“She has what?” I exclaimed, after my wife shared news of our daughter’s latest medical diagnosis. This doctor—the twelfth one in a long line of supposed experts—told us that our sixteen-year-old girl was grappling with a little-known but massively-challenging chronic-pain condition called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, or EDS for short.
What a powerful essay, David! Deeply personal, vulnerable, beautiful, and full of wisdom and incredible takeaways. "She chose not only to live; she also chose to thrive." - what a champ! Thank you for sharing.
Wow, This is a really powerful experience David. Thank you for sharing it with us. The way you navigated this challenge is an inspiration.
I particularly loved this advice:
Give people options and resources, but don’t control how they use them. Trying to control others in this way either robs people of their own personal agency or builds deep relationship resentment.
Agency is so important for everyone, and I'm grateful for the reminder to give my children their own agency in the process of growing up.
Wow, beautiful piece David! I appreciate both the vulnerability and that you shared what worked best for your family. There's so many good nuggets of advice in this essay that are served with the openness that it doesn't necessarily make things easy.
This was such a great takeaway too -> "The older I get the more I realize that life is typically filled with a set of unattractive options. Growing up means choosing the option that sucks the least."
This is such a great piece! It's so insightful and empowering. Thank you for sharing your story.
It reminds me of my favorite concept, "amor fati" meaning "the love of fate." Love everything you experience, even the negative things.
What a powerful essay, David! Deeply personal, vulnerable, beautiful, and full of wisdom and incredible takeaways. "She chose not only to live; she also chose to thrive." - what a champ! Thank you for sharing.
Wow, This is a really powerful experience David. Thank you for sharing it with us. The way you navigated this challenge is an inspiration.
I particularly loved this advice:
Give people options and resources, but don’t control how they use them. Trying to control others in this way either robs people of their own personal agency or builds deep relationship resentment.
Agency is so important for everyone, and I'm grateful for the reminder to give my children their own agency in the process of growing up.
Wow, beautiful piece David! I appreciate both the vulnerability and that you shared what worked best for your family. There's so many good nuggets of advice in this essay that are served with the openness that it doesn't necessarily make things easy.
This was such a great takeaway too -> "The older I get the more I realize that life is typically filled with a set of unattractive options. Growing up means choosing the option that sucks the least."
Awesome essay David, thank you for sharing!