Lauren Shelor is a 29-year old mom of a toddler whose medical condition required him to undergo an eight-hour open heart surgery at only three months old. The story she shared was one of many instances when someone makes a comment when they donโt know the situation the other person is in.
A couple of weeks ago, Lauren was at a store, waiting in the line for the fitting room. A woman then commented on how nice the pants she was about to try were and they had a small chat about Lauren having a toddler who goes to daycare while sheโs at work. The woman commented โMust be nice to have a vacation from your baby every day, woman.โ while she was walking to the fitting room.
But this comment immediately broke Laurenโs heart. And thatโs why she decided to share her story; she wanted that woman and practically any person who judges others and their families to know that people may be going through a ton of different situations that they have no idea about and, ultimately is none of their business.
According to the mom, she had to stop working for half a year to help her son, Sawyer, recover from the open heart surgery, and sheโs thankful to her boss who did whatever they could to help her keep her job and medical insurance. She went on to explain how painful it is for her to drop off her son at daycare every day, and missing his first milestones, like his first words.
โShe didnโt see the way I sobbed until I couldnโt breathe the day, I dropped him off at daycare for the first time. The weight of everything that I was going to miss was so heavy. I donโt know that that feeling ever really goes away.โ
She describes what it feels like to rush from work to the daycare to doctors, back and forth, to be able to provide her child with all the necessary means in order for him to achieve his full potential. And that requires money and time. And thatโs why she has to go to work every day, trying to be a valuable member to her team as well.
โShe didnโt know about the $1.8 million dollars that his medical care cost last year.โ
Lauren also discussed how difficult it is for her to miss all the playful and joyous moments of her son, since she only enjoys him awake for one hour and a half every day before he gets sleepy. At that short time, they struggle to prepare dinner and eat together as a family, give Sawyer a bath still in her work clothes and heels, as she characteristically says.
โShe hasnโt been there for any of the weeks that Iโve ran back and forth 20 times between daycare and work to take Sawyer to all of his therapies and medical appointments, while also trying to be a valuable member of my team at work.โ
Lauren isnโt seeking pity- sheโs only looking for understanding and compassion. She shared her story to show everyone that no matter what you see on the outside, you cannot judge a person or a whole family when you donโt know the whole story behind it. Itโs very easy to throw comments around, but what our societies really need is people who seek to understand others and make them feel better instead of wanting to break them and make them feel guilty or insufficient.
Sometimes we donโt realize that an innocent comment to someone else can hit a nerve but itโs best to keep in mind that we donโt always know what someone is going through.
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