Our daughter has a number of neurological issues. The good and the bad are that she is very pretty, and sweet. Yes, I admit bias but, hey, I'm her mom. The bad part about that is, no one expects her to have a disability. At most they expect a speech disorder- much like all of the doctors I spent 6 years trying to get to believe me. Even after her disabilities being established, we still have some who downplay her differences from those who are typical. How then to get a person who doesn't know my child well, to realize that there's more to her than meets the eye? What can I do to ensure others understand? 

Every Parent, or Caregiver to someone with special needs has these same thoughts. They keep us up at night, dominate our days. And of any group of people who understand you can't control the future, Caregiver's are it! All of those restless nights, those days of doctor appointments, psychiatric evaluations, heart breaking realizations and just plain exhaustion, led me to here. If I can do anything to help my child, when I have an accident, and can't communicate with an EMT or whatever crazy things life throws at you, at least I've made an attempt to pass along the message. 

I see medical alert bracelets everywhere. Announcing allergies, medical conditions, whatever, and thank goodness they do! Lives have been saved countless numbers of times I have no doubt. But every time I saw one I couldn't help but think of our situation; what if something happens to me, how will a hospital or emergency responders know it's not just me in need of help? I know, sounds like and reads like one of those bad infomercials but really that's where this all came from. 

And so while my bracelet that I wear proudly is just a small thing, I know that I've increased the odds that she will be in good hands that understand her, in the worst of all situations.