Chronic Kids, Constant Hope: Help and Encouragement for Parents of Children with Chronic Conditions

Features

• Cover Type: Paperback with 208 pages
• Published by: Crossway Books
• Edition: 1st Edition July 25, 2000
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 1581341849
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-1581341843
• Book Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Weighs: 14.1 ounces

Product Description
With the heart and understanding of moms who are living it themselves, Elizabeth Hoekstra and Mary Bradford offer encouragement and help for fellow parents of chronic kids. If you were blessed with such a child, you are not alone. An estimated one-third of U.S. families have children with conditions ranging from asthma to cystic fibrosis--conditions that may not be imminently life-threatening, but are nevertheless life-altering for the entire family. Hoekstra and Bradford address specific issues such as dealing with emotions, what to do when friends say insensitive things, praying effectively, finding good medical care, and navigating the insurance maze. Through their honesty, the experiences of other parents, and your own chronic kid, you will discover how to recognize and absorb God's grace and hope as you live out His plan for your lives.

Reader Reviews
No one is prepared when the doctor looks at you after examining your child and his/her demeanor gives away the news: your child is seriously ill. Everything changes. What was a normal day becomes a vacuum that keeps you and your family prisoner while the rest of the world continues to move, breathe and enjoy life. You feel you're suffocating as well meaning people throw words like "I know how you feel" at you when they can't possibly know how you feel. You vacillate between wanting to scream or disappear, finding that it's a dream and your family is intact. But it isn't a dream, and it won't go away. And though you shout "THIS ISN'T FAIR," and it isn't, nothing changes. As two mothers who are also nurses, the authors readily admit their medical backgrounds are not necessarily an asset when your child is the subject of chronic illness. They take you through the experiences shared by any parent who finds that in a few seconds, their future and that of their child has been forever altered by the ravages of the disease. There are implications for the family, and especially those for the caregivers and the siblings. Hoekstra and Bradford draw upon their strong Christian faith to answer in part the questions "Why?" and "Why me?" Their practical advice coupled with their spiritual insights make this a MUST READ for the parents of chronically ill children. As a grandparent of a child born with severe heart problems, the book was a wonderful find. It's been given away nearly a dozen times -- to parents of a child with a fast growing tumor; to parents sitting in the neonatal unit of a children's hospital; to a pastor who often finds himself counseling heartbroken parents who need answers. The final result will depend on the outcome of each story, but for this reader, the encouragement given by these mothers provided a way to endure the days of shock, frustration and discouragement. The sun is bring again, not because the circumstances have changed, but because the perspective has sharpened, thanks to Bradford and Hoekstra.