Saturday, February 21, 2009

I chucked the phone against the wall yesterday.

Yes, yes I did.  Me and my cute family are moving to Georgia in June and I started calling Georiga's State Special Ed and State School Board programs about two weeks ago.  For two weeks I've been bounced around from person to person, transferred here, there and everywhere.  I FEEL like I'm getting closer to that specific person I'm supposedly supposed to talk to... but I am highly discouraged.  I'm trying to figure out the best area in Atlanta, near Emory's campus, to move with my two cute kids.  They need special help.  Wouldn't you think SOMEONE in the state of Georgia would say "Oh, okay, you're looking at the North Atlanta area?  I would reccomend _______"  NOO.  I had one lady tell me she wasn't at "liberty to divulge that information" so I started asking her therapist to client ratios, the types of therapies available in certain counties and she quickly sent me to yet another persons voicemail.  Aaaaaargh. 

I finally got a name to the Special Education Director for the state AND her personal line.  (I'm such a bully, I know) so I'm calling on Monday hoping she can at least give me some information that will help us decide which suburb to move into.

I did find out, unfortunately, that even with open IEP's and IFSP's my girls will have to be completely re-tested and their therapy services determined when we get there. I'm not sure what their guidelines are so I'm praying they will qualify and we won't have to turn to private therapy.  Then, I called up my local school district to schedule testing for Jaylee for her IEP meeting and they told me her file was missing... and has been missing for THREE. MONTHS. For. the. love. Ooookay?  Can we still update her IEP then?  "I'm not sure... let me transfer you..."

So, yes, after THAT phone call which was piggy backing the two weeks of frustrating calls, I threw my phone against the wall.  If my daughter wasn't standing there I might have cursed. Instead I stomped around like a 2 year old and told my daughter I was dancing.  :) 

8 comments:

Liz said...

That all sounds completely appropriate to me! :)
Good luck in this highly frustrating venture!

Ima Mom said...

Uh huh..boy can I relate!!!! I have never gotten as angry in my life as I have trying to advocate for our children at our local school district. I suggest you keep a detailed call log notebook with names, dates and times...we ended up almost going to mediation. So not fun!

Melissa said...

I am so glad I don't have to move out of state. That is also why when we moved to our condo, we stayed in Weber County. I didn't want to go through any of that again.. so we stayed in the same place. I hope you get somewhere on monday!

Anita Nap said...

I have a great aunt who lives in Atlanta and all her family does too. Is that near where you're looking to move? I can get email addresses of my cousins and see what they can help with.

nancy said...

When we moved from Utah to Arizona it was like walking on the moon. All of it was so different. Keep up the perservering. It will all work out. Good luck...

Happy in Holland said...

Lori, you're so cute. Hang in there! Don't you just wish you could get a face-to-face with everyone you talk to? That way when they see that "Im gonna lose it" look in your eyes they won't dare transfer you to yet another voicemail of a yet another person who will not call you back. You're smart for trying to get all this taken care of now---not when you move.

Lori said...

Anita Nap, yah we'll be living in the Atlanta area. Where? uhhhh that's what we're trying to figure out. hahaha. There are 22 counties for JUST Atlanta. trying to find the good county with a decent special ed and early intervention program is turning into quite the feat. I would love more information if you have any!!

tiptoe mama said...

hee hee. I LOVE that you threw the phone and told your daughter you were dancing! SOunds healthy to me!