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I am a below knee amputee. More importantly, I am also Mommy to two boys, a very active 10 year old (Robby) and an mischievous toddler (Timmy). I have learned that being a parent with a disability can create some unusual and sometimes humorous situations. This blogger is available for hire! Let's talk and learn how a blog can expand your business.

Monday, March 06, 2017

Unfathomable Choices

The past few weeks have been stressful. Since Timmy received his autoimmune diagnosis, our family has been hyper focused in an effort to help him regain his health.  We have traded our typical adventures for home activities, a change that has required adjustment and flexibility from both me and Timmy. I have been keeping myself busy in order to avoid the anxiety and sadness I feel for my little Hamlet. 

In the middle of this chaos, I was reminded last week that we are extremely fortunate. Timmy was lucky to have received a diagnosis and he will regain his strength. This is a quick hiccup in his childhood, and it is definitely causing more angst for us than it is for him. He is only two, and he won't remember not feeling well for a few weeks or months.  Last week Scott told me the situation of one of his students, and my heart broke.

The child, only 14 years old, is facing surgery in two weeks. The surgery is imperative to saving his life, yet because of some cardiac issues the surgeons are uncertain if he is strong enough to endure the procedure. His family has been faced with a decision that I cannot even begin to fathom. Without the surgery, he will suffer excruciating pain as his body collapses upon itself, ultimately resulting in death. A successful surgery will eliminate the pain and prolong his life, but he has only been provided with a 10% chance of surviving the involved and lengthy procedure.

I look at my two sons and I cannot even imagine the grief and anxiety that has befallen that family. I remember the horrendous drive to the hospital on the morning of my amputation. As I try to imagine driving my child to the hospital for surgery, knowing that there is a 90% chance that he will not survive, I find myself emotional and angst ridden on the families behalf.  I pray that I never have to experience this impossible situation, and I find myself thankful for our seemingly trivial issues. 

Unfortunately the child knows the situation and the odds that have been presented. Again, I can't imagine being fourteen years old facing such an overwhelming situation. My heart breaks each time I think about him, which happens frequently since Scott shared his struggle. 

A Go-Fund-Me page has been started to help cover the medical costs and to minimize the financial struggle for the family during this time. If you feel inclined, I'm sure that they would appreciate your support. In the meantime, I'm going to go hug my kids a little more. I may be stressed out and worried about Hamlet, but I was reminded that his issues are minor compared to those faced by many others.  

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