Loveland Magazine received this Guest Column from the parent of a Loveland school student who asked us not to reveal their identity and to go one further step, besides sharing the sentiment of her writing – to help protect all of the “health compromised children” that need to attend school next week.
Most of you don’t know what it’s like to have a medically fragile child. Most of you never will. Most of you don’t know what it’s like to beg God to let your child live another day... thankfully, most of you never will. Most of you do not know what the scene of life-saving measures on your child looks like - and thank God, most of you never will. But unfortunately, for some of us parents - we do know all of these moments and they never leave us. They are forever ingrained in our memory - you can see, smell, hear and taste these moments. Always. Forever. I’ve come to realize that most of you don’t realize what you're asking of parents like me - with young, medically fragile children. You can’t possibly realize what you’re asking... because I cannot wrap my head around it - if you do realize what you're asking of me - how can I possibly wrap my head around the fact that I’ve been surrounding myself with so many people that would dare have such an ask. So many fake promises like “I’m here! It takes a village”. I sit back and think-shame on you. HOW DARE YOU. But then I remind myself, there is no way they realize their “ask”. I won’t call you selfish - because there is no way you really understand what you’re asking - and if you do, then it’s a step beyond selfish- it’s evil... and may God help you. We are asking one simple thing, parents like me — but you, you’re asking for my world. We ask just one simple thing - but you, you are asking for us to choose risk. We are asking for one thing - a very simple thing, indeed. But you... you are asking something far too big- something far outside of our reach. We are asking you for one simple thing... a mask. Please, we ask - it’s just a mask... But you, oh YOU... you cannot possibly realize it, can you?! You think you’re asking for choice... you think you have this right... but what you don’t realize, you can’t possibly realize — is that you’re asking me to risk my child’s life. You’re asking me to not put up a fight. You’re asking me to risk the very depth of my being - my reason for living - you are asking me to sacrifice all that we’ve done - and asking us to risk our children’s health... and all we ask of you is one SIMPLE thing... please mask up, to help protect the children. Send your child to school with a mask... you may save a life. If you’re reading this and getting angry, still not getting our message, then it may be time to take a long look in the mirror and start asking yourself some hard questions. Please stop demanding we risk our children’s life. Our ask is simple. And your ask, well it’s inconceivable.
