My daughter arrived in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in the middle of the night on the eve of Thanksgiving. A tough respiratory virus attacked her lungs, and she needed a substantial amount of oxygen support. And now, this unexpected illness meant Thanksgiving was going to be completely different than we had all planned.
Are you scrounging for thankfulness this holiday season? Holidays can be a challenge for those walking through hard days. Perhaps you feel like you've been handed the short-end of the stick; your child is struggling, you’re exhausted and it seems like everybody else has life with a bit more gravy. It’s easy to focus on our circumstances, take stock of what we have and where we are and end up feeling completely void of thankfulness. Is there a cure for this?
I first suspected I had ADHD as a teenager, but finding the right professional to take me seriously was much harder than I expected. Previous attempts only ended in frustration and tears.
Enjoying the holidays with a food allergy sounds like an oxymoron doesn’t it? After all, eating together is an integral component of the holiday season. I looked forward to making our traditional holiday foods until I was diagnosed with a dairy allergy in 2012. What was to enjoy about the holidays when the foods associated with it were off limits to me?
It was a short, ten-minute drive from the hotel to the residential facility. I maintained composure while I navigated the busy public roads, and then residential streets. I had a whole range of emotions racing through my body, mind and spirit as we pulled into the campus. This was not just a pleasure drive or a routine errand, this was a significant milestone in the life of my son and our family.
Personal experience taught me that disability caregiving is a time intensive and worthy endeavor. It is emotionally intensive as well, filled with grief, fear, uncertainty, frustration, overwhelming love, and guilt. Caregiving is the hardest thing you will ever do, but it is also the best thing you'll ever experience, the holiest act you will ever perform, the purest love you will ever demonstrate, the most Christ-like sacrifice you may ever make.
We have never forgotten that time when we felt undermined, as parents who couldn’t advocate for their child. You are, in fact, quite the expert on your child. When you face the challenges from educators and others with degrees, certifications, or other credentials, remember that you are more than just a parent, you are everything to your child.
