"The more I find out, the less I know."
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Weather at the Frozen North
This is my personal blog. My professional blog is The Customer Service Survey I've written a book called Gourmet Customer Service. You can buy it on Amazon. (in)Frequently Asked Questions AIM Screen Name: DFNfrozenNorth
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Last Updated: Aug 07, 2008 03:30 PM
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Friday - November 04, 2005 at 04:26 PM inWhat Makes a ParentDrew's mom is a friend of a friend. Drew is a
17-month old who suffered a stroke shortly after birth, and now requires
expensive therapy to have anything close to a normal life. I have some idea
what they must be going through. One of our twins had some (fortunately minor
and temporary) breathing problems shortly after birth, and had to have
supplemental oxygen for the first few days of his
life.
Those were anxious days. There are few things I've experienced that are harder than having two babies but only being able to bring one home. But where my son's lungs just needed a few more days to develop and he's now a bright, active, and healthy preschooler, Drew's problems will be with him the rest of his life. Even though there was probably nothing anybody could have done to prevent it, that burst blood vessel in his brain will forever shape the lives of his parents. Becoming a parent is not the same as having a child. When you become a parent, you commit yourself to do whatever is in your power to protect and care for your child. Some people who have children never become parents because they never make that unbreakable pledge, and some people who never bear biological children are still parents just the same. Most parents never have to test that commitment, though every parent knows that someday he or she could be called upon to sacrifice anything and everything for the sake of that young life (at least until he turns 18 and you can kick the bum out of the house). So far, I've been lucky. I've never had to sacrifice more than a few anxious days and modest sums of money. Drew's parents are not so fortunate. But they're willing to do what it takes to make their son's life a little better. And so far, they've not been asked to give up anything more than material things. Posted at 04:26 PM | Permalink | | | |