I used to have a really good memory – especially for the things I heard. I would remember details of a full conversation years later. It was a useful tool. It literally got me through college, because if I heard it in class, I could remember it for the test.
These days I’m lucky to remember a conversation from yesterday. When I worried over this with my mother, she told me I just have too much going on in my brain to hold in all the details. So we’ll go with that. Lol.
I recently joined a Facebook group for parents of kids with CP. I don’t know why I never joined a group like this before now. I guess when Noah was little, that kind of thing wasn’t really available. What I have seen in this group is people from all over the US asking questions about the “little” problems their kid with CP is having.
“Why is my kid suddenly crying during [insert daily task everyone does]?”
“What is the best kind of bed to use.”
“My kid is struggling with feeding, or potty training, or tight muscles, sleeping, etc.” There are so many options.
And while we like to focus on the enormous amount of joy, I remember those struggles!
We struggled to get Noah to sleep – he was uncomfortable, and finding a good position was a battle we faced. We struggled to get Noah to eat enough calories, and we struggled with so many food allergies that we had to figure out what he *could* eat. We battled with treating seizures, and we battled with pain issues. And there were the noises that were too loud for his little ears. We fought to get the right equipment, and we fought to get him the right education. And we still fight battles today.
These struggles were real, and exhausting. There was fear and pain and frustration so thick you could have cut it with a knife – if you could find one sharp enough.
Why do I bring this up? Because I want parents of these little cuties to know that it’s going to be okay. Because, while I remember the challenges, what I remember most is the joy. Because in the midst of it all, I still had this guy with the uncanny ability to smile through just about anything. Even with all the challenges, he makes it easy to focus on the joy.
I remember.
So whatever challenges you are facing today, keep fighting the good fight. At the end of it all you’ll be able to say:
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” -2 Timothy 4:7
