contact I had with Mr X, he called for some reason and was identifying himself and his son so I could pull up the claim. He said "His name is <name>. My name is <name> too. We have the same name. He has the same name as me!" You could hear him grinning ear to ear with pride. That was when I finally started bawling.
I see so many horrible parents and families in my job. I see children who are disabled, not because they got sick, but, because of what their parents did to them. I see parents withholding medication to keep their children sick so they can continue receiving benefits. I see parents who do not know where their children go to school, "I don't know, the bus takes them." And then there is this man. So much struggle for him and there he is, taking care of his boy.
Anyway, I have no sympathy for any parent who is rotten or irresponsible with their kids. Not after knowing this man.
Sorry for the novel :blushing:
Thank you kindly for the laugh, even if you didn't know it.
