You are the REAL HERO

When you walk in to the hospital and see a child laying in the bed you automatically feel bad for them but do you ever stop to look at the rest of the room. What you are not noticing is perhaps their sibling sitting in the corner, ignored, not making a sound. Everybody is always focused on the child that is sick which makes sense but that sibling in the corner is a person also. 

We both have siblings that have been effected by our conditions. The reality is that any time there is a family member that is sick they automatically come first, they have to. The problem with this is that putting a child that is sick first for a few days until they get better is one thing but it becomes a lot more complicated when that child will never get better. This means that they come first, and will always come first. This creates a dynamic that is hard for the entire family. 

I know about the sibling sitting in the corner of the hospital room because many years ago that was my sister. When I had my second heart  surgery she was forgotten for an entire summer. My mom was always with me which means that she had to stay with friends. To this day I feel guilty about that. She is the strongest person I know and to this day one of my biggest supports. She has gone through every stage of having a chronic condition even though she is deemed healthy. The reality is that if a loved one has a chronic condition so do you.  

Tremors has two siblings who have grown up knowing that treatment comes first. Every five weeks she has to go in to the hospital for the weekend to get her treatment. This means that if an event overlaps with treatment most likely both parent will not be able to attend. Understanding routine treatment means that her siblings know both parents are unable to attend and there is! no point in arguing. 

From our experience we feel that our siblings know what it means to have a chronic illness. They are just as involved and in their own way have to make just as many sacrifices, if not more. They give up time with their parents family and other friends on a regular basis. They always have to stand up to people that don't understand us or pick on us because we are "different". They know as much if not more than our doctors and are always prepared to get a call that the condition has worsened. On many occasions my sister has been willing to drop everything to come be with me in the hospital. Like us, our siblings are educators, warriors, and always ready to battle. 

This post is to our siblings who we love and have supported us and to every other sibling out there supporting a loved one. Even if you are sometimes ignored you are more appreciated than you could ever imagine.

WE BELIEVE IN YOU!

Tremors and Nemo