Meeting of the Minds (Tag Dylan) on Cascade Hall

Headmistress Kijewski-Jareau

November 27, 2012 9:35 PM

Meeting of the Minds (Tag Dylan) by Headmistress Kijewski-Jareau

Kiva had been growing increasingly concerned over the last term or two over the growing number of students who have developed or have had health issues while attending Sonora. Some of the issues, like an anxiety disorder, were small enough to handle on a small scale basis through the medic, but there were some instances or situations where Kiva didn’t feel like the school had the resources or the capability to really be of any help and the students attending were only hampering their health and well-being. These were extreme cases, but the growing number of them really had her worried.

She had called Dylan to her office to discuss their worst cases and how to really deal with the growing number. This was a serious issue and Kiva wasn’t sure if she should go to the board about certain students for their health to see if it was best to have them seek outside help and leave Sonora for the time being. It was just too much and not something a public (even if it was a boarding school, it was still a public school that allowed for all type of students to join) should really be forced to deal with simply because the parents felt it was okay.

“I feel like the number of students who are affected by some illness has severely increased these last couple of terms.” Kiva commented to Dylan as she looked over some of the files that were on her desk. “Autumn doesn’t seem to be getting any better and I worry that she’ll have another relapse on school grounds. But, she’ll have her RATS in a couple of months, so I don’t think removing her from school will really help. But what about Valerie?” Kiva asked of the medic.

“She seems to always be out of class, ill. She has an autoimmune disorder which I would think her parents would want the best care for her.” Kiva commented. “I don’t see how conducive it really for her to be in school if she’s constantly being taken out of class or on bed rest or in your office. Maybe it would be best for her to finish her schooling at home since being here has only been detrimental for her health. What do you think?”

Kiva sighed quietly and sat back in her seat. “Henrietta seems to have at least done well enough with her counseling to stay ahead in classes, but I’m not sure how much more the school can stretch to accommodate these cases. Who else am I to be looking out for?” Kiva asked her Medic. Out of all the previous medics at Sonora, she felt for sure that this one had the most active residence thus far.

0 Headmistress Kijewski-Jareau Meeting of the Minds (Tag Dylan) 0 Headmistress Kijewski-Jareau 1 5

Medic Dylan Bailey

December 03, 2012 9:20 PM

I am one of those! by Medic Dylan Bailey

When Dylan had taken the job at Sonora he had thought that his job would be easy and without any hassles. How much trouble could children get into? It was a question that the Not-So-New Healer had answered weeks into his new job. Quidditch injuries and common colds were one thing, but what he had encountered during his few years as the Sonora Healer was much more than he had imagined. On the one side it helped him to keep him on his toes and do constant research to learn new techniques and help his wardens, but on the other he sometimes felt some cases were out of his hands. If he was honest he sometimes felt useless when it came with dealing with the students.

Through his short years at Sonora he had become a nutritionist, counselor, immune expert and even a babysitter. It wasn’t that he minded it, but some cases required a more experienced and focused mind than he could deliver. If he was honest he sometimes felt overwhelmed, especially because a school Infirmary wasn’t equipped to deal with some of the cases. The Healer had to order some specifics potions that were controlled by the Health Department.

When he was summoned to Kiva’s office to talk about some of the students, he couldn’t stop the nerves that started to creep all over his body. Part of him was scared of being laid off for someone with more experience. When he had started he had barely been out of school for a few months.

Dylan sat down and waited for the Headmistress to talk. As soon as she did, his nerves began to cease, and he listened intently to what she was saying. He agreed with her whole heartedly. Some of the most extreme cases were really worrying, especially Valerie Lennox. There was so much he could do to help her. The girl was living with an immune deficiency and that put her at risk of even the smallest infections or illnesses.

Once she stopped talking, Dylan cleared his throat before starting, “Autumn has been doing better. I keep track of her daily food ingests and I weight her every week, but like you said she is leaving in a few weeks. And I will keep a closer eye on her as RATS come closer, I don’t see Autumn handling the stress like she should.” The Medic scratched her chin while he thought about everything Kiva had said.

“And Valerie, I still think her parents shouldn’t have sent her to school, because she spends a lot of time with me or on bed rest. However, they decided it was a good course of action, so I can’t really say anything against that. I would prefer for her to be homeschooled and have a healthier, sterile environment than the school can provide. I think they are irresponsible for that, but at the end of the day I hope they consulted her healers before taking the decision,” the medic continued speaking his opinions.

“On the matter of Henrietta I can see her doing better in her anxiety issues and I don’t foresee any future problems with her, as long as she continues with her outside counseling sessions,” Dylan took a long breath. He was proud of Henny and her will to get over her fears.

“The last case I am worried about is Addison Thornton,” he restarted. “She has had some troubles controlling her anxiety and I don’t really feel too comfortable giving her too much potion to calm her down. She needs outside counseling with that issue and I recently received a letter of one of her room mates. She is concerned about how much weight Addison has gained. I can see that as a consequence of her not being able to handle anxiety and stress. In regards to her I would recommend her parents getting her a counselor outside of school. I can keep watch on her and put her on a diet, but if she can’t control her anxiety it won’t do any good. She will gain it right back.”

Dylan shifted in his seat, “And I think those are the more worrying cases.”

0 Medic Dylan Bailey I am one of those! 0 Medic Dylan Bailey 0 5

Kiva

December 08, 2012 12:23 AM

Yes you are. by Kiva

Well, Autumn seemed like a done deal for the rest of the term, despite the Medic’s assumption that she will not do well during the high anxiety week of RATS examinations. She knew the girl was trying, she at least kept up with her appointments both with Dylan and with her counselor, but sometimes she thought the school board was more interested in the money they donated than with the health and well-being of the student. After Autumn’s second relapse, Kiva would have kept her out of Sonora because this was not the sort of stress free place that someone like Autumn needed.

The conversation moved onto Valerie. It was a little disconcerting to hear that the Medic felt that she shouldn’t have been able to come to school. She had been hoping that maybe she had been over exaggerating the situation, but if the Medic felt that Valerie was better off in the safety of her own home, than that was something that Kiva really had to consider. She had to wonder what the Brockerts’ and extended family were like as they seemed to rather have the kids off in school despite their obvious problems. Of course, that wasn’t fair for Kiva to think, she really had no idea what their lives were like. She could only say on her experience as a mother that she would do her best to keep her children safe and protected. Her upbringing had been far different than most of the Purebloods that came to her school and she wasn’t really sure if the parents were aware of the seriousness of their children’s ailments.

“I have been reading up on her illness, but I have no real way of understanding.” Kiva admitted. “If there is really truly nothing that can keep her out of your hospital wing, no potion or remedy that her parents will agree too, I may have to recommend that she leave the school.” Kiva didn’t want to uproot the girl’s entire school career, but if it meant her own safety and full life, she felt it would be for the best. “Do you have any new ideas that maybe we could present to her parents that they may be interested in? You know, New Age or experimental or something? I’ll write them a letter advising of their daughter’s situation along with your recommendation and see where we go from there.”

At least Henny was doing alright. Kiva had been good friends with one of the girl’s fathers. They met back when Kiva first began teaching at Sonora and she would have felt terrible if Henny hadn’t been able to handle things while under her care.

Kiva had to stifle a sigh when Dylan brought up one of the Thornton girls’. There were so many of them, that Kiva had to summon her file just to remember which one she was. She had no idea how this family handled all of these children. Truth be told, she didn’t think they could handle it. A couple of terms ago, Amira had come back from summer vacation and had a serious head injury that her parents had neglected to tell the school about. They had put their daughter’s life in danger and didn’t seem to mind. They just kept having babies. Kiva felt they were completely irresponsible. And now hearing about Addison, she had to wonder if they even noticed something so noticeable in a house full of children.

“I’ll write to her parents for permission to have her treated as you see fit and that the school recommends for her to obtain counseling to deal with her anxiety issues and eating habits.” Kiva stated after a moment. She looked over at her medic for a moment. He was young, but at least he was gaining experience. “Dylan, thank you for being so patient with these students. We’ve asked quite a bit from you since the moment you walked in. I appreciate it.”

0 Kiva Yes you are. 0 Kiva 0 5

Medic Bailey

December 09, 2012 8:19 PM

^^ I is smart! by Medic Bailey

Dylan nodded, “Me too, I think that is the only thing I have been Reading about since the first time she came to me,” he said a little bit sad. The Medic felt an irrational anger towards Valerie’s parents for sending her to school and endangering their daughter like that. He knew he was hastily judging them, but he couldn’t really come up with a good enough reason to do what they were doing. He always thought that parents had their children best interest at heart, but he couldn’t see that from her parents.

“Actually,” he said handing Kiva a folder with some papers in it, “I found an experimental treatment from a Healer in Africa that has been studying a plant that only grows there and boosts the immune system.” Dylan had accidentally come across that research when he had taken a tangent on Muggle diseases, like AIDS, that also had problems with immune systems. The African Healer wanted to find a way to help Muggles with his potions and was currently doing research with a very rare magical herb that only grew in Africa. “The treatment is very expensive and it might not even work on her, I don’t know, but it might be worth a shot.” The Medic left the folder on her table. “I already contacted the Healer and if they agree I can order the vials she will need.”

“And I think her parents should sign a consent form for Valerie to stay here. They can easily sue the school and me for negligence and that wouldn’t be very pretty for anyone involved.” Especially for him, he had a lot to lose if that happened, since he was sure the school had insurance or something.

Dylan smiled at the compliment give to him by the headmistress. It really felt nice to feel appreciated. “I think that it a good course of action. This can’t really go on. I am worried about them. Children shouldn’t have to suffer so much to be in school. Valerie would be better off home and Addison needs to control herself,” he said with a slight frown. At the end it wasn’t really his decision to make, but he would fight for them to have a better life.

0 Medic Bailey ^^ I is smart! 0 Medic Bailey 0 5

Kiva

December 12, 2012 10:04 PM

...yes you are. by Kiva

Kiva was surprised by the folder that Dylan procured, but what pleased none the less. It was good to see that he was working hard at learning about the illness instead of just giving her potions. It showed to her that he was taking his responsibilities serious as well as the health of the students. Kiva shuffled the Thornton’s file off to the side and pulled open the folder Dylan had given to her. She listened carefully while he discussed the experimental treatment to her and how it would be beneficial to Valerie.

Now, Kiva didn’t necessarily agree that her school’s Medic should have gone to such lengths to find something like this. This should have been the girl’s Healer’s job. Her Healer should be wanting to find the best potions and remedies for his/her patient so that she could live a fulfilling life. It definitely made Kiva think a little harder about the girl’s parents and exactly where it was that they were giving their money to. Still, Dylan found this possible solution to their issue and it was Kiva’s obligation to let the parents know what they were facing and a way to help possibly fix it.

Her hazel eyes looked up at him when he brought up the consent form. It irked her a little bit that he was playing at her job as though she wasn’t aware of the legal issues that could ensure. The school was not going to force Valerie to take the potion and legally, parents gave consent the moment they agreed to allow their child to attend Sonora in the first place. “The parents will have to sign agreements, you are protected under the school. Your liability is our liability.” Kiva commented lightly.

“I appreciate you taking the time to talk to me about all this. I’ll be sending the parents of both students a letter regarding your recommendations and how the school would like to move forward with it all.” Kiva advised. “I may have to call upon you again if the parents have any questions or concerns medically that I am not able to provide answers to. I will keep you updated on any responses that I may receive and any course of action that the parents plan on taking.” Kiva told him, thanking him for his time and patience.

She had to think about how to phrase the letters and hoped that her explanation was enough for the parents to understand that she only had their children in mind.

0 Kiva ...yes you are. 0 Kiva 0 5