If you are the parent of a chronically or critically ill child, I’m sure you have heard the phrase, “I don’t know how you do it!” more times than you can count. Friends and family are often in awe how we manage work, other children, friends, family, running a household and our child’s healthcare (which can sometimes consume more time than everything else combined). I don’t know about you, but I have just about had my fill of hearing this “encouragement”.

 

 

“I don’t know how you do it”, you say.  Do you honestly think I have a choice??  I didn’t choose for my child to have a life threatening condition.  I didn’t choose for my child’s condition to alter the life of my family completely…

Here’s the honest truth, if your child suddenly acquired a life altering condition, you too would learn how to do it!

You would figure out juggling your work schedule with three hour Specialist visits.

You would learn all about school medical intervention plans so your child could graduate.

You would learn to prioritize making time for your other children away from hospital rooms.

You would learn how to fight denied medical claims and get out-of-network facilities approved for your child’s care.

You would become an expert in your child’s condition by doing hours of research.

You would figure out how to function on little sleep because you were up all night again with your crying child.

You would learn to squeeze in date nights with your spouse because protecting your marriage is vital and even harder for special needs parents.

You would learn that venting your frustrations about your child’s condition to God is healthy.

You would find out that it’s okay to not have it all together.

You would learn that grieving the loss of plans for your child doesn’t make you a bad parent.

You would figure out that well-meaning friends don’t always say the right thing and you would muster the grace to look past the harsh words and see their hearts.

But you would also learn how to be still with God in a way you never have before.

You would spend hours on your knees petitioning your Creator on behalf of your child.

You would learn to sift through the ashes to discover the beauty in life.

You would see your child mature well beyond their years and teach you incredible life lessons.

You would witness kindness in the hearts of nurses and doctors that care for your child.

You would learn to appreciate the exhales in life, when you can rest for just a moment.

You would learn to treasure the simple things of life, because possessions would no longer matter.

You would cherish each moment you have with your child because you would have a keen awareness that there may not be many more.

You see, my friend, I am the one who doesn’t know how YOU do it!  If I had not the trials I currently walk in, I would not feel so tremendously blessed by this ridiculously hard life that I call mine.

 

We are in this together, Much Love

TyiaLynn