Childhood Chronic Illness Does Not Discriminate.

Childhood chronic illness does not discriminate. If you have ever walked the halls of any Children's hospital, you have seen this. It doesn't matter your race, religion, background or social status. Chronic illness doesn't care. It comes for you and leaves no one in your family untouched. This, of course is the same for adults, I just happen to be the mother of an 8 year old with a chronic intestinal disorder along with a slew of other illnesses and congenital defects. He was born chronic and is growing up chronic. For us, the reality that we are all in this together despite our differences started while Case was still in my womb. I can vividly remember the faces of other women in the high risk waiting room at a speciality Women's hospital 2 hours from home. Their faces were worn and eyes sad but hopeful. I listened as a mother pleaded with the medical team to let her continue the rest of her pregnancy in peace with out all the high risk interventions now that they know this baby was healthy unlike her first with a sever bran anomaly. I watched a couple sob, the woman (visibly pregnant) was in a wheelchair and the man was on his knees leaning into her as they learned their baby would never see outside of her womb. 

When I think back to those crazy days I don't remember much. Most of it was a blur but I do remember their faces and feeling just a bit of their pain like a sharp knife in my heart and tightness in my stomach. I don't know how old they were, what kind of car they drive, if they pray before they eat a meal, go to confession each week or celebrate Hanukkah.

None of that ever mattered before but more than ever it doesn't matter now. Above all we were moms. Moms that painted a completely different idea of motherhood in our heads than what was unfolding before us. We share the same hope and fears as we travel this narrow road together. Some of us are lucky enough to be able to order Chiplote deliver to the hospital lobby while others eat the free sack lunch the hospital provides at the welcome desk and some of us have done both. Bologna never tastes as good as it does when it allows you to stay at your child's bedside AND pay most of your bills.

Childhood chronic illness does not discriminate. As mothers of children with chronic illness we need to lean into each other, we need to look out for and protect each other like a pack of lionesses, together protecting their cubs regardless of our differences.

We are a community of diverse women loving each other, caring for each other and understanding each other's pain like no one else. A community that with out our one common tie, a chronic child would never have met. We belong to each other and for some of us, we are the only support we've got.