This is Us

When you have a child with a lifelong disability, you don’t do things the same ways as parents with typical children. 

You don’t go on a trip out of town and relax. If you go out of town and don’t take them, you have the constant worry of something triggering him info a meltdown, will my mom or Reed know how to get him to calm down. You worry about something happening to me or God forbid, both of us. Will my mom and Jim know how to take care of him. Mom is not a young person - is Jim ready to have his life uprooted at a moments notice?? When he agreed to be the boys gaurdians, Carson hadn’t been diagnosed. 

These things are always playing in my head. 4 hours away is about as far as I can bring myself to go away from home. I mean I know something could happen right down the road from our house. 

We have lost friendships because we can’t just make a trip to visit. We can’t leave Carson without a plan and honestly both of us have not been away from him for more then 2 nights. That is about his max. 

We don’t have the financial stability to take vacations. Would I love to take our family on vacation? Hell yes. I think Carson would love the ocean, but he might hate it. Someday I hope to see if he does. 

The mass majority of our family and friends understand and accept what our limitations are. They do so much to make it easier on us and more importantly, Carson. But there have been a few that don’t get it. It hurts. Somedays more then others, but their loss. 

When we became parents 18 years ago, we made the commitment that someone else’s life and well being was the most important thing in our lives, typical or special needs child. Nothing or no one comes before them. 

This is Us. Our family, our life.