This morning, Saturday, like every Saturday for the last month, I have my weekly visit with my 4 year old daughter. I don’t talk to her all week, unless her father lets her call me during his 12 hour, unsupervised visit. Yes, Leah’s father, my abuser.

I wake up at 5:30am and take a shower, pack our bag with swimsuits, my clothes, conditioner and a comb for Leah’s long hair, two pair of brand new name brand goggles ( we shared a pair prior to this week), the new dive darts for us to work with at the pool, our towels, Also, this week: a few shirts, 2 pair of Oshkosh sandals I bought this week, the worlds largest candy necklace (for when it’s time for her to leave. It softens our parting and I give her something she can enjoy) and our lunch.

Lunch box had yogurt, a tuna sandwich on whole wheat, a chicken salad sandwich on whole wheat, a large bag of cherries, Cheese crackers, apple juice with a pj masks character that screws on the top no sugar added and GMO free. I also packed 3 packages of 2 cookies. Leah May choose her favorite type of cookie for eating her lunch.

I am transported by a medical transportation company named Apache MedTrans. The driver arrives at my house by 7:00am. I have had the same driver for several weeks now and I like him. He is a middle eastern immigrant and he is celebrating Ramadan and is fasting. I can’t even imagine how he views what I am going through. I asked him if the government of his country of birth, removed children from their mothers for the welfare of the children. He said “no” while shaking his head in disagreement.

We depart my house and stop for coffee at the circle k on the way to the freeway so I can get a cup of coffee.

I arrive at the Prescott YMCA @ 8:30am. Yes, an hour and a half each way to see my little girl.

There is a company called “LifeTrans” that is contracted by DCS to transport Leah and Supervise my entire visit. She follows to the locker room and sits in a bench during my visit. I would assume the job is emotionally taxing and employment is not a long term option. I have had as many as 20 different parent aids throughout this process. I don’t even remember their names until the 3rd visit or more.

I have only had one male parent aid. My mother didn’t approve of me being alone with my daughter in the locker room because I instructed Leah to speak with her therapist at West Yavapai Guidance Clinic about my mother abusive yelling. She said everyone yells at her “even Ricky” (My youngest sibling). I can’t protect her and my reports are completely ignore or disregarded. She should have been seeing a therapist since she was taken, yet, she had had 5 sessions in over a year. She was 3 when taken and has had no therapy for the trauma of separation each week and initially. Nobody knows what she is feeling nor what is going on in my parents home. My mother talks to everyone and would never say anything but that Leah is doing very well, she is eating and sleeping… she would never mention forcing Leah to eat until she pukes, spanking, yelling, how much time Leah spends alone (my parents are in their late 60’s) and my siblings are all grown and gone.

I Went into labor Dec. 18 2014, on my dads Birthday

Leah was born December 19,2014 in Scottsdale Arizona

She was born of a c-section. When the doctors asked about any prescriptions I may have I told them about my Arizona Medical MMJ card. DCS was contacted and without testing Leah, they proclaimed “BORN SUBSTANCE EXPOSED”

This is the letter written on my behalf by the chief doctor:

December 23, 2014

To Whom it may concern,

I saw Leigh King 12/20/14 at Scottsdale Healthcare Shea during her post-operative stay from a cesarean delivery of her healthy baby. She had moved to Black Canyon City, where maternity care was difficult to obtain and had received care from a midwife in the Prescott area. She has a long-standing problem with back and leg pain (s/p MVA) for which she has received a medical marijuana card when this drug was found to be effective for managing her pain. She reported using it only 1-4 times per month during her pregnancy—as little as possible—wanting to expose the baby to the minimal amount. She also ingested the marijuana rather than smoking it to avoid the decrease in oxygenation.

She was under the impression that the pediatrician she had seen in the hospital preferred that she convert to narcotics for her pain management in order to safely breast feed. I suggested that this was not a good approach when considering both mom and baby. Leigh had not liked the way the Percocet had affected her post operatively and didn’t want to get started on it. She was relying on only non-narcotics for pain relief, which is unusual for cesarean delivery recovery, and indicated a person with a high pain threshold. The latter is what gave me pause in considering her “dependence,” as her reluctance to use narcotics did not fit with a pain history, nor to a person who is overly-reliant upon medication.

After discussing her very infrequent use of medical marijuana and observing her motivations to do whatever was best for her baby, I did not feel at all comfortable starting her on narcotics. In fact, I applauded her efforts to avoid medications which could, even potentially, get her into any dependent situation. Given the rarity of her marijuana use, it seemed preferable to continue her current management for the time being, but to establish care with a reputable pain management care team as soon as possible. This was indeed my recommendation to her.

She is planning to see Phoenix Perinatal Associates for her post-op visit in a week or so, and I suggested that she speak with them about proper referrals on the west side of town to be more convenient for her. I don’t know the medical personnel well there but PPA has offices close to where Leigh would come into town and would be more able to meet her needs.

I hope this helps your evaluation. It was my observation and assessment that Leigh and her partner had the best interest of their new baby up front and central in their concerns, and that Leigh was willing to make necessary sacrifices for the baby’s welfare.

Sincerely,

Sarah Snell, M.D. Chief Experience Officer Scottsdale Lincoln Network and Ob/Gyn physician