- To the pediatrician who does 10 times as much work for my special needs kid as compared to your typical patients in referrals and phone calls and questions, most of it unpaid...thank you.
- To the nurse who goes the extra mile in making sure my child is physically and emotionally comfortable, whether he's doing an office well-check or an in-patient hospital stay...thank you.
- To the taxpayers who help fund my child's supplemental health insurance and school services, and to those who vote for these programs to stay strong...thank you.
- To the teachers who give extra help and extra care to my son, beyond what's strictly required in his IEP...thank you.
- To the principals and school psychologists and other school team members who actively seek out ways to help my kid rather than just trying to save the school district money...thank you.
- To the pediatric specialist doctors who have a real conversation with the parents, and who have taken on their specialty knowing that they will be dealing with at least two people (parent and child) for less pay...thank you.
- To the therapists who get to know my kid's interests and temperament and really strive to make therapy sessions be individualized to my child (and this is most of you!!)...thank you.
- To every provider / school / insurance company that does not make me jump through 10,000 hoops so that my kid can get the care he needs...thank you.
- To the doctors who do their job with excellence, reading the chart thoroughly, diagnosing and treating thoughtfully, performing surgeries with care, finding and solving the problems that others would have missed...thank you.
- To the politicians at every level of government who hear the story of a special needs kid and take helpful action, especially when it's not primarily motivated by political gain (and heck, even if it is)...thank you.
- To the friends, family, and churches who have learned about our situation, cooked us meals, checked in with us, prayed for us...thank you.
What would you add to the list?
