Bet you know how this feels

I have a few things on my mind today.  These are things that I think all of you that are special needs parent will have strong feelings about.

Is it just us, or do you all have people that have no clue what life is like for your family try to judge you.  I am not saying that they are necessarily saying bad things, but that they talk to you or about you without really understanding what you feel.  They say things like:  “I am so sorry for what your family goes through” “I don’t know how you do it”  “you are an amazing dad” “You probably get so much help from the government that you guys don’t have to worry about finances” .  Please allow me to respond to each listed in order: Don’t be sorry for us, we are blessed more than you can ever know.  He is my son, how could I not love and care for him.  I am not an amazing dad, but I try to follow the example given by our Heavenly Father.  And finally YEAH RIGHT.  Please don’t misunderstand me, I am thankful for all the encouragement. But I want you to know that being Curt’s dad does not make me super human.  I am a dad that wants the very best for my son and will do what I can to make his life the best that I can.  Does that make me special?  I don’t think so.  Isn’t that what a dad should do?

The next thing on my mind is how are we supposed to provide the special equipment that our children need when many insurances are paying less and less for the outrageously pricey things to make life easier or better for us or our child.  The single most devastatingly expencive need is transportation for those needing vehicles with a lift or ramp.  I have searched for assistance in purchasing a wheelchair accessible van and have not found much.  The average used van with conversions is as much as a brand new minivan with all of the trimmings.  A new one is as much as $70,000.  Then you look at the lower gas mileage, increased travel to doctors, and the various other expenses.  People really don’t realize how stressful this can be.  I have decided to just not worry about it.  God has done a great job taking care of us thus far, why would He stop now.

I really don’t want you to feel like I am just ranting or complaining with this entry.  I am not. I just wanted parents out there to know that they are not alone.  It is so easy t get discouraged and stressed out.  What I do when faced with these is I stop and spend time with Curt.  He reminds me that there is no reason to panic.  He brightens my day.  Let your child or children help you to remember to not sweat the small stuff and enjoy life moment by moment.