Do you know the power of one? One voice. One friend. One person helping you out when you most need it. Almost ten years ago, I wrote my first blog post. I started using social media (before that was really even a word) to start a stream of pictures that my parents could easily access anytime they wanted to see their first grandchild. I didn’t know that that other people would read my posts, see what we were up to or connect with me because they found someone who might be able to help.
But today, blogging, social media, tweets, and other platforms put information and people infront of us with the click of a button. They are people who can help us or are interested in the same things we are. Finding that one person might take a few minutes or a few weeks, but they are out there. Experts on rare condition, parents going through similar situations, friends who you have never meet, but feel you are long lost best friends.
Ten years ago, I was searching for answers. Crying at my computer looking for hope, people or anyone who could shed light on my son’s rare condition that I knew NOTHING about, much less could spell or say it. I would stay awake and read through forums that I thought were a glimpse of what my new son’s life would be like. Some were promising. Some were not. My doctor urged me NOT to research too much and to come to him with questions. I was scared. Terrified. Depressed. Alone. VERY alone. And all this with a new baby and his life riding on decisions my husband and I were to make on a subject we knew nothing about. I didn’t know where to turn.
But I did eventually find friends, organizations and people that would talk with me. I talked with them for hours, crying, listening and begging for them to tell me everything would be ok. I had to be. But I needed people in my life that knew more than me. I needed someone to hold my hand and tell me not to worry. I came back to these very people time and time again as they have the keys to more experts that I can speak with. People that know more that me. I listened. They talked. We made the tough decisions. But without the internet, I am not sure how I would have found them to be as educated as I am now.
So this past week, I got to BE the person who I dreamed of ten years ago. A friend to a new Mom who was looking for answers and felt like she was alone. I might not have the answers. I’m not a doctor. I’m a Mom. A real person who deals with this every day. I am not a fortune teller, but I am a wealth of information to tap into in hopes of taking a bit of the “scary” of of this nightmare you are living. My nightmare is now over. I have a confidence that has took me ten years to build and I hope to be that friend who can relate to what you are going through. I have been there… cried for hours, days and weeks, about so much of what you are dealing with.
I am so glad you found me. Ask me anything. I am happy to share my experiences. Isn’t that what l life is for? Isn’t that why blogs are written? So that someone who’s reading a story at 3 a.m. thinks that they might not be alone, because someone else HAS gone through this too? Let me be a friend. Sometimes all you need is someone to talk to. Talk through things. Information is power. Power is knowing everything you need to know before making decisions.
If I have only helped one person, than I am happy. Things will get better, I promise.
Your actions count. One person can make a difference m. Be the change.