| Vanessa Pearl is like many other 18-year-olds.
She's a brand new high school graduate with a job
and an eye to the future. She's also the mother
of a lively two-year-old. |
| Vanessa, her husband Cody Pearl
and their daughter Kyra are growing together,
learning how to successfully juggle school, work
and parenthood with the help of Southeast Missouri
Hospital's Building Blocks program.
The family officially "graduated" from
the program in May, when Kyra turned two. "It's
been hard," Vanessa said of the past two
years, "but we've made it."
School posed one of the greatest challenges.
"Cody and I started 11th grade together,
but the babysitter cancelled a lot and that made
things really difficult," Vanessa said.
|
Building Blocks nurses, back row from left,
Barb Gleason, RN, and Sheila Beussink,
BSN, RNC, often become like part of the family.
They have helped, from row from left, Cody,
Vanessa and Kyra Pearl along with Mykael
and Tedra Medley. |
Cody left school to shoulder more
child care duties, studied for and successfully
completed his GED. He hopes to begin college this
fall
."When we had questions, the Building Blocks
nurses had answers," Cody said. As far as
adjusting to fatherhood, "I learned fast,"
Cody added. Kyra, a "Daddy's girl,"
Cody said, also charms his friends. "My friends
have been very supportive. My two bestfriends
are Kyra's adopted uncles."
Vanessa stayed in school, as well as working
six-hour shifts four days a week at McDonald's.
"I was determined to finish school,"
she said. "I didn't want to be a statistic."
After staying at home with Kyra during her crucial
developmental years, Vanessa also hopes to complete
college. "But for now," she added, "we're
working on potty training."
Building Blocks was a "great experience,"
said Tedra Medley, 18, mother of Mykael, who also
recently "graduated" from the formal
Building Blocks program.
Tedra, who completed her GED, plans to go on
to college and study computer technology.
"The program taught me to understand more
about my child," said Tedra. "Whenever
I wasn't sure about what to do, the Building Blocks
nurses were there for me."
|
Call for information: 573-335-1033
or toll-free 1-888-966-5973
Learn more about
Southeast's separate Pediatric Unit
|
