Thank you so much for sharing your journey. I'm so sorry for what your family is going through. My daughter was diagnosed with cancer two months into the pandemic, and she endured three subsequent years of treatment. I'm a single parent with no state paid leave, so I continued working through her treatment, and it almost killed me. She went into remission in 2022, but my son quickly began struggling with debilitating anxiety- I think he'd held it in all the years his sister was sick, and once she was in the clear, down he went. We're finally, finally stabilizing this summer, but trying to balance work through it all has been harrowing. It breaks my heart that other people are also facing these kinds of challenges, but after four years of feeling totally alone with it all, it helps to read other parents' stories. It reminds me we're not alone.
Oh Elizabeth - this is so hard. And extra hard as a single mom, with NO PAID LEAVE! I'm glad your daughter is in remission now, your son is stable, and things are calming down now. But it sounds like it was really tough journey. I can relate to feeling alone with it! It does help to share our stories, doesn't it? Hugs to you.
Serena, thank you for sharing your story and tagging me so I could read this. I related to it a lot. I had to walk away from my job this year to care for my son with special needs, among other reasons. My boss tried very hard to make things work and made a lot of accommodations for me, but ultimately it was more than I could handle. I shared about it vaguely on my publication, but haven't gone into detail. It takes a lot of bravery on your part, so I'm grateful to find other parents in similar positions.
Hey Tiffany! Wow, thanks for sharing about your own experience with your son and your job. I'm sorry it was such a hard experience - sounds like both you and your boss tried to make it work! Glad to know you understand. Way to go in making the hard decision to resign to focus on your son and your own needs. Also courageous!
Thanks so much @Chris Anselmo! I feel like you understand so well about making difficult life choices in these types of situations - you’ve modeled it yourself!
Serena, thank you for writing about your experience. This is so helpful for others who are experiencing caregiving and the challenges it presents.
Thanks Kathryn! Appreciate your support and insights!
Thank you so much for sharing your journey. I'm so sorry for what your family is going through. My daughter was diagnosed with cancer two months into the pandemic, and she endured three subsequent years of treatment. I'm a single parent with no state paid leave, so I continued working through her treatment, and it almost killed me. She went into remission in 2022, but my son quickly began struggling with debilitating anxiety- I think he'd held it in all the years his sister was sick, and once she was in the clear, down he went. We're finally, finally stabilizing this summer, but trying to balance work through it all has been harrowing. It breaks my heart that other people are also facing these kinds of challenges, but after four years of feeling totally alone with it all, it helps to read other parents' stories. It reminds me we're not alone.
Oh Elizabeth - this is so hard. And extra hard as a single mom, with NO PAID LEAVE! I'm glad your daughter is in remission now, your son is stable, and things are calming down now. But it sounds like it was really tough journey. I can relate to feeling alone with it! It does help to share our stories, doesn't it? Hugs to you.
Serena, thank you for sharing your story and tagging me so I could read this. I related to it a lot. I had to walk away from my job this year to care for my son with special needs, among other reasons. My boss tried very hard to make things work and made a lot of accommodations for me, but ultimately it was more than I could handle. I shared about it vaguely on my publication, but haven't gone into detail. It takes a lot of bravery on your part, so I'm grateful to find other parents in similar positions.
Hey Tiffany! Wow, thanks for sharing about your own experience with your son and your job. I'm sorry it was such a hard experience - sounds like both you and your boss tried to make it work! Glad to know you understand. Way to go in making the hard decision to resign to focus on your son and your own needs. Also courageous!
Thank you for this important post. I am wishing you and your daughter the best ❤️
Thanks so much @Chris Anselmo! I feel like you understand so well about making difficult life choices in these types of situations - you’ve modeled it yourself!