Andrew’s long wait for home
Each day brings fears of disaster as family of boy with brittle bones eye waiting list
For almost 10 months Emma and Rory Balderston have been waiting for a home — every day is another one they fear their son, who has brittle bone disease, could be fatally injured.
Unable to walk, Andrew is carried up and down 10 concrete stairs each day — his parents fearful every step they could slip, fall and drop him.
They live in a four-bedroom house in Blockhouse Bay, with two other children and Rory’s parents.
Andrew, 9, the middle child, has a severe form of osteogenesis imperfecta, a genetic disorder that results in bones being so brittle sneezing can break ribs.
Last June they applied for a modified house suitable for Andrew’s needs through the Ministry of Social Development. They have been on the register since September, but despite calling each month have been given no clear indication of when a home would be available.
“When we first applied, they said seven months max, then we got bumped again,” said Rory. “We knew there would be a bit of a wait, but we didn’t expect it to be this long.”
MSD national commissioner Kay Read said because the family had to be near hospital “matching them to a suitable property” may take longer.
“We are conscious of the severity of their son’s condition and the temporary nature of their current accommodation, and we are working closely with housing providers to find a suitable place as quickly as possible.”
Rory Balderston’s parents had hoped to sell their home and move to Feilding, but were unable to do so until a more suitable place had been found for the family.
CCS Disability senior co-ordinator Fiona MacDonald said often people with a disability just had to “make do” due to a lack of accessible homes. In March 4865 people were listed on MSD’s social housing register.
The Balderstons said paying for their own rental was not an option because suitable properties were about $1000 a week — $50 more than the $950 they received weekly.
Because both were on a benefit buying a house was also out.
Emma Balderston could not work because she needed to care for Andrew. Her husband had had to stop work in recent years because of severe asthma and issues with his oesophagus which saw him regularly in and out of hospital.
Emma Balderston said tripping on the stairs with him in her arms could have disastrous consequences.
Rory Balderston was once dropped by ambulance officers on the stairs.
“But that’s far better than Andrew,” he said. “Dropping any child down those stairs is bad, but he would not survive it.”
So the family, including 16-monthold James and Tessa, 13, spent a lot of time cooped up in the modest lounge.
“We have to think twice: ‘Do we really need to go out?’ Because that would mean taking him down those stairs again. He’s really a prisoner in a house that’s . . . well, not even his own home.”
Inside Andrew is limited to crawling around the lounge as his power chair is too heavy to get inside.
When their youngest came out to play, Rory said, Andrew had to go into a playpen because the toddler did not understand how fragile his big brother was. “He doesn’t know, he could push him and that’d be it,” he said. “So Andrew goes in a baby’s pen that he likes to call his fort.”
When he was not watching shows, Emma said, her son enjoyed reading.
But she said a modified home with room for Andrew’s wheelchair would make a world of difference to her son.
“It would be nice for him to have that independence.”
When the Herald met Andrew he appeared pretty happy, sitting on a chair and kicking his feet under the table as he watched one of his favourite shows on YouTube Kids.
But his eyes lit up at the prospect of a change of home. “Are you going to get me a new house?”