Thursday, September 18, 2014

Sometimes

**Warning Rant Ahead**

Some times....I hate this life. I hate that as much as I love Abby I fear those teenage years. I hate that one day she will go through a period of her life where we will not understand one another.

But I accept that. 

I will not effing accept is that I HATE in capital and bold letters that doctors will never show concern for Bridget. That she has to have some mysterious swelling that one doctor tells me to call another doctor about who tells me to call yet another specialist about. That when I finally get her into the vascular clinic she is seen by one doctor and fourteen medical students/fellows and I am told that her vasomotor instability is not that big of a deal. "A LOT" of kids have something "like" this phenomenon and not to worry. When asked if I should be worried that it could be happening while she sleeps and is it fatal, I was told no. I told them they would be the first person I called should they be wrong.

No parent (and I am not looking for a poor Kerri thing here) should be told that. That without any testing, with a brief exam that their child is fine. Parents should not be made to feel like we are bothering doctors. 

We are the reason they can afford their student loans, vacation homes and alimony bills. 


Bridget has SIXTEEN different specialists. Why the freaking hell do I have to call them? They are all at the same flipping hospital. Can they not call one another and chat, is that too much to ask?

And why, dear God why, do they refer to one another and then disagree? Why must I always be the advocate, the voice of reason and the fingers of Google. Why do I have to always be vigilant? The one who e-mails and calls cardiology, genetics, rhuematology, neurology, GI, neuro-urology (yes, there is such a thing), pulmonology? Why do they think that because it is life threatening it doesn't impact her life?

Not that she "suffers". There are children with disease, cancer and deformities that have a life so much more difficult. I completely get how lucky we are and how selfish I am for getting pissy that she has to endure things that really are not that bad in the scheme of things.  Recently she got another quirk, not an ailment or symptom really. But just one more thing to add to her Booness. I said she already had 15 why add one more. 

This was not the life I expected.

To constantly be second-guessing myself. And the Harvard Graduates.

To wonder if I push too hard or not enough.

To cry because children are supposed to be beings of joy before they are teenagers.

To be at my wits end because although I love Bridget for who she is I hate the fact that I don't know why she is the way she is. That we need to know the why so we can give her the best life she deserves to live. Just like her sister.

To have to physically hold my child down for two hours while she screams during a test of her bladder function. 

Because as much as I love my child sometimes I resent that she isn't perfect.  That she isn't easy. That she, with all her advances, cannot keep up with where life has placed us.

Because I am not capable of being the perfect mom that can handle everything.

Because sometimes I cannot even handle my beautiful, awesome, perfect daughter.


And I am sorry. Because sometimes I effing resent it. I fucking hate that this is our life. A life where we know our beautiful daughter will always struggle. That our lives are scheduled around school, therapies, doctors appointments and not play dates, gymnastics and ballet. 

We will struggle with Boo. For freaking ever. This will not end. That although our children are always our children Bridget will forever be our child and not the mother of our grandchildren.

That I look into Boo's eyes and see how beautiful she is yet think if only....



***End Rant***


***This was written at the beginning of the summer. I put it away, then went back. While I am past the rant and the rage I figured I would share it so other parents understand it is more than okay to get ticked off at this life we didn't imagine** 

19 comments:

  1. I hear you. I get it. No words. Just sending hugs....

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    1. Thank you, Kerith. That means something. That you get it.

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  2. I have no words and won't even pretend I understand. Just sending more hugs like Kerith to you today. Vent away and we are always here to listen and be there for you if you need.

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    1. Thank you Janine. While you might not understand you empathize and that means the world.

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  3. Hugs. We also don't have anything like that medically but that whole "gonna be your child for the rest of you life" I get perfectly.

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    1. Julie that is probably what I struggle the most with, the knowledge that she is my child forever and then she will become Abby's.

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  4. It's really good to get your feelings out, just for the sheer fact that others have been thru struggles and hate to see friends suffer. Sorry for your stress. I can only offer support because no one can walk in your shoes. I jope they figure this out. Did you ever try a natural doctor, just to see if anything internal can be adjusted or soothed. I never believed in them until I had Matthew

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    1. A good spew now and then never hurt anyone, I hope!!! Thank you for being there.

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  5. Hugs, love And understanding going your way from me to you. XOXO

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  6. I for one am really thankful you wrote this, because it makes me feel okay when I have my own pity parties. As you know, this was not the life I imagined either, but for some reason I've been handed challenges with my kids that I never thought I could handle. But, somehow I am. And clearly you are too. No, we are not the perfect moms, but just remember, no one is. I so understand that resentful feeling and we shouldn't feel guilty for feeling it. Anytime you want to rant, I'm happy to hear you...and join you.:)

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    1. Thank you, I try not to rant too often. But when I do it is epic.

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  7. You are amazing, wonderful, and REAL! Thank you for that and all your honesty.

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    1. Thanks, Barb. I adore you and am lucky to have someone close by that understands exactly what I am feeling.

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  8. Sending lots and lots of love. Please know that you're not alone. xoxoxo

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  9. You know what? You're allowed to be pissed off, and question doctors and question life. That is allowed. Especially when the people with Harvard degrees and all of the rest of them in the building would be so much more effective if they just TALKED TO EACH OTHER. It's not right that you have to do that. It's not right that too many of our kids (and our own) treatments are insurance-approved based. It's $$***&&&& UP and makes me really mad mad. Like big mad. Also don't feel guilty. Did I say that? Do not feel guilty. You're doing it all exactly right. And, you're making it better for moms 20 years from now. True. Sucky. But true.

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    1. Thanks, Kristi. That is my biggest peeve that doctors will not collaborate at all. Since we paid for their summer homes and their kids private school it doesn't seem fair.

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  10. Hugs. Just hugs. There's a lot more I could say, but the most important part is the hugs.

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  11. Kerri, I get it, I really do and I am sending you much love and understanding xxbron

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Thanks for stopping by and letting me know what you think!