Journal Entries of a Deaf Child
Journal Entries of a Deaf Child
Dear Journal:
The reason for this entry is because my psychologist Dr. Martin told me it was a good and healthy way to express my feelings and emotions. I am currently under psychological and psychiatric treatment. I feel really depressed, anxious and a general sense of loss. My psychiatrist Dr. Gonzalez prescribed these medicines called Paxil and Xanax to help me with these feelings. I was never like this before. We had rough times but things always seem to work out fine, until that horrible day. Now all I can think of is Why Me?? Why my innocent child?
It all began on a Wednesday morning at my son’s school. Jerry, my son, is a very smart boy presently in the first grade. He was just perfect, until that day. Jerry had been complaining the day before of a headache and neck pains. I thought he had probably slept in a wrong position or that I needed to get his eyes checked. I gave him Children’s Tylenol and he seemed to feel better. The next morning it all changed. According to the teacher, Mr. Rodriguez just before lunch about four children started to feel sick. The kids seemed to have a fever and were complaining of nausea and headaches. The teacher sent all the kids to the office to contact their parents. As each parent picked up his or her child everyone assumed it was just a virus. When I picked up Jerry I noticed he was really warm. He was also complaining of pains in his head and neck. I immediately took him home and gave him Children’s Tylenol and had him lie down and rest. Half an hour later I checked Jerry’s temperature. It was higher than before, 103.6. He was lethargic and wanted only to sleep.
I panicked. I did not know what to do. This did not look like a regular virus or cold. It was around 12:00 noon when I called the pediatrician. Unfortunately they were out to lunch until 2:00 p.m. I had to leave my telephone number with the answering service. I remember seeing Jerry so helpless and immobile. I decided to put him in the bathtub and give him a cold bath to help lower the fever. I was so afraid he would have a seizure due to his high fever. I decided to give him more Tylenol because he...