News Flash: I Am Not Super Mom. Are You?

Due to ongoing computer issues and more importantly Austin-related medical issues, I have not been online much for a few weeks. Just when it seemed that the computer issues were resolving, the medical issues started. Ah, such is my life.

But I have been online enough this past week to know that something not so nice has been happening over in Twitterland and in the Blogosphere. It all started on Monday night when Shellie Ross tweeted that she needed prayers for her sweet son Bryson, he had fallen in the pool. After the paramedics arrived she tweeted from her mobile phone to ask for prayers. We prayed and a short time later learned that indeed Bryson, 2, had earned his Angel wings. Unleash the firestorm!

While many in the blogging community rallied to support her family, others bashed her and said unmentionable things about her as a Mother. Within hours of losing her son. Unthinkable. To be honest I have not read the negative blog posts because, quite frankly I have no time in my life for that. It saddens my heart. Not only must Bryson's family deal with his tragic death, but now also with media requests for interviews. Come on, let them grieve. Yes, Shellie is a well known blogger, but she is first and foremost a mom with a broken heart. Let her be.

Speaking for myself, there is something special that happens when you are a part of an online community, be it a mom blogger community such as MomDot, a special needs parenting forum, or even Facebook. These people who live across the globe and might otherwise be "strangers" have become my friends, these are the people who understand my situation and live it themselves, these are the people I look to for advice and support.

What happened to Shellie & Bryson, in a split second, could have happened to any one of us. Thank God it wasn't me this time, because Lord knows it so easily could have been. A few months ago on a morning without any nursing care I walked out of the room to get a cup of coffee and came back to find Austin had removed his Trach. He could have died. Another fine summer day came to a halt when Austin, clearly testing my Super Powers, face planted over an armchair in the living room. In both instances I was just seconds away and BOOM!

It only takes a second for disaster and how many of us have been there? I know I have had so many moments where for some unknown reason I turned just in the nick of time to reach out and save Austin from falling or hurting himself. Bad things happen and often we are not lucky enough to say "Whew, I'm so glad I was there, did you see that?"

So, no I don't judge Shellie's choices. I grieve along side these women, for a mother who lost sight of her son for a second and lost him forever. That's what friends do.


Thanks for peeking,