

Duality: Why We Need to Learn to Live with Opposing Truths
I am the primary caregiver to my seven-year-old daughter, JJ, who has Rett Syndrome. I have watched Rett take away her independent steps, hand use, words, and much of her swallowing ability. Recently, it has even begun to curve her little spine. At first, when her losses were coming fast and furious, I only felt the negatives—the anger, grief, unending terror, and bottomless heartache. It has taken many years, but happiness, contentment—even flashes of joy—have now reentered
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How Medical Parenting Rewired My Brain
Before becoming a medical parent to my youngest daughter, JJ, I was pretty happy with the way my brain operated. I juggled many...
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Advice Versus Support
For medical parents, the contrast between advice and support—two very distinct means of communication—can be stark. We often receive...
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Medical Parenting and Spirituality
Like many life altering events or experiences, parenting a child with disabilities and medical complexities can profoundly impact one’s spiritual beliefs. I recently listened to an episode of the Rare Life podcast during which host Madeline Cheney dove into this topic by asking three mothers of children with rare diseases to explain how their parenting journeys have changed their religious and spiritual beliefs. As you might imagine, responses varied greatly. While one mother
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The Stress Cycle and Medical Parenting: How We Can Use Neuroscience to Help Us Destress
I don’t think anyone needs me to list all the reasons why disability/medical parenting is stressful. Suffice it to say that they can run the gamut—from juggling pharmacy refills to witnessing our child’s near-death experiences. However you look at it, this type of parenting can take an enormous toll on us, greatly affecting not only our minds, but also our bodies. This is certainly the case for me. Stress manifests as a tightness in my chest, rapid breathing, and/or a poundin
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Grandmothers: A Wellspring of Strength
In honor of Mother's Day this year, I'm publishing an essay/nonfiction story I wrote about the strong older women in my life. It begins...
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