A Parent with a Chronic Illness

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   kelleywardposted 13 years ago

   I'm asking anyone who has a chronic illness and is also a parent if they will describe for me in one paragraph (100 words or less) what it is like for them to be a parent and also manage their illness. I have type 1 diabetes and want to write a hub about this. Thank you very much for considering this!

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      rlahaposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I don't have any children, but I can tell you that without any children, it is tough to manage my hypothyroidism as I am always swaying between hyper and hypo.  It is never normal, and I have never felt "normal". I have a new doctor now and he is in the process of helping me.  But until that happens, I don't have any plans for trying to have any children. I hope that if it happens, that I will be able to control my hypothyroidism during and after the pregancy (pregnancies).

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         kelleywardposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         Rlaha I'm so sorry you have to deal with all that. I have type1 diabetes and all three of my pregancies required lots of monitoring it's the ups and downs for me that are also the most bothersome. I hope you find new treatments that work with your new physician.

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            rlahaposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            Hi Kelleyward.  I can only imagine how hard it was for you.  I hope when the time comes, everything will be controlled so that I can have a normal pregnancy. Thank you so much!

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      stephhicks68posted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Hi Kelley, as you know I am also a Type 1 diabetic.  I have 4 kids (ages 9-14) and work very hard to manage the disease to stay healthy.  I test my blood sugar probably more than most people (6-8 times a day) to make sure that I am consistent and do not go too high or too low.  I have made mistakes with dosing and fortunately, my kids are calm and know what to do.  My eldest had to call 911 from the movie theater last November.  I was so proud of him the way he handled it, answering the questions, helping me out of the theater, etc.
      
      My advice to a parent with a chronic illness includes: (1) teach your children as soon as they are able how to call 911; (2) be open and honest about your condition so they are less frightened when complications arise; (3) have discussions with each child individually about their hopes and fears - both their own and those that have to do with you as a parent; and (4) follow doctor's orders concerning medication, diet, exercise and schedule frequent check-ups.  Otherwise, show your kids that your disease does not define you!
      
      Good luck with the hub - I cannot wait to read it!

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         kelleywardposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         great info Stephhicks! Thanks for sharing!

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   KDFposted 13 years ago

   I qualify. I'm a parent of two and have had asthma since I was born. I don't let it affect me in anyway. When I was younger, I had to have shots twice a day. I've since grown out of that but still require daily medication to control it. I don't let it get in the way of anything I do with my kids. I'd rather run out of breath then miss a game of theirs or event.

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      kelleywardposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      KDF that is wonderful! So glad you can enjoy everything with your kids without it interfering with your asthma.

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         sofsposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         Kelly, I have put my experience into a story called dancing away into the dawn in his arms .. I have very vividly described what it felt like for me then..you could check it out if you like...

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            Lord De Crossposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            Not a parent with a chronic disease, but my younger son has PDD. He is improving by the months, and actually he will catch up with the rest of us. I feel for you though. Hope everything is fine.

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            kelleywardposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            sofs I will do that. Thanks! Everything is fine with me just wrote a hub about a friend I met on Linked in who had a serious illness and it prompted me to ask around! Thanks Lord glad to hear your son is better!

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   Lisa HWposted 13 years ago

   My kids' father was diagnosed with an immune-system disorder when my eldest son was 8, youngest son was to turn 3 the following day, and daughter was six weeks away from being born.  Not feeling well (and having symptoms that looked like/were depression associated with it), my ex-husband only recently said that he doesn't remember much about the kids' earlier years and feels like he missed all those years.  I'm assuming they may explain why later he'd even entertain the notion of trying to take children away from a capable mother with whom they were so close and bonded in a custody case when a divorce had become "seriously necessary". I mention things that happened with the children today, and he'll say, "I don't remember any of that."

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      kelleywardposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Wow Lisa HW. I feel like that at times when my blood sugar drops real low, thank God this doesn't happen to me often. Thanks for sharing this!

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   FaithDreamposted 13 years ago

   I'm a parent and a grandparent too. I have fibromyalgia and some days can be really tough. My grandchildren are young so they don't understand much.
   
   My oldest grandson is 11 and he understands when I'm having a rough day. I've always been open with my kids about my condition. Having fibro can mean somedays, I cannot receive a hug. That's probably the hardest thing to tell them, but they always want to help.
   
   I think you have to be open in a way they can understand. At the appropriate age, you tell them what you can. As they get older, they can be helpful without worrying about you.

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