Reality, Heat and Hope

I love the whole glass half-full concept in life, and I will try to keep up with that as much as I can. I am going to be honest, though, the past couple of weeks have been rough. We've had a change in routine due to school being out for summer, and the heat has been especially hard for Joshua. As much as I want to continue to sugar-coat things, or nod my head with a smile when someone says he is doing "great," I just can't right now. More and more, I see that what we are dealing with is simply NOT normal, and I won't pretend it is. What you see as a good moment can so quickly progress into fatigue and dehydration. Also, a glimpse into our home life would show you what we go through for a chance of him to be even at baseline. Before you see us for a morning playdate at your house, a therapy session or an outing at the movies, a lot of things have already happened. For one, I was likely up til the wee hours with a racing mind, researching, emailing, or (if I am lucky!) reading for fun, just to relax a bit. Joshua has likely crawled into our bed crying and fussing around 3:00 or 4:00 a.m. He may have had leg pains, and stomachache or needed a diaper change. He likely has already had two reflux meds, one supplement, 8 oz of his elemental formula, a motility med and an electrolyte-containing beverage with thickener. He probably has not, however, eaten breakfast, as he usually lacks interest or ability, despite our best efforts. So, the whole time we are out, I am worried about his nutrition and fluid intake as well as how his body is reacting to the heat. I am also observing how he is walking and how tired he seems, to determine if it is a wheelchair day. I am observing any swallowing he does to make sure he isn't aspirating. I am watching his cheeks for signs of redness, his eyes to see if they are swollen, and feeling his skin for cold sweats (hypoglycemia). I am sometimes scared we should not have even left the house, but I try to create as normal a life as I can for him and his two older brothers. I have to carry a huge bag full of stuff just to make an outing safe. I always come home exhausted. On a different note, I am observing listening skills, emotional regulation, speech patterns and socialization, none of which I can claim to be age-appropriate, so that is a whole other avenue to deal with. I realize all parents worry and many parents have so much more on their plates than this. I admire those parents more than I can express. Joshua has done well over time in SO many ways, and for that, we are lucky. I don't want sympathy or- so much worse- pity. I simply want understanding of what families like ours go through on a daily basis, and how that is also amplified by summer heat. Diseases such as Joshua's metabolic/mito dysfunction are similar to lupus or chronic fatigue syndrome in the sense that the patient can look fine in some moments, or even for days at a time. It's both a curse and a blessing to what we refer to as "invisible illnesses." In these cases, a lot of compassion and a desire to learn and spread awareness can go a long way! One of the best things someone said to me recently was, "I don't really understand, but I WANT to!" Thank you for that. I hope many others will follow in your footsteps, with an open mind and heart.