A mom’s job is to take care of the kids, right? To make sure they are fed, clothed, healthy, loved. You bear the responsibility of making sure your kids are happy and healthy, right? This is somewhat instinctual–at least I think so–but not always easy. When your child is sick, you take them to the doctor. Simple usually. You hear it’s viral, it’s strep, an ear infection, allergies, etc. Sometimes they get some medicine and within a day or two-or 5-they feel better, which, of course, makes you feel better. As hard as it is to see your babies in pain or just not feeling well, you know it will pass and all will be well. You use it as an excuse to just snuggle with them and love them even more, because a mother’s love can fix just about anything. Until it can’t.

When your child is diagnosed with a chronic illness or disease, the game totally changes. Nothing is ever the same. You can be thankful that it is not a fatal illness because when you can really stop to think about it, it could be so much worse. You know that. Well, your brain knows that. Your heart is another story. Life goes on, things are good and then they aren’t. It’s a constant roller coaster. You are no longer in control of your child’s health. You can no longer fix it. You feel hopeful at times and hopeless and useless at others. You live in constant fear that something will happen: a flare up, another procedure, another hospital stay…. Constant fear. Always. And so you put on that calm, mom face everyday and never show those around you how truly scared you are all the time. You are upbeat and encouraging on the outside and only let your fear out when you are alone. It is what it is. And you go on, praying every day that things will be ok and that one day they will find a cure…..

And that, my friends, is a mom’s job…

Thanks for reading.

Candidly,

Donna