How many of us counted the cost (both emotionally and financially) of what it would take to raise a child and/or care for an aging parent? Many are doing both…Because we love our child, we don’t often consider the cost because we simply do what is needed and want the best for them.
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?
As soon as I woke up, my body revolted. My hip somehow fell out of place again, making each movement painful. It’s a bizarre situation for a caregiver to find herself in. I am not supposed to be the one who needs help. For me, caring and giving happens regardless of how I feel. As Jaycee grows, I see now how we can help each other.
Because caregiving can be, and often is, a full-time job, we need to understand that although great satisfaction can come from caring for a loved one, some outcomes can put the caregiver at risk as well. Like the tension on a piece of elastic, we can handle tension and frustration for a long time; but eventually, something has to give. Cindi Ferrini shares 11 self-care ideas for caregivers.
Jaycee is a person with Down syndrome. Not everyone with this diagnosis will be exactly like her. For World Down syndrome Day, I encourage you to get to know those around you who have Down syndrome. You may be missing out on an opportunity to meet a person who can enrich your life with friendship and love.
If my experience of raising a child with special needs is anything like yours, empowering my kid with disabilities rarely reached the top of my parenting priority list. In part one of this five-part series, Jolene explores how to empower kids with disabilities by using William Glasser's Choice Theory.
