EmmasPapa
08-08-2008, 06:23 PM
I am usually pretty good with words but I am having a hard time tapping my lexicon for the sentences that will do justice to my feelings on this subject. This has not been a good time for our family. Emma seems to face a new health problem at every turn; and even good news carries repercussions. We were all plunged into despair at test results indicating kidney damage in Emma. Further tests not only confirmed the preliminary findings, but were much, much worse than the day before. The good news was that the consensus reached by her several specialists and her pedi was that the damage was probably a result of the interaction of two drugs used to control the inflammation caused by her JRA, and that by discontinuing the use of one or both of those drugs the damage could be minimized or even reversed. The bad news is that her BG is adversely affected by steroids and NSAID medication yet uncontrolled inflammation caused by JRA is in itself crippling and painful. Whoopie - what great news! Tongue firmly in cheek.
So just what does this have to do with grandparenting? Mom and dad are the front line defense aren't they? Yes they are - no doubt about it - but those parents are also hurting along with Emma, and they are OUR children. Grandparents hurt for all of them and yet are mostly powerless to provide more than moral and when able - financial support. Our (The collective our) kids are either too independent or too reluctant to cry on our shoulders, and our time with the grandchildren is too limited to provide the comfort and care our hearts cry out to give. The only analogy I can give is that being a grandparent is a lot like being the injured quarterback of a football team playing for a championship. You can root them on, give them advice and pat them on the butt; but you cannot get out on the field and call the plays. We are essentially a spectator in a contact sport.
Nick, Amy and the kids are on their way to a well-deserved break at Seaworld in San Antonio. Papa and Mimi leave tomorrow morning for a week with Mimi's family in Branson, MO. We won't see or touch our grandchildren for 10 whole days. That is one more reason that being a grandparent is hard. :cwds:
So just what does this have to do with grandparenting? Mom and dad are the front line defense aren't they? Yes they are - no doubt about it - but those parents are also hurting along with Emma, and they are OUR children. Grandparents hurt for all of them and yet are mostly powerless to provide more than moral and when able - financial support. Our (The collective our) kids are either too independent or too reluctant to cry on our shoulders, and our time with the grandchildren is too limited to provide the comfort and care our hearts cry out to give. The only analogy I can give is that being a grandparent is a lot like being the injured quarterback of a football team playing for a championship. You can root them on, give them advice and pat them on the butt; but you cannot get out on the field and call the plays. We are essentially a spectator in a contact sport.
Nick, Amy and the kids are on their way to a well-deserved break at Seaworld in San Antonio. Papa and Mimi leave tomorrow morning for a week with Mimi's family in Branson, MO. We won't see or touch our grandchildren for 10 whole days. That is one more reason that being a grandparent is hard. :cwds: