Week 6

Ian is now 14 years old and in the eighth grade at the local school. He is well-liked by his peers and always has a 'buddy' to help him get to class. In spite of all that he has been through, Ian has an incredible spirit about him, and other kids just like to be near him. At first, of course, it was a shock, and friends and family alike struggled to make sense of the situation. Now, Ian's wheelchair is just a part of him, and it's easy to forget that this is the boy with no legs.

After a rocky period right after the accident, Ian does well in school and loves history class. He thinks he wants to grow up to be a history teacher. There is something about the Civil War that fascinates him, and he is fond of making a joke to others that, "there wasn't nothing civil about that war" and immediate gets a kick out of himself.

Leila has dated some since the accident, but she just can't seem to put her heart into it. She's tried to give everything she had to the kids - particularly given Tyler's needs and Ian's. She sees herself as giving everything she has to her kids. She was in therapy for a short time but now focuses on keeping Ian and Tyler going to their regular appointments. 

* Are there enrichment opportunities available for children like Ian? Summer camps? How affordable are such camps?

* What are the typical developmental milestones for a 14 year-old boy? Are there unique considerations regarding Ian's physical growth that have to be taken into account given his amputations?

* Are there mental health therapists who specialize in working with children like Ian? Are there any within Harrisonburg? Within 50 miles?  

Week 5

Ian is now 9 years of age. His brother Tyler survived the accident but has a residual Traumatic Brain Injury that requires occupational and physical therapy.  

* Write a narrative “interview” in which you communicate with Ian in an effort to get to know him.

* Write a narrative “interview” in which you talk with Ian’s mother about him.

* Who is Ian? What kind of child is he? What might someone expect upon meeting him for the first time? Base Ian’s imagined personality on what you know about he and his family so far.

Week 4

Ian Mahoney – Week Four

Ian and Tyler were inseparable. Leila thought about how sweet it was that the two loved each other so much. Tyler really did look out for Ian, and Ian was as fond of his big brother as one could imagine. They were like two peas in a pod. Ian was a healthy 7 year-old, and Tyler, at age ten, loved running in the yard with his brother. After taking time to get herself together after Phil’s death, Leila had started to try to meet someone. There were a couple of “nice guys,” but the sparks just weren’t there. Then she met Eric. He was wonderful – secure in himself, incredible good looks (people said he resembled Brad Pitt), and a deep desire to be a dad. His first wife had died of breast cancer six years before, and he was thrilled to meet Leila.

The two began spending time together, and Ian and Tyler took to Eric. He really was a wonderful person – sensitive, kind, calm, and, at the same time, very much an exceptional role model of what a man could be. Leila couldn’t believe her good fortune – maybe this was Phil looking upon her from above and helping her to move on.

Eric had gotten tickets to the first game of the big series between the hometown team and their cross-state arch-rivals. Everyone was looking forward to the family’s time together, even if it was a little cold and rainy. Leila and Eric loaded up the kids in the car and started to make their way downtown. Ian and Tyler were singing some silly song together, as usual. Leila was turned around in her seat, laughing with them. As she turned toward the front of the car, she later remembered hearing the screech of brakes and her own scream as the truck smashed into the driver’s side of the car.  

When Leila awoke, she was in a bed in a hospital. Her mother had been contacted and was there in the room when she came to. Leila’s first thought was to find her kids. She tried to get out of the bed, but the pain was too great. Her mother was standing there with tears in her eyes. As if in a dream, Leila slowly began to take in the horrible news: Eric had been killed, and Tyler was still in a coma. Ian was in and out of consciousness with a head injury – but he had also sustained severe injuries to both of his legs, and the doctors did not think they could save them. They were trying to wait for Leila to awaken in order to make a decision about what to do. Over the last 24 hours that Leila had been unconscious, teams of doctors worked feverishly to stem the bleeding in an attempt to keep Ian’s legs with him. Gangrene has started to set in, however, and the head physician came to talk with Leila.

It was in this state of mind that Leila had to make the terrible decision for the doctors to remove the legs.  

* What are the major developmental milestones for a 7 year-old?

* What services would you recommend for Leila and Ian at this point?

* What is the responsibility of the school in terms of special education? What is the process that must occur so that the school can meet Ian’s educational need? What kind of assessments should Ian have in order to rule out a Traumatic Brain Injury?

* What might the school do to welcome Ian back when he returns?

* How would you handle telling Ian’s classmates about what happened? Who should be involved?

DECISION POINT:

Does Tyler come out of his coma? If so, does he have any permanent brain damage?