I read this post today. As I read the comments posted, my heart began to ache and inside I felt so sad. I was in a bit of a funk today and couldn't pin point where it stemmed from. Some events of the day caused a few tears to trickle down my cheeks and once I let the gates open a bit, the flood came. I sobbed and sobbed. I knew the original cause of the tears was not that big so I looked inside and there were some deep feelings about the lack of empathy that I had read earlier in the day.
It's not that I ever want anyone to feel sorry for me or my daughter. We don't need pity. It is that having a child with a chronic illness is difficult and I can't believe the audacity of some people to place judgment when they themselves have never walked an inch let alone a mile in the shoes of a worried, tired, giving their all and that's not even enough parent of a child who has T1D. It makes me feel angry and hurt to read the ignorant words written in those comments.
The article also hit close to home for me (figuratively and literally as we are not far south of Canada). Last school year was not easy. The nurse kept pushing me to get Bekah to give herself shots and kept informing me that there really wouldn't be any other option next school year when she was there all day, because the staff couldn't and wouldn't pierce skin. I was not going to push my daughter in to something she was not ready for. I couldn't think about giving my self shots, how could I expect that from my 6 year old. I had resigned my self to home schooling her, (not a bad option at all in fact I was kind of happy to have an excuse to switch). Bekah, however didn't like the idea of homeschooling and I don't want her to resent D or feel like D kept her from anything. Off to school she will go in 13 days. I have been making plans and forms, filling supply boxes and preparing to do some training. I want every t crossed and every i dotted so that I feel comfortable (not a good word choice, so that I don't spend every waking moment that she is at school, sick with worry, that is better).
You have to read Nicole's comment on the article. I think she did a beautiful job at articulating what needs to be heard by those who lack empathy.
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I think those comments were astonishingly cut throat and ripped alot of us to the core.
ReplyDeleteSo hard to believe that this is the world my daughter has to face.
Thank goodness for moms like you and the rest of my awesome D Mom pals...it gives me hope for her future.
HEIDI...YOU.HIT.THE.NAIL.ON.THE.HEAD! "EMPATHY" or the lack thereof in that article shocked me. I ended up writing a post about it b/c I couldn't shake my thoughts and feelings regarding those insensitive comments. It was a wake-up call for me to realize that my kids are growing up in a world with people like this. SAD.
ReplyDeleteAs Mrs. Candy Hearts stated...I am so thankful to have the D-OC to support me and my family in the d-life.
That article and the comments just make me physically ill.
ReplyDeleteIt makes me sick that my little Lovebug may have to deal with this at school.
Thank you for sharing and being there to support all us D moms! Nice to know we have someone else out there who understands.