Our New “Home”

Your New “Home” – the JSpA Parent Circle:

We all exist in many different circles. We have friends from childhood. We have roles we play in our families. We have co-workers and roles we play at work. We have adult friends. There is also a circle for parents with chronically ill children. Even better than that, there is a circle or home for parents whose child has been diagnosed with JSpA.

This circle becomes a new “home” because it is a place where you can express your fears or a new symptom and the circle understands. You can discuss possible medications without the judgment or misunderstandings that often occur with people who are not faced with making that choice for their own child. You can discuss remedies that might have worked for you and find new ones that worked for someone else. You can say you are tired and this circle will not start naming all of the things they did to show you how busy they are because they know what you mean by tired – tired of this disease and facing those challenges and fighting. This circle will not ask if you tried to give your child cherries or cherry juice or tell you about a new fad diet they heard can cure anyone.

This circle gets you. They are your new home. It may not be a home you ever wanted to live in or a circle you ever wanted to visit, but somehow, when you step foot into this circle – you instantly sigh a deep breath of relief, because you are truly home. And don’t worry, this circle hopes you do not have to visit often but when you do, we will be here. Welcome home.

Submitted By Emily Neu