I never anticipated becoming a homeschooling parent. While I cherish my role as a mother, the thought of teaching my child was never appealing. However, in recent weeks, I found myself enrolling in our local homeschool co-op and diving into curriculum research for the upcoming year.
My daughter, Lily, was diagnosed with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) at the tender age of four, following months filled with alarming ER visits and extensive testing. JIA, an autoimmune disorder, was actually one of the less dire possibilities presented to us amidst fears of brain tumors and leukemia. As a single mother, those months were among the most challenging I’ve faced—until now.
Lily’s condition means her immune system erroneously attacks her joints. Before her diagnosis, she struggled with basic movements, limping and having difficulty with stairs. Thankfully, once we identified the problem, she began a weekly treatment regimen involving chemotherapy that calmed her immune response. I administer these injections at home, and while they can cause headaches and discomfort, they have allowed her to reclaim her childhood, letting her run and play like before.
However, the treatment also left her immunocompromised. Initially, this worried me greatly. But over time, I learned how to navigate her health needs with care, ensuring she saw her doctor at the first sign of illness and allowing her ample time to recuperate.
For the most part, after three years on this protocol, we managed relatively well—she faced several illnesses, but none severe enough to require hospitalization. I adopted a balanced approach, allowing her a full life while being cautious about germs. Then, COVID-19 changed everything.
As part of her ongoing treatment, Lily needs regular bloodwork, and her last appointment was on March 13, the day after Alaska reported its first COVID-19 case. The clinic was eerily quiet, with her doctor advising us to “keep her in a bubble” for the foreseeable future.
At first, I resisted. I had worked hard to alleviate my fears and allow Lily a normal childhood despite her health issues. But the gravity of the situation couldn’t be ignored. I am a single, working mother with no nearby family support, and I was at a loss for how to navigate this new reality without my usual support network.
Eventually, I accepted the doctor’s advice out of trust and necessity. Day by day, we adapted to lockdown. I ordered groceries online, sanitized everything, and we explored secluded trails with our dogs to avoid crowds. I juggled my work and Lily’s education, sacrificing sleep to manage it all, while she learned to entertain herself for hours. Surprisingly, she handled the isolation better than I did. I, on the other hand, had to reach out to my own doctor for help managing the anxiety and depression I was experiencing.
The hardest part was the uncertainty of when this would end. I missed our friends and the sense of community that came with them. Most of all, I longed for the days when stepping outside didn’t feel like a risk to Lily’s life.
After ten weeks of lockdown, I consulted with her doctor again, hoping for good news. Instead, I was told, “If you could keep her in a bubble for the next year, that would be ideal.” My heart sank when she suggested planning for homeschooling, regardless of whether schools reopened.
This was the confirmation I had dreaded but anticipated. While some of my friends argued for the reopening of schools, claiming kids deserve a “normal” life, I felt compelled to hold back my response: “My child deserves to live.”
I understand that others are not at fault for not facing the same risks we do. Yet, it’s crucial for people to recognize that restrictions are put in place to protect those like Lily—along with millions of others who are immunocompromised or elderly. Almost 25% of our population is at risk of severe complications or death from COVID-19. Meanwhile, as I prepare to work full-time and homeschool my daughter, I see complaints about mask mandates and social distancing.
“Kids shouldn’t live in fear,” some say. I agree, but they also shouldn’t have to witness friends and family members suffer from the virus. This is a genuine fear, and ignoring it doesn’t make it disappear.
In these challenging times, I find solace in resources like those from Make a Mom, which provide support to parents, and the World Health Organization, which offers valuable information on pregnancy and health. I also encourage you to check out this engaging blog post for more insights.
In summary, as I navigate the complexities of homeschooling my immunocompromised daughter during a pandemic, I strive to maintain a sense of normalcy while prioritizing her health and safety. The landscape of parenting has changed dramatically, but our resolve as a family remains strong.
Keyphrase: homeschooling immunocompromised child
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