Dear special needs mum,
Did you ever think you would be known as that? “The mum with the child who has special needs”
I certainly didn’t…
That’s what other people see but I’ll tell you what I see when I see you.
I see the occupational therapist having to sort out all the equipment and researching to ensure that your child has everything they need.
I see the physiotherapist doing daily stretches and exercises even though your child cries through it and your back is sore.
I see the play therapist using toys, sensory items and books to try and teach your child new skills and understanding and letting them learn through play.
I see the nurse administrating different medication daily at certain times of the day ensuring each dose is correct.
I see the specialist, researching and finding out everything there is to know about your child’s condition.
I see the speech and language therapist working out different ways to start or improve eating, drinking and talking.
I see the carer, who has no other choice but to be organised at everything, not one mistake can be made when it comes to your child’s health.
Your social life is constantly on hold because let’s be honest, you can never truly take a break and relax.
You have to juggle appointments. You often get very little sleep but there’s no chance of a nap or any time to catch up on that.
But you never complain.
It’s your child so you don’t do all of this because you have to but not necessarily because you want to either, you do it because you would do absolutely anything for your child, the love between a mother and her child is like no other.
When that mother has a child with additional needs, that love grows to enable her to become more than a mother, to also become all the professionals involved with that child.
You put on a brave face because your child does, and if they can go through everything they have and still come out smiling then you think “so can I!”
There are many hard days but there are also good days, you didn’t choose this life but it’s yours and you’ll do it all again tomorrow.