One Mother's Thoughts
A few years ago, with skid marks across the threshold and finger indentations on the doorframe, that Mark and I were thrust through the door into the world of disabilities. In November of 2002 at age 7 months our youngest son, Michael, was diagnosed with infantile spasms. It is described in the medical literature as a catastrophic form of epilepsy.
I am not a veteran mom of a child with disabilities as some members of our congregation are, but I have spent a fair amount of time talking with other parents on 7940, the Pediatric Epilepsy Unit at St. Paul Children's Hospital. I have gained a small understanding of what it is like to dwell in this world.
There are at least four major issues that parents of disabled children experience. While I do not think that these issues are unique to us, I believe that it may be helpful to the church to be aware of them. If one member of the body is hurting, the whole body is hurting.
- The first issue is one of ongoing loss.
- The second issue is one of fear.
- The third issue is the "nuts and bolts" of dealing with a child's disabilities from day to day.
- The fourth issue involves the myriad of decisions that must be made.
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