Something was said to me recently that implied Asher was not healthy.
It really took me back and got me thinking. Before I had Asher, would I have looked at a kid with CP and thought that they weren't healthy? I hope not, but maybe? Does one automatically label a person with a disability as unhealthy?
Asher, my big strong boy, is perfectly healthy. My babe who couldn't breathe on his own till he was almost 5 months old now has zero respiratory issues. The same baby who couldn't lie flat and required meds up the wazoo to keep him from vomitting is now completely reflux free. That tiny little guy who started life over 3 months early at only 2 pounds is now a tank - large and in charge by anyone's standards. Every single bit of my boy is healthy. Sure his arms and legs don't move properly, I'll give you that. But to me, healthy means that although he may not be mobile, all the important functions of his body are serving him just as they should be. And it means that he is happy, funny, silly and bright - just like any other 18 month old.
This got me thinking about seeing a specialist's med student the other day. He walked in and said "So, how's Asher doing?" to which our answer was "Fine!". It was an awkward exchange because that is obviously not what the student was asking; however, in his inexperience and lack of verbal prowess, he couldn't better articulate his question to be something more along the lines of "So what are your concerns with Asher?" or "Can you tell me a bit about what Asher is having problems with?". All he could come up with was "How is Asher doing?". Come on dude, you can do better than that.
But my point is, in reality, the answer to that question is that Asher really is doing fine. Better than fine in fact - great. Asher is healthy and happy. What's more important than that?
Here here (here). I'm wit you guys. He's healthy! bbty
ReplyDeleteExactly.
ReplyDeleteKirsten
That is exactly the point. He is healthy. He is thriving. CP can take a backseat because first and foremost that baby boy is healthy.
ReplyDeleteThat is so interesting. I wouldn't have ever thought that a child with physical or mental disabilities was not “healthy”. But I suppose I can understand that type of thinking. I think the difference is how people define “health”. When I define how “healthy” I am feeling, I refer to how I feel. And by this I mean my how happy I am and what are my energy levels at are at. So in my books - Asher is as healthy as me!
ReplyDelete