So many times, as I’ve said before, we confuse the line between being ugly and being an advocate. Being an advocate is rooted in being educated–therefore, we are then prepared to educate others. Unfortunately, the loud, brash family is also going to get the attention (and they’ll do it claiming advocacy). This is not advancing the efforts of those of us who are true advocates for our children, now is it?
I teach at a college. I teach health care related classes. I have students who come in, wide eyed and sure…claiming that they cannot wait to get their hands on sick children. They forget that these children, sick children, are not sick for a hot second. They are chronically ill patients…and when you treat a child, you are going to also treat that family. For better or for worse. We do case studies, we look at how to deal with things holistically…
I am only one person. I cannot change the entire medical community alone.
It would be fantastic if we sat in doctor’s offices and were treated with the respect and forethought that our children deserve. It would be great if there were not a bunch of other children who also deserve the doctor’s time and energy as well. That is not going to happen.
So, maybe it’s us who need to change.
When we sit in a doctor’s office and wait for an exorbitant amount of time, I promise to think about the kids who are sick and getting the attention they need, or the Mom that needed some extra time because she just got hit with some really bad news.
I will also do my best to educate those within the medical community to remember that they are not just treating “some sick kid.” They are treating my son, my daughter, my husband, and me as well. We come as a package deal.
If we want the world to be more tolerant of our special needs children, perhaps we need to be more tolerant of the community who helps us the most as well?