update: code 11/14 and social services

I hate loose ends, so I'll wrap up and put these stories to bed.

The patient from Code 11/14 did well -- so well, in fact, that I totally lost interest. He went off to rehab to get his strength back, and hopefully will be back home with his family soon.

Brenda the social worker came to my home at the appointed hour, this time bringing not one but two reinforcements (either she was scared of me, or she wanted to point me out to her assistants as "this is what a really bad mother looks like.") She had actually stalked my children and interviewed them at school. "Does your mommy let you play on the street by yourselves? Does your mommy ever tie you up with that rope hanging inside the house?" She was satisfied with their answers, though disturbed that the younger two were wearing sandals in thirty-degree weather. Clearly she herself has never tried to argue shoe choices with small strongwilled children.

I was outraged. I understand she's just doing her valuable and necessary job, but I'm outraged anyway. My shy oldest girl was probably terrified and embarrassed. I wonder how on earth Brenda introduced herself -- "Hi, honey, I'm a friend of your mommy's, stopping by for no reason and asking nosy questions"? Or "Hi, honey, I'm checking up on whether your mommy takes care of you"?

Then, to "close the case" so I wouldn't have to endure serial home visits, she had made up a document for me to sign. Loulou3 will dress the children in weather-appropriate clothes. Loulou3 understands that she is responsible for supervising her children at all times. Loulou3 will take down the rope hanging in her house as this is a choking hazard, or will closely supervise the children when they are playing with it.

She had actually typed the thing up using my first name. This irritated me more than anything else -- which I suspect means I'm turning into my mother much sooner than anticipated. I signed it. I smiled. I showed her and the others to the door. I ripped up the poisonous piece of crap as soon as she was gone.

She did tell me one thing I wanted to know. The person who'd called in the tip about my allegedly negligent parenting was named Anonymous. So now, on top of everything else, I'm going to die wondering.