Family-arizing Ourselves
Our third and final day at the conference was really about connecting families. What’s most unfortunate is that while I remember vividly meeting the Spencers, Bernals, McGanns Freys and a host of other families in between sessions what’s important for me (I think) is to start understanding how this a support network and how, over the years of raising a child with Achondroplasia, that will mean a great deal.
The most obvious manifestation of this was during the parents discussions held mid-week. When we first sat down, before introductions were even made, the first question that was posed who has the youngest child with dwarfism here? For better or worse - winner, winner - we raised our hand. And sure enough Yasmeen was indeed the youngest child represented. A lovely token of Yasmeen and our attendance was a lovely gift (the Teddy Bear has found a permanent place next to her crib)
But while the surface level question was about “who’s the youngest”, the deeper meaning was to surface how early a family and individual is able to leverage the support network that’s made available to them. The Support Network. That’s something I suppose I should already been accusted to. After all, there’s a Social Network, Professional Network and now a standard term, Care Network. But up to now, while I was familiar with term Support Network, it never has really extended beyond family. Now Family, Friends, Physicians, Conversations, Acquiantenances, Encounters, and even Facebook all exist within our Support Network. Whatever comes our way, we’ll have outlets, empathy/sympathy and advice to find our way. And Thank goodness for that Teddy Bear. It’s now a daily and tangible reminder of the Support Network.
As I strive to make this blog more meaningful to those that read it, I’ll try to find deeper meaning in my musings. To date, I’ve delivered ”just the facts” and that’s not really what writing is about, it’s about conveying a message and telling a story. It’s important to set the context for all that happens from here on out, but rest assured…
Our story is just beginning.
