We had an interesting conversation last night at supper. Abby asked why Anna's not going to JRA Camp this summer. There are many reasons why Anna's not going this year (our summer schedule, the cost, Anna's waffling on whether or not she wanted to go), but for me, the bottom line is that some kids desperately need to go to JRA Camp, because they're having emotional and psychological issues dealing with the pain of arthritis and the realization that their lives are very different from other kids. For them, JRA Camp is a huge relief----to be around other people their age who understand pain and stiffness and lots of medications, etc. It's a huge support system for them. Anna's arthritis is under good control, and even when her uveitis flares, there are no symptoms, so she hasn't (as yet) had any "adjustment" or emotional or psychological issues related to having arthritis. (Thank the Lord!) Then we were talking about how Joel's speech therapist really and desperately wanted him to attend the Stuttering Conference last summer (it didn't work out with his schedule because of the missions trip he was on). While I think the Stuttering Conference would have been interesting, I wasn't devastated that we couldn't go (would have enjoyed a train ride to Philly, though!). Joel seems to take everything in stride, and I think I've learned to, also (at least I hope so!). I was telling the kids that I'm so proud of the way they have accepted the issues that they each have to deal with. Joel said that he thinks that many people who stutter and parents of people who stutter are way too focused on the issue of stuttering (and he thinks a conference on stuttering would just be way too much of a focus!). He would rather focus on LIVING! I personally have never wanted the issues my children face to define our lives and who we are, and I realized tonight that they really don't. At times the issues do need our attention, but it's really just a very small part of who we are as individuals and as a family.
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