“A shining example of what NSS care should always look like”
Glenys Pulman is a member of Community & Family Health and is a senior Nursing Support Services Coordinator for children and youth. She works with families, mainly in the school setting, and is a member of a multidisciplinary team of NSS Coordinators, OTs, PTs, along with teachers, principals, education aides and, of course, the children and their families.
Below is a lovely letter that acknowledges of Glenys’ dedication to the families and clients she helps. Thank you, Glenys!
Glenys has always had our daughter’s best interest as a priority
Today is a very emotional day for us. Today our 10 year old, Grade Five daughter has “graduated” out of Nursing Support Services (NSS). I am writing this letter as a thank you for the past six years that she has been under the care of NSS’s Glenys Pullman.
Our daughter has Type 1 Diabetes. This disease does not run in our family and she is the only person in our family who has it. She was diagnosed at 18 months old and we have had many years of learning about this disease and growing from it. One of the biggest fears we had as parents of a T1D kid was how the school would handle her situation. For anyone with any experience with T1D, you will know that it is an especially finicky disease, where theory and practice do not always coordinate. Itʼs a sensitive disease where every blood glucose check and every meal create a little science experiment to see if we are giving the “right” amount of insulin.
As a parent, you learn all the nuances (stress, physical activity, change in weather…the list goes on) and can better predict how your childʼs blood glucose might react. However, when your child goes to school and all of a sudden you have to depend on others to take over that responsibility, it can feel daunting, overwhelming and cynicism and skepticism rear their heads.
Sometimes as parents of a T1D kid, we can feel alone in our battle, because it is so unique. We want the best for our children and often times even the best isnʼt good enough when it comes to this disease. The overwhelming fear of diminishing resources and school budget constraints can add to the anxiety and we are left questioning the quality of care our children receive.
However, fortunately for our family, our experience has been an overwhelmingly positive one, and for this reason I would like to express my deepest gratitude to everyone who has been involved in our daughter’s T1D management since Kindergarten, specifically Glenys Pullman, Kathie Oliver (our daughter’s EA) and the rest of the staff at Qulichena Elementary.
Glenys has been with us since we first entered the Richmond School District back in 2010. She has been a constant in our daughter’s diabetes care and management. Her knowledge and expertise have been an invaluable resource for her teachers and her EAs.
The level of support and encouragement Glenys has provided to our family over the years has gone above and beyond my expectations. She has guided us through school care and management with ease and confidence, and has made every transition smooth and functional. Her empathy and thoughtfulness combined with her knowledge have made her stand out in my mind as a shining example of what NSS should always look like. Although I have no other frame of reference, I hope all parents are as fortunate as us.
Last December Glenys did something so exceptional, I have never had the proper words to thank her. She taught our daughter how to give herself her own insulin injections. Glenys asked my permission and I gave it (secretly thinking “good luck with that”). Within 24 hours our lives had changed forever. Our daughter was now giving herself injections left, right and centre. This was enormous for our family, and we have Glenys to thank.
Her professionalism is obvious, but it is her heart and her willingness to work together with us to create the best possible scenario for my daughter, is what we appreciate most.
We still have a quite a way to go before the system in place for diabetic children in BC schools is perfect. I foresee many tweaks and adjustments will be made to the current plan, and unfortunately because of that we end up feeling like our children are guinea pigs. But forward motion is progress, and as parents we are our childrenʼs biggest and loudest advocates.
Itʼs important to express our challenges, our frustrations and our concerns, but it is equally important to share all the positive experiences, good work and incredible support we have received. It is evident that in every circumstance along the way Glenys has always had our daughter’s best interest as a priority. This is the most important issue for parents, and we are happy and relieved it was for Glenys as well.
Itʼs a bittersweet goodbye as we will miss working with her, but we thank her for everything she has done for us. She has helped set the parameters for our daughter to continue on the path of responsible diabetes management at school. And for that we will always be grateful.
Sincerely,
Grateful Parents