Justice for Grayson
Feb. 4th, 2013 08:08 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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7rin_on_adoptionThe main page is @ https://www.facebook.com/JusticeForGrayson
The note I'm sharing with you is @ https://www.facebook.com/notes/justice-for-grayson/rachels-statement-to-sheriffs-dept-for-kidnapping-report/127354994081660
Rachel's statement to Sheriff's Dept for kidnapping report
by Justice for Grayson on Tuesday, October 23, 2012 at 5:02am
I would like to make a Missing Children’s Report and report a kidnapping.
July 30, 2012
Before noon – I contacted adoption agency for information only by email. I was weighing out all of my options and had not decided on anything. Agency owner emailed me back and asked for my phone number and she called me after 5 minutes of me providing her my number. Agency owner asked me to meet with her. She brought Agency employee with her and did not tell me Agency employee would be coming too. I met with them the same day about 40 minutes after the phone call. Their office is 40 minutes from my house. They came to my house to pick me up and took me to McDonalds to talk. Mostly Agency owner spoke and asked what information I wanted, what I wanted, what I was looking for, they asked me about my doctor, they said they had a really good one, they said that the doctor I had didn’t sound that great, they could get me in that week to meet with one of their doctors, then they asked me if I wanted to do that, then they gave me some information, it was a booklet or something which I threw out that same week because I had decided at that time that I didn’t want my baby adopted.
July 31, 2012
Early afternoon - Agency employee phoned me to say they could get me in on the 2nd to see Dr. A for an appointment to see if I liked him. They said that if I needed a ride they would drive me as Dr. A was 50 min. away from my house. My previous doc was only 15 min away. Agency employee said that they could give me a ride if I needed one.
Around 6pm – Agency employee called and asked how I was feeling and to find out if I wanted a ride on the 2nd or not so they could plan out their schedule. I said I would let them know.
August 1, 2012
Early afternoon - Agency employee texted me, to find out if I wanted a ride. I said ok. About one hour later Agency employee texted back to tell me that she would be at my house at 1pm on the 2nd. I knew that Agency employee would be by herself and that we would meet Agency owner at the doctor’s.
August 2, 2012
12:15 approx. Agency employee texted me to say she was running late to pick me up for 1pm.
1:20pm Agency employee arrived to pick me up.
2:30pm we arrived at Dr. Office and Agency owner was already there. I went in to get my weight done and they went into the exam room while I was getting my weight done. They never asked me prior to this if they could be in any of my appointments. I felt intruded on but didn’t know what my rights were. When I was finished getting my weight done I went into the exam room where Agency owner and Agency employee were waiting. I had not signed anything with the doctor to give permission to have them be in any appointments. Agency owner and Agency employee asked me if it was ok if they were in the room and I agreed for only this appointment despite my apprehensions, I felt I had no choice because they were already in the room and they booked the appointment for me. A midwife came in the room and she introduced herself as “V” Craw and she works for Dr. A. The midwife asked a bunch of personal information in front of Agency owner and Agency employee such as my birth date, previous pregnancy, how many pregnancies, were the pregnancies normal, any previous c-sections. Then V asked if I knew when my due date was. Then Agency employee asked to have an ultrasound done to get the exact date as my date was unsure. Then V asked who Agency owner and Agency employee were. Agency employee and Agency owner said they were an adoption agency and then V asked if this is an adoption baby. I said it was not a sure thing. V then asked if it was ok to have Agency owner and Agency employee in the room. I said it was ok for this day only for this appointment only and only the talking part of the appointment and not the exam. I never saw the doctor this day. I never had an exam this day. Agency employee then asked if I was going to see Dr. A this day and the midwife told her “no.” I would not have gone to all of this trouble if I had known that the doctor would not even be there and that I would not have an exam, given the fact that I was getting closer to my due date and because of my low hemoglobin and anemia that required 2 blood transfusions/week. After the appointment, Agency employee gave me a ride home. Agency employee on the drive home asked me how I liked the midwife. I said she was nice. Agency employee said she did not like Dr. A and she really wanted me to see this other female doctor but this female doctor couldn’t take me in.
August 3-9
Agency employee and Agency owner (mostly Agency owner) repeatedly texted me every day to see how I was doing. Sometimes 2-3 times per day.
August 10, 2012
1pm – Dr. A appointment. This is the very first appointment I had with Dr. A. Agency employee picked me up. Agency owner was not at the doctor’s appointment because she was meeting with another pregnant woman which she called a “birthmother.” I had an ultrasound appointment so my due date could be determined. Agency owner met us there in the waiting room. My name gets called for the ultrasound and then Agency employee and Agency owner both follow in behind me. At no time did they ask if they could be present and at no time did the ultrasound technician or any other hospital staff ask me if it was ok for them to be in the ultrasound appointment. Agency employee and Agency owner (with Agency employee doing most of the talking) are asking if the baby looks healthy, what the due date is, size, Agency employee asked if it was a boy technician trying to see but she could not confirm it, was he healthy, what rating for the health of my pregnancy my number was 8 out of 8. The technician answered all of Agency employee’s questions. Technician gave me the film and we left. Agency employee gave me a ride home. Agency employee was asking me how I was doing and she said that I was small for how far along I was.
August 13, 2012
Agency employee called from Agency owner’s cell phone and said “I had a profile that I thought you would be interested in I will bring it to your next appointment so you can look at them.”
August 14, 2012
1pm ultrasound appointment & NST. Agency employee picked me up at my house and drove me there. Agency owner was in the waiting room and handed me the profile in the waiting room. I looked at it there. They told me about them. I said they seemed nice and then I got called for my ultrasound. I gave the profile back to Agency owner before I went into my ultrasound. Both Agency employee and Agency owner came into my appointment with me. They asked the tech the same questions as last time, growth, changes in due date, health. Problem with the due date was that he was measuring too small. That is one of the reasons I had to go for the amnio. The technician answered all of their questions. At no time did anyone from the hospital have me consent to having them in the room either in writing or verbally. Afterwards they spoke to me about the profiles and asked if I wanted to meet the woman. I said yes that it would be ok.
August 13-14, 2012
They repeatedly texted me all day long checking in with me to see how I was doing.
August 15, 2012
Agency employee picked me up about 1:30pm for my Dr. A appointment. My appointment was at 2:00PM. I was late for every appointment with them. The only time I made it on time was when I went to an appointment by myself. Every time Agency employee I relied on Agency employee to get me to my appointments she arrived late to my house and I was late by 15-30 minutes every appointment. Agency owner was already in the waiting room. They call my name. I went to get weighed while Agency owner and Agency employee went into the exam room. After being weighed I went into the exam room. I sit on the exam table while Agency employee sat and Agency owner stood up. Dr. A comes in. I had consented to Agency owner and Agency employee being in the room either in writing or verbally. Dr. A started talking about my amnio results and he said that it was showing that my baby’s lungs were too immature and my baby was too small for the due date that I had been given based on a previous ultrasound. He was still talking, when Agency employee interrupted him to ask him how accurate this test was to determine lung development. Dr. A then started to explain and then she cut him off again to ask him when a c-section would be scheduled. Then he said that he couldn’t book the c-section because he wanted me to have ultrasounds to monitor development of my baby and let “nature take its course”. He said he would like the “baby to cook as long as possible.” After he said that she said “how can you be really sure of what the due date would be because the 2 ultrasounds were showing 2 different due dates and that because I needed a c-section that it would need to be a scheduled c-section.” Dr. A became annoyed with Agency employee’s questions and said that he would like to speak to Rachel alone please. They got their stuff and said they would wait outside for me. Dr. A then said “it was good to speak to me alone.” He was saying that my iron was long and that I had to continue taking my iron supplements and he was waiting for my lab results for a pregnancy panel (bloodwork). That’s when he started to talk about how I needed to have the Cord Doppler because he thought the cord might be restricted in some way and this might be causing the slow growth. He encouraged me to eat more so the baby would gain more weight faster. He said “it was a lot easier to talk to me when I am by myself because they interrupt too much.” Then I went out to the waiting room and Agency employee and Agency owner were there. They asked me to fill them in on what the doctor said and I told them that he wanted to do the Cord Doppler to see if there were any restrictions on the cord.
August 17, 2012
Ultrasound booked for 3pm & NST. Agency employee picked me up. I was in the waiting room, Agency employee came in with me and again asked all sorts of questions. She appeared amazed at the ultrasounds and even said how she had not seen an ultrasound let alone a 3D ultrasound since her daughter was born 13 years ago. Ultrasound appointment was over. Agency employee and I went in her car and she took me to a McDonald’s where Agency owner and the woman were. Agency owner and Agency employee left me and the woman to talk. We talked for about 20 minutes because she had to go to work. We all went outside and I went into Agency employee’s car and she drove me home. She asked me what I thought of the woman. I told her that I thought she was seemed nice but it didn’t feel right. I didn’t feel right about the whole thing. I felt sick about the whole thing. Then she said that if I didn’t feel comfortable with this couple that is when she told me about this new couple that she just did a home study for she felt that “in her heart were the perfect match because we had so much in common.” She said she knew them well that they both work from home, that he was in the military as I had been, that they had family in Portugal, they were in the process of going to Portugal in October to obtain property. Our entire ride home for 50 minutes she talked about the couple. They were in the business of flipping homes. They had a vegetable garden that they gave her vegetables to her when she went to do their home study. They had 2 dogs. She was a very clean person kept a very well kept home. They never once gave me a profile of this couple.
August 19, 2012
I received a phone call from Agency owner’s phone but it was Agency employee calling to arrange for me to meet the woman that I had not even seen the profile of. I met with the woman at Burger King. She told me about herself about her husband who is some kind of diplomat in Portugal. Her mother is coming to visit. She told me about her growing up. How hard it has been having a child of their own. How they had a surrogate already and it didn’t take. Told me about their dogs and her husband and his US military background. She is an Italian citizenship she just got her US citizenship. Her brother is an Italian diplomat. We talked about my background a little bit. She asked me about my kids and it was amazing that I had 5 kids and kept it all together and I must be really good at mothering. She asked me if my kids do well in school and I told her that they are all on the honour role and they never get into trouble. We talked for about 40 minutes. Then we were done and Agency employee brought me home. On the drive home Agency employee asked me what I thought of her and if I liked her and if I wanted to meet the husband. Agency employee told me that there was no rush as this couple was already set up with another pregnant person (birthmother) who was due in 5 months, I said that I wanted to think about it.
August 20, 2012
Several phone calls from Agency employee. One to confirm appointment the next day. I would receive between 3-4 and up to 12 texts per day from them and 2 phone calls and up to 4-5 phone calls per day even since I made contact with them in June.
August 21, 2012
2:30pm Ultrasound appointment & NST.Agency employee picked me up. Agency employee came into ultrasound room with me again without permission, without my consent either explicit or implicit. I went into pre-term labour sometime between 2:30pm and 3pm during the ultrasound and I was admitted to hospital. Agency employee stayed with me for awhile and then Agency owner came. Agency owner and Agency employee thought I was going to have my baby that day so they stuck around. Doctor was checking my dilation to see if and I was only 1cm. The first drug did not work to stop the labour, the second drug did work, he said that if it didn’t work that I would have to be put on a 3rd drug. Agency owner and Agency employee thought I was going to have my baby that day. The hospital even gave me a steroid shot in case my baby came that day for his lungs. Agency owner arrived around 5pm or so and Agency employee and Agency owner came and went and they would leave to make phone calls. Agency employee and Agency owner were asking how I was feeling and who was going to look after my kids over night and if I had to call anybody to look after them. My kids were with their father already so it was all worked out. I texted Ex hubby (but legal father) to let him know what was going on. I stayed in the hospital for 4 nights. Agency owner and Agency employee left around 8pm that night.
August 22, 2012
Agency employee and Agency owner both came by the hospital they came around 10am and they were there for about 2 hours. Several text messages from Agency owner’s phone. Most text that I got since making contact with the agency from Agency owner saying something like “hurry up and have that baby already because it is effecting your health and it is taking a toll on you.” I would receive between 3-4 and up to 12 texts per day from them and 2 phone calls and up to 4-5 phone calls per day ever since I made contact with them in June. I got transferred to another room. They didn’t really come see me after that on that day.
August 23, 2012
Ultrasound. This was the only ultrasound that I went to by myself. It felt pretty good to have this ultrasound without them being present and encroaching on me. Agency owner never came this day. Agency employee came to see me around 5pm as I was supposed to be discharged at that time. I was discharged at 7pm and then no one had looked at my blood work and my hemoglobin was at 7.2 which is dangerously low (blood was drawn and tested in the morning) and low enough to have a stroke. I was walking out the doors of the hospital and I was stopped at the nurses’ station and I was instructed to get back in bed because my blood was dangerously low. Agency employee was annoyed. I got an IV with iron the bag it was red. Told me to call her if I needed anything on the 24 hour number. Then she went home. I was then moved from a private room and moved into a recovery room which was a shared room. Agency employee didn’t really talk to me and left.
August 24, 2012
Agency owner came to visit me at 9am and she left at 9:15am. She left some books for me to read. I got a transfusion this morning at about 9:30am. The hematologist, Dr. M, came and saw me in the morning and explained to me why I couldn’t leave the night before. We made an appointment for me to see him that Monday at his office. They gave me a prescription of pills to take every 4 hours. I was discharged around 8pm. I have my discharge paperwork from that day. When I was discharged by the doctor that day it was 10 or 15 minutes until I could leave at Regional Hospital, it was very quick. Agency employee and Agency owner were both with me at discharge time and on the way out Agency owner saw hospital staff social worker and they were talking back and forth about how great friends they were. Agency owner told me in front of hospital staff social worker that in the past she was a Child Protection Investigator (CPI) and that hospital staff social worker and her had worked on a special case together. They hugged each other. Hospital staff social worker said to me that “I am sure that we will get well acquainted.” We said good-bye and it was nice meeting her and we left. Agency employee drove me home. Agency employee told me that I needed to rest. She asked me how I was feeling. I said I was tired. She said that I should just have this baby already so you just worry about myself and my health because she said the baby was taking a toll on me.
August 25-26, 2012
Agency owner and Agency employee still texting me all weekend.
August 27, 2012
Appointment with Dr. M. I went to this appointment with my ex-husband. Agency owner and Agency employee were working on another pregnant girl so they were not able to drive me. I got another infusion that day and Benadryl. I went home and relaxed.
August 28, 2012
3pm ultrasound and NST– I cancelled the appointment because I was feeling too tired to go in. Agency owner texted me and asked me how I was feeling. Asked me if I was having contractions. Agency owner suggested that I should stop taking the pills or maybe miss a few doses that had been prescribed at the hospital for the preterm labour. I thought she was crazy for saying this and obviously didn’t listen to her. I just relaxed at home for the next couple of days. I was looking after my daughters of 9 and 13 at the time.
August 29, 2012
Agency employee and Agency owner still texting me. They said that if I had contractions to not hesitate to call and they would come and get me at 50 minutes away and they would then drive me another 50 minutes to the hospital. I already had a plan on my doctor’s advice and we would call 911 and I would be transported to Regional by ambulance for an emergency C-Section as I was told that both myself and my baby might not make it if we didn’t get to the hospital quickly. Agency employee and Agency owner were both aware of the necessity of me getting to the hospital quickly so I don’t understand why they would suggest to drive me there.
August 30, 2012
Agency owner and Agency employee still texting me.
August 31, 2012
Ultrasound and NST appointment. Agency employee picked me up and drove me to my appointment. She came in. Agency employee and Agency owner asked a bunch of personal questions to the technician, technician gave her the answers. Still no consent from me to have her in the room. Agency owner came to this appointment. Agency employee drove me home. On the drive home Agency employee talked about her daughter. Her family had gone on a cruise before I had made contact with the agency. The day they were going on the cruise her little brother had thrown her IPOD and broke it and they were looking for a place to get it fixed or replaced. It was almost always the same technician for all of my ultrasound appointments.
September 1-3, 2012
Long weekend. Relaxing at home. On the 1st I got about 3 texts from Agency owner. Sun and Mon nothing from either of them.
September 4, 2012
Ultrasound and NST 2:30pm. Agency employee picked me up. Agency owner not in waiting room. Agency employee came into appointment and asks a bunch of personal questions. Still no consent from me for her to be there. I was told that my amnio fluid was starting to get low. They told me to make sure to drink plenty of fluids. Agency employee asked an additional question how the lungs of my baby were developed and if there was a big change in his size. Technician answered all of her questions. Then Agency employee drove me home. Agency employee talked asked how my kids were doing. I told her that normally starting in September my kids will go up to visit my parents until the winter break and go to school up there. This year my kids didn’t want to go because they were worried about me, so they stayed with me.
September 5, 2012
Dr. M appointment at 3:30pm. I went by myself because I was tired of them being in my appointment. Blood transfusion and Benedryl that day.
September 6, 2012
Relaxing at home. Agency owner texted me about my appointment the next day to find out when to pick me up.
September 7, 2012
I had an ob/gyn appt at 12:30 at Dr. A’s office at (street address here).
agency employee and agency owner attended the Dr. visit with me during my visit with Dr. A.
He asked me how I was feeling, we reviewed bloodwork that I had done and also covered the results of the amniocentesis that I had done in mid August 2012.
Agency employee asked Dr. A about a date for the c-section. Dr. told Agency employee that he was not going to schedule a c-section as Grayson’s lungs were not mature enough per the results from the amnio.
Agency employee was making comments about my health to Dr. A, and that she was concerned about me. Dr. A advised her that he could not do a c-section until Grayson’s lungs were developed, and gave an estimate that the earliest date would be Sept 30.
After my appt, Agency employee and Agency owner drove me to my 3pm appt to get my blood infusion at the FL Cancer Institute. I was administered an IV with Benadryl. This was normal procedure for me as I am allergic to the blood. Because the Benadryl makes me very drowsy and incapacitates me, I needed someone to drive me for this day. That is why Agency employee and Agency owner were with me.
After I received my blood infusion, we then went to my 5pm appt at Regional Hospital Center for my ultrasound and NST (fetal non-stress test). During my ultrasound the tech noticed that my amnio fluid levels had continued to drop. So, while I went to have my NST done, contractions started and got stronger and stronger. One of the midwives checked my cervix and I was dilated to 2 cm. Midwife also advised me that Dr. A had called back and advised that it was time to deliver Grayson because of the seriousness of the low amnio fluid level.
The staff at the hospital started prepping me for surgery (I was having a c-section), and Agency owner and Agency employee immediately went into hammering me with questions about if I would to contact the couple that wanted to adopt Grayson, and other questions about a birthing plan. Questions like, could the woman who wanted to adopt Grayson have a bracelet, did I want the couple at the hospital, was it ok if the couple held Grayson. I was not focused on these things and was worried about my son as the Dr. was just telling me that his lungs were not developed in order to be born. I was very overwhelmed by their questions and everything was happening so fast. Agency owner and Agency employee continued to question me regarding the couple and the adoption.
I could not answer any of their questions, nor did I answer any of their questions because I was getting prepped for an emergency c-section. I found out later that Agency owner arranged to have the couple come to the hospital without my consent, I also found out after the fact that they had obtained a baby bracelet without my consentt, I still do not know if they held my baby.
I then went in to surgery and Grayson was born at 9:36 pm. He weighed 6 lbs 2 oz and was 19” long and he was healthy.
After the surgery was finished, I was taken to my room at the hospital (Room #15), and Dr. A came along with me and checked on me and asked why I was considering adoption. He said I didn’t have to answer him and that he had nothing against it as he had adopted one of his children.
I told him I was not positive that I was going to choose adoption and that I was still considering parenting Grayson. He told me to ‘really think about what I was doing’ and then said ‘Do not let them bully you.’ And he left the room.
Grayson was brought into the room about 10 minutes later as the nurses had finished checking him over, cleaning him up and I found out he had already been fed with a bottle which was contrary to what I had wanted to do. I wanted to breastfeed as I have breastfed all of my children and no one asked me if I wanted to breast or bottle feed.
While I was in surgery, Agency employee and Agency owner called the couple that wanted to adopt Grayson and had them come to the hospital.
Agency employee and Agency owner came into my room to check on me while a nurse was hooking up my IV and they had asked if the couple could come in to the room. I told them I did not want to see them. They then left and Grayson and I spent our first night together.
Saturday September 8, 2012
Around lunchtime Agency owner comes to my hospital room and made small talk and then asked again when the couple could come see Grayson. I requested she hold off and I would let her know at a later time. Agency owner then left.
Around 6pm Agency owner called to check on me and see if I needed anything. She asked if she and Agency employee could stop by my room. I said that would be fine.
About 30 minutes later, they both showed up. They looked at Grayson and complimented me on him as he looked so good for being born so early.
While Agency owner and Agency employee were there the woman who wanted to adopt Grayson texted Agency owner and Agency owner then read the text out loud to me. It said, ‘How is Rachel doing and when can we come by to see her and the baby?’
I responded and said I still didn’t want to see them.
Agency owner and Agency employee stayed a little while longer and they then went to get something to eat around 8pm and they said they would come back to check to see if I needed anything before they went home for the night.
Right after they left, a nurse came in and took out my catheter and removed the braces they had put on my legs to ensure I wouldn’t get any blood clots. This was shortly after 8pm.
Then Agency owner and Agency employee came back to my room around 9:30pm and just checked in and said they would be in contact in the morning.
Sunday September 9, 2012
I took a shower around 8am and Grayson and I were spending time together in my room.
Around 10 am Agency employee texted me to ask if the woman who wanted to adopt Grayson could come by and bring me lunch. I told her I didn’t want anything as I didn’t feel well, and that it was ok for her to come by and visit. Agency employee relayed the message to the woman. The woman then texted me around 12pm and said that her and her husband were a few minutes away and I responded ‘OK’.
The couple shows up in my room and Grayson had just been taken from the room for a routine checkup as they arrived. He was brought back to my room about 20 minutes after they had arrived.
They stayed for another hour and then left. The woman said she wanted to come back later and that she would text me when she was back in the area and they left.
The woman texted me saying she was dropping her husband off at home and if it was OK for her to come back to visit. I replied ‘OK’.
She arrived 5 – 10 minutes later. While she was there she said Agency owner had texted her asking how I was doing and she informed Agency owner she was visiting with me.
Agency owner and Agency employee then arrived unexpectedly and unannounced about 8pm in my room. They were interested in knowing if I had made a decision and asked if I was still considering placing Grayson for adoption. They told me I had all night and that they knew it was a difficult decision and to think about what I had planned for my future and how I would be spreading myself thin with all my children. Then Agency owner went to look for the paperwork in her briefcase to leave with me that I would be signing. Just as she found it the announcement that visiting hours were over came over the loud speaker and Agency owner said, we will go over this tomorrow and they both left shortly after 10pm.
I spent what I didn’t know would be my last night with Grayson.
Monday September 10, 2012
I texted Agency owner shortly after 8am and told her that I had a hard night, that I didn’t sleep and I was not sure I could go through with it and I wanted to talk to her.
Agency owner arrived at my room just before 9am and I told her that I was having second thoughts and she then said she would call Agency employee so I could talk to her. I told her that it wouldn’t matter who I talked to. She asked if I wanted to go for a walk and so while Grayson went to nursery for a routine checkup, we walked to the cafeteria. I continued to tell her that I couldn’t do it. She asked if I wanted to talk to ‘K’ who is a counselor that the agency sub-contracts with. I agreed to speak with ‘K’.
Agency owner contacted K and K said she couldn’t meet with me until after 12pm.
We then walked back to my room.
Agency employee then arrived around 10am and started asking why I was having a hard time, and trying to find out why I told her that I was thinking about telling my kids about not bringing Grayson home and that I didn’t want to do that to them.
Agency employee said I had a choice and to think about Grayson that the couple could give him the life that I couldn’t give him and that I had met the family and that they were good people.
I just told her I needed time to think about it.
Agency employee said that they needed to know an answer because the woman needed to come to the hospital and make a payment for Grayson to be circumcised, even though I was telling them I wasn’t sure about doing this.
Just after lunch the hospital social worker hospital staff social worker came to my room.
Agency owner and Agency employee were asked to leave the room by her.
She asked me why I was considering placing Grayson and she wanted to make a list of pros and cons and told me that I had to make the decision for myself and that she couldn’t make it for me and she gave me her # and if I needed to talk to her, and she left after about 15 minutes.
Agency owner and Agency employee came back into my room
They asked me to measure how I felt about placing – was it 50/50, 70/30? I told them I was still not sure. Then K arrived at about 2pm.
Agency employee and Agency owner left the room and said, ‘You’re in good hands.’
I told K the same thing I told Agency employee and Agency owner. K asked me about future plans, what kind of life I would be able to give Grayson. I said I have a lot of help from my parents, and that I would make it work. She gave me her name and # and said whatever my decision was she would be happy to give me any kind of counseling, and then she left. She was there about 20 minutes total.
Grayson and I were together and then Agency owner texted me and asked how it was going with K. I told her K had already left.
I texted Ex hubby (but legal father) at 2:24PM and asked him to purchase a car seat to take Grayson home in and he replied that he would pick one up. Ex hubby (but legal father) texted me at 3:30PM letting me know that he purchased one. We have a receipt for this purchase.
Agency employee and Agency owner then showed up at 2:40pm uninvited to my room. Agency employee was on the phone. While she finished her conversation Agency owner asked me if I liked K. Agency owner told me that her and Agency employee had gone out for lunch while they were waiting for K and I to finish up. Agency owner said if I had any questions I could call K. Agency employee got off the phone. Agency employee asked me if I had made a decision because Tim and Melena were coming to the hospital to pay for his circumcision. I told them that I had decided Grayson was coming home to stay with me. Agency employee appeared very angry that I had made this decision. Her lips were pursed, she kept looking at her phone, she was avoiding eye contact and she appeared agitated. Her eyes would dart back and forth between the phone and Grayson, she did not look at me. Agency employee’s tone of voice towards me totally changed. Agency employee said that if I wasn’t sure, that there was a foster home Grayson could be placed in. I then said “No I want him to come home with me.” and then Agency employee said in a snappy tone, “That’s fine that is was your decision, and we will need to start the paperwork to get the expenses back.” I told them to let me know what the full amount was so I can make sure it got to them. She said she would have to do up the paperwork to calculate out the expenses. Agency employee gave me a card to send the payment to and would give me an invoice for their expenses. I did sign a document to pay back the expenses they paid to me. The document stated that if I decided to parent my baby that I would have to pay back the expenses. They never did provide me with a copy of this document after I signed it. Then she appeared angry and said that she would have to let the couple know and I said I was sorry. Agency employee appeared angry. They got up, wished me luck and walked out of my room around 4:30 pm.
I then called my sister-in-law Isabelle to come get Grayson and I that we were ready to come home. Isabelle’s husband Rick came along and so did Ex hubby (but legal father), my ex-husband.
They arrived at my room at approximately 5:20 pm.
Dr. A came into my room just after they had arrived. He asked me if everyone was going home and I replied ‘Yes.’ He told me to make an appt in two weeks for myself with him and to make an appt for Grayson in two days with a pediatrician as he had a little bit of jaundice that they wanted to check out. He said Grayson was a tough little guy and wished us well. He also said a nurse would be bringing in my prescription and discharge papers and he left the room.
We then waited for the nurses to come and start the discharge process. We waited an hour and no one showed up.
The next thing that happens is that the woman who wanted to adopt Grayson shows up in my room unannounced and uninvited. She said that she brought some clothes that she bought for the baby and put the bag down and started towards the door. I got out of bed and followed her out into the hallway.
Her husband was out there waiting.
I told her I had chosen to parent Grayson and I’m sure Agency owner will contact her to let her know. She started crying and I told them it wasn’t anything that they did and I did say if I were to place him that I would have felt comfortable with them but that I was not going to place him.
She hugged me, and they left.
I went back into the room and 10 minutes later Agency owner opened my room door, uninvited and unannounced and said, ‘Oops, I didn’t realize you had company,’ and asked me to come out in the hallway with her.
We went into the hallway and she told me that she needed the phone back that they had given me because the lawyer said that anything that was purchased needed to be returned. I said that’s fine and told her I wanted to remove my personal information and she said she couldn’t wait because she had to go return the phone before Wal-Mart closes.
I handed her the phone and she left at about 6:45pm.
A nurse came in and she confirmed I talked to the Dr., and reminded me to schedule a follow up appt and I said yes and she handed me the prescription for my pain medication and my discharge paperwork to sign, which I did.
She asked if Grayson was my first, and I said no I had other children at home. She asked if they were excited about their baby brother and I said yes. She wished us luck and told me to get as much rest as I could and to be sure to take care of myself and she left the room.
Then a nurse came in with my pain medication (Percocet) around 8pm, and my sister-in-law asked how much longer it was going to be before we could leave and she said she would check and we didn’t hear anything.
So, after waiting another 30 minutes for Grayson’s paperwork and his alarm band to be removed, I walked to the nurses’ station to ask for it and they said someone would be right with me. I went back and waited another 40 minutes and hit the call button and requested Grayson’s discharge papers, and again was told that someone would be down.
We waited some more and my ex-husband Ex hubby (but legal father) went to the nurses’ station at about 9:30pm and requested to be discharged again. They told him there was only 1 nurse in the nursery and she was very busy and for us to be patient.
10 minutes later the nurse came in to remove his bracelet and give us his discharge paperwork. She complimented me on Grayson and wished us luck.
My sister in law and ex-husband strapped Grayson in his car seat.
The men then left to carry my items from the hospital room and put them in the car a few minutes before Isabelle and I left the room.
My sister in law and I then walked out with her carrying Grayson.
I was slow & Isabelle made it to the car with Grayson before I did. I was slower from just having surgery.
Then, I hear Agency owner yell my name across the parking lot, she was near her vehicle. She approached me and told me she needed to talk to me because I was going to go to jail. I asked her why. She had the phone she took from me up to her ear and was talking to someone and she said to the person, ‘She’s right here I’ll give you the phone and you can talk to her.’ I said ‘Hello’ and it was Bio-dad. He asked me why I was trying to run out of the hospital. I said, I wasn’t running as I just had surgery. I told him Isabelle had Grayson in the car to go home. He said I needed to think about what I was doing because I was going to go to jail that I couldn’t take ‘that baby home’. I said I didn’t understand what he was talking about and asked why he thought I was going to jail? He said that Agency owner told him that I had lied to them about him and gave them wrong information. I told him that wasn’t true and that I needed to pay back the expenses and he said Agency owner told him that I was given $5,000 and if I don’t sign over the baby that I would go to jail for ‘a felonly’.
I told him it wasn’t true. He started arguing and we hung up.
Agency owner then asked me to come over to her vehicle and my family followed in the car.
They were overhearing the conversation, and I asked if I could talk to an attorney tomorrow and she said, ‘No, you have to sign or you go to jail.’
Then she flagged down a couple leaving the hospital going to their vehicle and asked them to witness me signing TPR. They declined and stated that they were not comfortable signing anything and then they left.
Agency owner kept saying it had to be done tonight and to think of the kids at home, they needed their mom and that their mom doesn’t need to be in jail.
My family then got out of the car and my ex husband was asking what had to happen for Grayson to come home and asked if he could take custody of Grayson and Agency owner said ‘No, either she signs the paper or goes to jail tonight.’
Then my brother in law and sister in law finally agreed to witness the paper to keep me from going to jail.
But before signing, they asked to take Grayson home and Agency owner said no Grayson needed to be taken to the couple who were adopting Grayson tonight.
Then Agency owner gave Ex hubby (but legal father) his one document, and again stated if he didn’t sign it they would come after him for child support. He then signed the document. Isabelle and Rick signed the document as witnesses. She then told me I could have a felony if I didn’t give Grayson to her.
While I was talking to her and told her again I wanted to keep my son with me, she turned to Ex hubby (but legal father) and Rick and said, ‘Could you guys please see if you can get the baby in the car?’ They did.
She got in her car and I said goodbye to Grayson and we got in our car and drove away.
It was 12:15 am
Why I didn’t call the police:
I was under the influence of drugs.
I trusted Agency owner was telling me the truth.
I was exhausted, and after standing in the parking lot for 2 hours just couldn’t take any more.
I didn't know my rights, and agency owner was VERY convincing.
The note I'm sharing with you is @ https://www.facebook.com/notes/justice-for-grayson/rachels-statement-to-sheriffs-dept-for-kidnapping-report/127354994081660
Rachel's statement to Sheriff's Dept for kidnapping report
by Justice for Grayson on Tuesday, October 23, 2012 at 5:02am
I would like to make a Missing Children’s Report and report a kidnapping.
July 30, 2012
Before noon – I contacted adoption agency for information only by email. I was weighing out all of my options and had not decided on anything. Agency owner emailed me back and asked for my phone number and she called me after 5 minutes of me providing her my number. Agency owner asked me to meet with her. She brought Agency employee with her and did not tell me Agency employee would be coming too. I met with them the same day about 40 minutes after the phone call. Their office is 40 minutes from my house. They came to my house to pick me up and took me to McDonalds to talk. Mostly Agency owner spoke and asked what information I wanted, what I wanted, what I was looking for, they asked me about my doctor, they said they had a really good one, they said that the doctor I had didn’t sound that great, they could get me in that week to meet with one of their doctors, then they asked me if I wanted to do that, then they gave me some information, it was a booklet or something which I threw out that same week because I had decided at that time that I didn’t want my baby adopted.
July 31, 2012
Early afternoon - Agency employee phoned me to say they could get me in on the 2nd to see Dr. A for an appointment to see if I liked him. They said that if I needed a ride they would drive me as Dr. A was 50 min. away from my house. My previous doc was only 15 min away. Agency employee said that they could give me a ride if I needed one.
Around 6pm – Agency employee called and asked how I was feeling and to find out if I wanted a ride on the 2nd or not so they could plan out their schedule. I said I would let them know.
August 1, 2012
Early afternoon - Agency employee texted me, to find out if I wanted a ride. I said ok. About one hour later Agency employee texted back to tell me that she would be at my house at 1pm on the 2nd. I knew that Agency employee would be by herself and that we would meet Agency owner at the doctor’s.
August 2, 2012
12:15 approx. Agency employee texted me to say she was running late to pick me up for 1pm.
1:20pm Agency employee arrived to pick me up.
2:30pm we arrived at Dr. Office and Agency owner was already there. I went in to get my weight done and they went into the exam room while I was getting my weight done. They never asked me prior to this if they could be in any of my appointments. I felt intruded on but didn’t know what my rights were. When I was finished getting my weight done I went into the exam room where Agency owner and Agency employee were waiting. I had not signed anything with the doctor to give permission to have them be in any appointments. Agency owner and Agency employee asked me if it was ok if they were in the room and I agreed for only this appointment despite my apprehensions, I felt I had no choice because they were already in the room and they booked the appointment for me. A midwife came in the room and she introduced herself as “V” Craw and she works for Dr. A. The midwife asked a bunch of personal information in front of Agency owner and Agency employee such as my birth date, previous pregnancy, how many pregnancies, were the pregnancies normal, any previous c-sections. Then V asked if I knew when my due date was. Then Agency employee asked to have an ultrasound done to get the exact date as my date was unsure. Then V asked who Agency owner and Agency employee were. Agency employee and Agency owner said they were an adoption agency and then V asked if this is an adoption baby. I said it was not a sure thing. V then asked if it was ok to have Agency owner and Agency employee in the room. I said it was ok for this day only for this appointment only and only the talking part of the appointment and not the exam. I never saw the doctor this day. I never had an exam this day. Agency employee then asked if I was going to see Dr. A this day and the midwife told her “no.” I would not have gone to all of this trouble if I had known that the doctor would not even be there and that I would not have an exam, given the fact that I was getting closer to my due date and because of my low hemoglobin and anemia that required 2 blood transfusions/week. After the appointment, Agency employee gave me a ride home. Agency employee on the drive home asked me how I liked the midwife. I said she was nice. Agency employee said she did not like Dr. A and she really wanted me to see this other female doctor but this female doctor couldn’t take me in.
August 3-9
Agency employee and Agency owner (mostly Agency owner) repeatedly texted me every day to see how I was doing. Sometimes 2-3 times per day.
August 10, 2012
1pm – Dr. A appointment. This is the very first appointment I had with Dr. A. Agency employee picked me up. Agency owner was not at the doctor’s appointment because she was meeting with another pregnant woman which she called a “birthmother.” I had an ultrasound appointment so my due date could be determined. Agency owner met us there in the waiting room. My name gets called for the ultrasound and then Agency employee and Agency owner both follow in behind me. At no time did they ask if they could be present and at no time did the ultrasound technician or any other hospital staff ask me if it was ok for them to be in the ultrasound appointment. Agency employee and Agency owner (with Agency employee doing most of the talking) are asking if the baby looks healthy, what the due date is, size, Agency employee asked if it was a boy technician trying to see but she could not confirm it, was he healthy, what rating for the health of my pregnancy my number was 8 out of 8. The technician answered all of Agency employee’s questions. Technician gave me the film and we left. Agency employee gave me a ride home. Agency employee was asking me how I was doing and she said that I was small for how far along I was.
August 13, 2012
Agency employee called from Agency owner’s cell phone and said “I had a profile that I thought you would be interested in I will bring it to your next appointment so you can look at them.”
August 14, 2012
1pm ultrasound appointment & NST. Agency employee picked me up at my house and drove me there. Agency owner was in the waiting room and handed me the profile in the waiting room. I looked at it there. They told me about them. I said they seemed nice and then I got called for my ultrasound. I gave the profile back to Agency owner before I went into my ultrasound. Both Agency employee and Agency owner came into my appointment with me. They asked the tech the same questions as last time, growth, changes in due date, health. Problem with the due date was that he was measuring too small. That is one of the reasons I had to go for the amnio. The technician answered all of their questions. At no time did anyone from the hospital have me consent to having them in the room either in writing or verbally. Afterwards they spoke to me about the profiles and asked if I wanted to meet the woman. I said yes that it would be ok.
August 13-14, 2012
They repeatedly texted me all day long checking in with me to see how I was doing.
August 15, 2012
Agency employee picked me up about 1:30pm for my Dr. A appointment. My appointment was at 2:00PM. I was late for every appointment with them. The only time I made it on time was when I went to an appointment by myself. Every time Agency employee I relied on Agency employee to get me to my appointments she arrived late to my house and I was late by 15-30 minutes every appointment. Agency owner was already in the waiting room. They call my name. I went to get weighed while Agency owner and Agency employee went into the exam room. After being weighed I went into the exam room. I sit on the exam table while Agency employee sat and Agency owner stood up. Dr. A comes in. I had consented to Agency owner and Agency employee being in the room either in writing or verbally. Dr. A started talking about my amnio results and he said that it was showing that my baby’s lungs were too immature and my baby was too small for the due date that I had been given based on a previous ultrasound. He was still talking, when Agency employee interrupted him to ask him how accurate this test was to determine lung development. Dr. A then started to explain and then she cut him off again to ask him when a c-section would be scheduled. Then he said that he couldn’t book the c-section because he wanted me to have ultrasounds to monitor development of my baby and let “nature take its course”. He said he would like the “baby to cook as long as possible.” After he said that she said “how can you be really sure of what the due date would be because the 2 ultrasounds were showing 2 different due dates and that because I needed a c-section that it would need to be a scheduled c-section.” Dr. A became annoyed with Agency employee’s questions and said that he would like to speak to Rachel alone please. They got their stuff and said they would wait outside for me. Dr. A then said “it was good to speak to me alone.” He was saying that my iron was long and that I had to continue taking my iron supplements and he was waiting for my lab results for a pregnancy panel (bloodwork). That’s when he started to talk about how I needed to have the Cord Doppler because he thought the cord might be restricted in some way and this might be causing the slow growth. He encouraged me to eat more so the baby would gain more weight faster. He said “it was a lot easier to talk to me when I am by myself because they interrupt too much.” Then I went out to the waiting room and Agency employee and Agency owner were there. They asked me to fill them in on what the doctor said and I told them that he wanted to do the Cord Doppler to see if there were any restrictions on the cord.
August 17, 2012
Ultrasound booked for 3pm & NST. Agency employee picked me up. I was in the waiting room, Agency employee came in with me and again asked all sorts of questions. She appeared amazed at the ultrasounds and even said how she had not seen an ultrasound let alone a 3D ultrasound since her daughter was born 13 years ago. Ultrasound appointment was over. Agency employee and I went in her car and she took me to a McDonald’s where Agency owner and the woman were. Agency owner and Agency employee left me and the woman to talk. We talked for about 20 minutes because she had to go to work. We all went outside and I went into Agency employee’s car and she drove me home. She asked me what I thought of the woman. I told her that I thought she was seemed nice but it didn’t feel right. I didn’t feel right about the whole thing. I felt sick about the whole thing. Then she said that if I didn’t feel comfortable with this couple that is when she told me about this new couple that she just did a home study for she felt that “in her heart were the perfect match because we had so much in common.” She said she knew them well that they both work from home, that he was in the military as I had been, that they had family in Portugal, they were in the process of going to Portugal in October to obtain property. Our entire ride home for 50 minutes she talked about the couple. They were in the business of flipping homes. They had a vegetable garden that they gave her vegetables to her when she went to do their home study. They had 2 dogs. She was a very clean person kept a very well kept home. They never once gave me a profile of this couple.
August 19, 2012
I received a phone call from Agency owner’s phone but it was Agency employee calling to arrange for me to meet the woman that I had not even seen the profile of. I met with the woman at Burger King. She told me about herself about her husband who is some kind of diplomat in Portugal. Her mother is coming to visit. She told me about her growing up. How hard it has been having a child of their own. How they had a surrogate already and it didn’t take. Told me about their dogs and her husband and his US military background. She is an Italian citizenship she just got her US citizenship. Her brother is an Italian diplomat. We talked about my background a little bit. She asked me about my kids and it was amazing that I had 5 kids and kept it all together and I must be really good at mothering. She asked me if my kids do well in school and I told her that they are all on the honour role and they never get into trouble. We talked for about 40 minutes. Then we were done and Agency employee brought me home. On the drive home Agency employee asked me what I thought of her and if I liked her and if I wanted to meet the husband. Agency employee told me that there was no rush as this couple was already set up with another pregnant person (birthmother) who was due in 5 months, I said that I wanted to think about it.
August 20, 2012
Several phone calls from Agency employee. One to confirm appointment the next day. I would receive between 3-4 and up to 12 texts per day from them and 2 phone calls and up to 4-5 phone calls per day even since I made contact with them in June.
August 21, 2012
2:30pm Ultrasound appointment & NST.Agency employee picked me up. Agency employee came into ultrasound room with me again without permission, without my consent either explicit or implicit. I went into pre-term labour sometime between 2:30pm and 3pm during the ultrasound and I was admitted to hospital. Agency employee stayed with me for awhile and then Agency owner came. Agency owner and Agency employee thought I was going to have my baby that day so they stuck around. Doctor was checking my dilation to see if and I was only 1cm. The first drug did not work to stop the labour, the second drug did work, he said that if it didn’t work that I would have to be put on a 3rd drug. Agency owner and Agency employee thought I was going to have my baby that day. The hospital even gave me a steroid shot in case my baby came that day for his lungs. Agency owner arrived around 5pm or so and Agency employee and Agency owner came and went and they would leave to make phone calls. Agency employee and Agency owner were asking how I was feeling and who was going to look after my kids over night and if I had to call anybody to look after them. My kids were with their father already so it was all worked out. I texted Ex hubby (but legal father) to let him know what was going on. I stayed in the hospital for 4 nights. Agency owner and Agency employee left around 8pm that night.
August 22, 2012
Agency employee and Agency owner both came by the hospital they came around 10am and they were there for about 2 hours. Several text messages from Agency owner’s phone. Most text that I got since making contact with the agency from Agency owner saying something like “hurry up and have that baby already because it is effecting your health and it is taking a toll on you.” I would receive between 3-4 and up to 12 texts per day from them and 2 phone calls and up to 4-5 phone calls per day ever since I made contact with them in June. I got transferred to another room. They didn’t really come see me after that on that day.
August 23, 2012
Ultrasound. This was the only ultrasound that I went to by myself. It felt pretty good to have this ultrasound without them being present and encroaching on me. Agency owner never came this day. Agency employee came to see me around 5pm as I was supposed to be discharged at that time. I was discharged at 7pm and then no one had looked at my blood work and my hemoglobin was at 7.2 which is dangerously low (blood was drawn and tested in the morning) and low enough to have a stroke. I was walking out the doors of the hospital and I was stopped at the nurses’ station and I was instructed to get back in bed because my blood was dangerously low. Agency employee was annoyed. I got an IV with iron the bag it was red. Told me to call her if I needed anything on the 24 hour number. Then she went home. I was then moved from a private room and moved into a recovery room which was a shared room. Agency employee didn’t really talk to me and left.
August 24, 2012
Agency owner came to visit me at 9am and she left at 9:15am. She left some books for me to read. I got a transfusion this morning at about 9:30am. The hematologist, Dr. M, came and saw me in the morning and explained to me why I couldn’t leave the night before. We made an appointment for me to see him that Monday at his office. They gave me a prescription of pills to take every 4 hours. I was discharged around 8pm. I have my discharge paperwork from that day. When I was discharged by the doctor that day it was 10 or 15 minutes until I could leave at Regional Hospital, it was very quick. Agency employee and Agency owner were both with me at discharge time and on the way out Agency owner saw hospital staff social worker and they were talking back and forth about how great friends they were. Agency owner told me in front of hospital staff social worker that in the past she was a Child Protection Investigator (CPI) and that hospital staff social worker and her had worked on a special case together. They hugged each other. Hospital staff social worker said to me that “I am sure that we will get well acquainted.” We said good-bye and it was nice meeting her and we left. Agency employee drove me home. Agency employee told me that I needed to rest. She asked me how I was feeling. I said I was tired. She said that I should just have this baby already so you just worry about myself and my health because she said the baby was taking a toll on me.
August 25-26, 2012
Agency owner and Agency employee still texting me all weekend.
August 27, 2012
Appointment with Dr. M. I went to this appointment with my ex-husband. Agency owner and Agency employee were working on another pregnant girl so they were not able to drive me. I got another infusion that day and Benadryl. I went home and relaxed.
August 28, 2012
3pm ultrasound and NST– I cancelled the appointment because I was feeling too tired to go in. Agency owner texted me and asked me how I was feeling. Asked me if I was having contractions. Agency owner suggested that I should stop taking the pills or maybe miss a few doses that had been prescribed at the hospital for the preterm labour. I thought she was crazy for saying this and obviously didn’t listen to her. I just relaxed at home for the next couple of days. I was looking after my daughters of 9 and 13 at the time.
August 29, 2012
Agency employee and Agency owner still texting me. They said that if I had contractions to not hesitate to call and they would come and get me at 50 minutes away and they would then drive me another 50 minutes to the hospital. I already had a plan on my doctor’s advice and we would call 911 and I would be transported to Regional by ambulance for an emergency C-Section as I was told that both myself and my baby might not make it if we didn’t get to the hospital quickly. Agency employee and Agency owner were both aware of the necessity of me getting to the hospital quickly so I don’t understand why they would suggest to drive me there.
August 30, 2012
Agency owner and Agency employee still texting me.
August 31, 2012
Ultrasound and NST appointment. Agency employee picked me up and drove me to my appointment. She came in. Agency employee and Agency owner asked a bunch of personal questions to the technician, technician gave her the answers. Still no consent from me to have her in the room. Agency owner came to this appointment. Agency employee drove me home. On the drive home Agency employee talked about her daughter. Her family had gone on a cruise before I had made contact with the agency. The day they were going on the cruise her little brother had thrown her IPOD and broke it and they were looking for a place to get it fixed or replaced. It was almost always the same technician for all of my ultrasound appointments.
September 1-3, 2012
Long weekend. Relaxing at home. On the 1st I got about 3 texts from Agency owner. Sun and Mon nothing from either of them.
September 4, 2012
Ultrasound and NST 2:30pm. Agency employee picked me up. Agency owner not in waiting room. Agency employee came into appointment and asks a bunch of personal questions. Still no consent from me for her to be there. I was told that my amnio fluid was starting to get low. They told me to make sure to drink plenty of fluids. Agency employee asked an additional question how the lungs of my baby were developed and if there was a big change in his size. Technician answered all of her questions. Then Agency employee drove me home. Agency employee talked asked how my kids were doing. I told her that normally starting in September my kids will go up to visit my parents until the winter break and go to school up there. This year my kids didn’t want to go because they were worried about me, so they stayed with me.
September 5, 2012
Dr. M appointment at 3:30pm. I went by myself because I was tired of them being in my appointment. Blood transfusion and Benedryl that day.
September 6, 2012
Relaxing at home. Agency owner texted me about my appointment the next day to find out when to pick me up.
September 7, 2012
I had an ob/gyn appt at 12:30 at Dr. A’s office at (street address here).
agency employee and agency owner attended the Dr. visit with me during my visit with Dr. A.
He asked me how I was feeling, we reviewed bloodwork that I had done and also covered the results of the amniocentesis that I had done in mid August 2012.
Agency employee asked Dr. A about a date for the c-section. Dr. told Agency employee that he was not going to schedule a c-section as Grayson’s lungs were not mature enough per the results from the amnio.
Agency employee was making comments about my health to Dr. A, and that she was concerned about me. Dr. A advised her that he could not do a c-section until Grayson’s lungs were developed, and gave an estimate that the earliest date would be Sept 30.
After my appt, Agency employee and Agency owner drove me to my 3pm appt to get my blood infusion at the FL Cancer Institute. I was administered an IV with Benadryl. This was normal procedure for me as I am allergic to the blood. Because the Benadryl makes me very drowsy and incapacitates me, I needed someone to drive me for this day. That is why Agency employee and Agency owner were with me.
After I received my blood infusion, we then went to my 5pm appt at Regional Hospital Center for my ultrasound and NST (fetal non-stress test). During my ultrasound the tech noticed that my amnio fluid levels had continued to drop. So, while I went to have my NST done, contractions started and got stronger and stronger. One of the midwives checked my cervix and I was dilated to 2 cm. Midwife also advised me that Dr. A had called back and advised that it was time to deliver Grayson because of the seriousness of the low amnio fluid level.
The staff at the hospital started prepping me for surgery (I was having a c-section), and Agency owner and Agency employee immediately went into hammering me with questions about if I would to contact the couple that wanted to adopt Grayson, and other questions about a birthing plan. Questions like, could the woman who wanted to adopt Grayson have a bracelet, did I want the couple at the hospital, was it ok if the couple held Grayson. I was not focused on these things and was worried about my son as the Dr. was just telling me that his lungs were not developed in order to be born. I was very overwhelmed by their questions and everything was happening so fast. Agency owner and Agency employee continued to question me regarding the couple and the adoption.
I could not answer any of their questions, nor did I answer any of their questions because I was getting prepped for an emergency c-section. I found out later that Agency owner arranged to have the couple come to the hospital without my consent, I also found out after the fact that they had obtained a baby bracelet without my consentt, I still do not know if they held my baby.
I then went in to surgery and Grayson was born at 9:36 pm. He weighed 6 lbs 2 oz and was 19” long and he was healthy.
After the surgery was finished, I was taken to my room at the hospital (Room #15), and Dr. A came along with me and checked on me and asked why I was considering adoption. He said I didn’t have to answer him and that he had nothing against it as he had adopted one of his children.
I told him I was not positive that I was going to choose adoption and that I was still considering parenting Grayson. He told me to ‘really think about what I was doing’ and then said ‘Do not let them bully you.’ And he left the room.
Grayson was brought into the room about 10 minutes later as the nurses had finished checking him over, cleaning him up and I found out he had already been fed with a bottle which was contrary to what I had wanted to do. I wanted to breastfeed as I have breastfed all of my children and no one asked me if I wanted to breast or bottle feed.
While I was in surgery, Agency employee and Agency owner called the couple that wanted to adopt Grayson and had them come to the hospital.
Agency employee and Agency owner came into my room to check on me while a nurse was hooking up my IV and they had asked if the couple could come in to the room. I told them I did not want to see them. They then left and Grayson and I spent our first night together.
Saturday September 8, 2012
Around lunchtime Agency owner comes to my hospital room and made small talk and then asked again when the couple could come see Grayson. I requested she hold off and I would let her know at a later time. Agency owner then left.
Around 6pm Agency owner called to check on me and see if I needed anything. She asked if she and Agency employee could stop by my room. I said that would be fine.
About 30 minutes later, they both showed up. They looked at Grayson and complimented me on him as he looked so good for being born so early.
While Agency owner and Agency employee were there the woman who wanted to adopt Grayson texted Agency owner and Agency owner then read the text out loud to me. It said, ‘How is Rachel doing and when can we come by to see her and the baby?’
I responded and said I still didn’t want to see them.
Agency owner and Agency employee stayed a little while longer and they then went to get something to eat around 8pm and they said they would come back to check to see if I needed anything before they went home for the night.
Right after they left, a nurse came in and took out my catheter and removed the braces they had put on my legs to ensure I wouldn’t get any blood clots. This was shortly after 8pm.
Then Agency owner and Agency employee came back to my room around 9:30pm and just checked in and said they would be in contact in the morning.
Sunday September 9, 2012
I took a shower around 8am and Grayson and I were spending time together in my room.
Around 10 am Agency employee texted me to ask if the woman who wanted to adopt Grayson could come by and bring me lunch. I told her I didn’t want anything as I didn’t feel well, and that it was ok for her to come by and visit. Agency employee relayed the message to the woman. The woman then texted me around 12pm and said that her and her husband were a few minutes away and I responded ‘OK’.
The couple shows up in my room and Grayson had just been taken from the room for a routine checkup as they arrived. He was brought back to my room about 20 minutes after they had arrived.
They stayed for another hour and then left. The woman said she wanted to come back later and that she would text me when she was back in the area and they left.
The woman texted me saying she was dropping her husband off at home and if it was OK for her to come back to visit. I replied ‘OK’.
She arrived 5 – 10 minutes later. While she was there she said Agency owner had texted her asking how I was doing and she informed Agency owner she was visiting with me.
Agency owner and Agency employee then arrived unexpectedly and unannounced about 8pm in my room. They were interested in knowing if I had made a decision and asked if I was still considering placing Grayson for adoption. They told me I had all night and that they knew it was a difficult decision and to think about what I had planned for my future and how I would be spreading myself thin with all my children. Then Agency owner went to look for the paperwork in her briefcase to leave with me that I would be signing. Just as she found it the announcement that visiting hours were over came over the loud speaker and Agency owner said, we will go over this tomorrow and they both left shortly after 10pm.
I spent what I didn’t know would be my last night with Grayson.
Monday September 10, 2012
I texted Agency owner shortly after 8am and told her that I had a hard night, that I didn’t sleep and I was not sure I could go through with it and I wanted to talk to her.
Agency owner arrived at my room just before 9am and I told her that I was having second thoughts and she then said she would call Agency employee so I could talk to her. I told her that it wouldn’t matter who I talked to. She asked if I wanted to go for a walk and so while Grayson went to nursery for a routine checkup, we walked to the cafeteria. I continued to tell her that I couldn’t do it. She asked if I wanted to talk to ‘K’ who is a counselor that the agency sub-contracts with. I agreed to speak with ‘K’.
Agency owner contacted K and K said she couldn’t meet with me until after 12pm.
We then walked back to my room.
Agency employee then arrived around 10am and started asking why I was having a hard time, and trying to find out why I told her that I was thinking about telling my kids about not bringing Grayson home and that I didn’t want to do that to them.
Agency employee said I had a choice and to think about Grayson that the couple could give him the life that I couldn’t give him and that I had met the family and that they were good people.
I just told her I needed time to think about it.
Agency employee said that they needed to know an answer because the woman needed to come to the hospital and make a payment for Grayson to be circumcised, even though I was telling them I wasn’t sure about doing this.
Just after lunch the hospital social worker hospital staff social worker came to my room.
Agency owner and Agency employee were asked to leave the room by her.
She asked me why I was considering placing Grayson and she wanted to make a list of pros and cons and told me that I had to make the decision for myself and that she couldn’t make it for me and she gave me her # and if I needed to talk to her, and she left after about 15 minutes.
Agency owner and Agency employee came back into my room
They asked me to measure how I felt about placing – was it 50/50, 70/30? I told them I was still not sure. Then K arrived at about 2pm.
Agency employee and Agency owner left the room and said, ‘You’re in good hands.’
I told K the same thing I told Agency employee and Agency owner. K asked me about future plans, what kind of life I would be able to give Grayson. I said I have a lot of help from my parents, and that I would make it work. She gave me her name and # and said whatever my decision was she would be happy to give me any kind of counseling, and then she left. She was there about 20 minutes total.
Grayson and I were together and then Agency owner texted me and asked how it was going with K. I told her K had already left.
I texted Ex hubby (but legal father) at 2:24PM and asked him to purchase a car seat to take Grayson home in and he replied that he would pick one up. Ex hubby (but legal father) texted me at 3:30PM letting me know that he purchased one. We have a receipt for this purchase.
Agency employee and Agency owner then showed up at 2:40pm uninvited to my room. Agency employee was on the phone. While she finished her conversation Agency owner asked me if I liked K. Agency owner told me that her and Agency employee had gone out for lunch while they were waiting for K and I to finish up. Agency owner said if I had any questions I could call K. Agency employee got off the phone. Agency employee asked me if I had made a decision because Tim and Melena were coming to the hospital to pay for his circumcision. I told them that I had decided Grayson was coming home to stay with me. Agency employee appeared very angry that I had made this decision. Her lips were pursed, she kept looking at her phone, she was avoiding eye contact and she appeared agitated. Her eyes would dart back and forth between the phone and Grayson, she did not look at me. Agency employee’s tone of voice towards me totally changed. Agency employee said that if I wasn’t sure, that there was a foster home Grayson could be placed in. I then said “No I want him to come home with me.” and then Agency employee said in a snappy tone, “That’s fine that is was your decision, and we will need to start the paperwork to get the expenses back.” I told them to let me know what the full amount was so I can make sure it got to them. She said she would have to do up the paperwork to calculate out the expenses. Agency employee gave me a card to send the payment to and would give me an invoice for their expenses. I did sign a document to pay back the expenses they paid to me. The document stated that if I decided to parent my baby that I would have to pay back the expenses. They never did provide me with a copy of this document after I signed it. Then she appeared angry and said that she would have to let the couple know and I said I was sorry. Agency employee appeared angry. They got up, wished me luck and walked out of my room around 4:30 pm.
I then called my sister-in-law Isabelle to come get Grayson and I that we were ready to come home. Isabelle’s husband Rick came along and so did Ex hubby (but legal father), my ex-husband.
They arrived at my room at approximately 5:20 pm.
Dr. A came into my room just after they had arrived. He asked me if everyone was going home and I replied ‘Yes.’ He told me to make an appt in two weeks for myself with him and to make an appt for Grayson in two days with a pediatrician as he had a little bit of jaundice that they wanted to check out. He said Grayson was a tough little guy and wished us well. He also said a nurse would be bringing in my prescription and discharge papers and he left the room.
We then waited for the nurses to come and start the discharge process. We waited an hour and no one showed up.
The next thing that happens is that the woman who wanted to adopt Grayson shows up in my room unannounced and uninvited. She said that she brought some clothes that she bought for the baby and put the bag down and started towards the door. I got out of bed and followed her out into the hallway.
Her husband was out there waiting.
I told her I had chosen to parent Grayson and I’m sure Agency owner will contact her to let her know. She started crying and I told them it wasn’t anything that they did and I did say if I were to place him that I would have felt comfortable with them but that I was not going to place him.
She hugged me, and they left.
I went back into the room and 10 minutes later Agency owner opened my room door, uninvited and unannounced and said, ‘Oops, I didn’t realize you had company,’ and asked me to come out in the hallway with her.
We went into the hallway and she told me that she needed the phone back that they had given me because the lawyer said that anything that was purchased needed to be returned. I said that’s fine and told her I wanted to remove my personal information and she said she couldn’t wait because she had to go return the phone before Wal-Mart closes.
I handed her the phone and she left at about 6:45pm.
A nurse came in and she confirmed I talked to the Dr., and reminded me to schedule a follow up appt and I said yes and she handed me the prescription for my pain medication and my discharge paperwork to sign, which I did.
She asked if Grayson was my first, and I said no I had other children at home. She asked if they were excited about their baby brother and I said yes. She wished us luck and told me to get as much rest as I could and to be sure to take care of myself and she left the room.
Then a nurse came in with my pain medication (Percocet) around 8pm, and my sister-in-law asked how much longer it was going to be before we could leave and she said she would check and we didn’t hear anything.
So, after waiting another 30 minutes for Grayson’s paperwork and his alarm band to be removed, I walked to the nurses’ station to ask for it and they said someone would be right with me. I went back and waited another 40 minutes and hit the call button and requested Grayson’s discharge papers, and again was told that someone would be down.
We waited some more and my ex-husband Ex hubby (but legal father) went to the nurses’ station at about 9:30pm and requested to be discharged again. They told him there was only 1 nurse in the nursery and she was very busy and for us to be patient.
10 minutes later the nurse came in to remove his bracelet and give us his discharge paperwork. She complimented me on Grayson and wished us luck.
My sister in law and ex-husband strapped Grayson in his car seat.
The men then left to carry my items from the hospital room and put them in the car a few minutes before Isabelle and I left the room.
My sister in law and I then walked out with her carrying Grayson.
I was slow & Isabelle made it to the car with Grayson before I did. I was slower from just having surgery.
Then, I hear Agency owner yell my name across the parking lot, she was near her vehicle. She approached me and told me she needed to talk to me because I was going to go to jail. I asked her why. She had the phone she took from me up to her ear and was talking to someone and she said to the person, ‘She’s right here I’ll give you the phone and you can talk to her.’ I said ‘Hello’ and it was Bio-dad. He asked me why I was trying to run out of the hospital. I said, I wasn’t running as I just had surgery. I told him Isabelle had Grayson in the car to go home. He said I needed to think about what I was doing because I was going to go to jail that I couldn’t take ‘that baby home’. I said I didn’t understand what he was talking about and asked why he thought I was going to jail? He said that Agency owner told him that I had lied to them about him and gave them wrong information. I told him that wasn’t true and that I needed to pay back the expenses and he said Agency owner told him that I was given $5,000 and if I don’t sign over the baby that I would go to jail for ‘a felonly’.
I told him it wasn’t true. He started arguing and we hung up.
Agency owner then asked me to come over to her vehicle and my family followed in the car.
They were overhearing the conversation, and I asked if I could talk to an attorney tomorrow and she said, ‘No, you have to sign or you go to jail.’
Then she flagged down a couple leaving the hospital going to their vehicle and asked them to witness me signing TPR. They declined and stated that they were not comfortable signing anything and then they left.
Agency owner kept saying it had to be done tonight and to think of the kids at home, they needed their mom and that their mom doesn’t need to be in jail.
My family then got out of the car and my ex husband was asking what had to happen for Grayson to come home and asked if he could take custody of Grayson and Agency owner said ‘No, either she signs the paper or goes to jail tonight.’
Then my brother in law and sister in law finally agreed to witness the paper to keep me from going to jail.
But before signing, they asked to take Grayson home and Agency owner said no Grayson needed to be taken to the couple who were adopting Grayson tonight.
Then Agency owner gave Ex hubby (but legal father) his one document, and again stated if he didn’t sign it they would come after him for child support. He then signed the document. Isabelle and Rick signed the document as witnesses. She then told me I could have a felony if I didn’t give Grayson to her.
While I was talking to her and told her again I wanted to keep my son with me, she turned to Ex hubby (but legal father) and Rick and said, ‘Could you guys please see if you can get the baby in the car?’ They did.
She got in her car and I said goodbye to Grayson and we got in our car and drove away.
It was 12:15 am
Why I didn’t call the police:
I was under the influence of drugs.
I trusted Agency owner was telling me the truth.
I was exhausted, and after standing in the parking lot for 2 hours just couldn’t take any more.
I didn't know my rights, and agency owner was VERY convincing.