230: Amanda’s Story | Medical-Parent Anxiety, Fear of the Future + 17 Years of Perspective

<p>When your first child is medically complex, your experience can look very different from a “typical” parent. But sometimes, that’s only really apparent in hindsight.</p><p>In today’s episode, we (finally!) have Amanda Griffith-Atkins on to share the story of her and her son Asher. From the first inkling that something wasn’t quite right to navigating conflicting messages and fears about the future to what her life looks like now seventeen years later, Amanda shares it all.</p><p>We also dig into that moment where you realize you have to share diagnostic news with your friends and family, how having typical children later brought up grief for moments she and Asher missed out on, and how the way disabled children are portrayed in medical settings influences parents and can contribute to fear.</p><p>This episode has it all! You won&#39;t want to miss it.</p><p>Links:</p><p>Check out Amanda&#39;s past episodes on TRL!</p><p><a href="https://therarelife.org/show-notes/ep-81-health-anxiety-w-amanda-griffith-atkins-lmft">81: Health Anxiety</a></p><p><a href="https://therarelife.org/show-notes/ep-85-should-childs-disability-be-part-their-parents-identity-w-author-emily-ladau-and">85: Should A Child’s Disability be Part of Their Parents’ Identity?</a> </p><p><a href="https://therarelife.org/show-notes/ep-99-family-planning-when-you-have-medically-complex-child-w-amanda-griffith-atkins">99: Family Planning</a></p><p><a href="https://therarelife.org/show-notes/rebroadcast-ep-108">108: Holidays + Disability</a></p><p><a href="https://therarelife.org/show-notes/rebroadcast-ep-109">109: Isolating During Holidays</a> </p><p><a href="https://therarelife.org/show-notes/rebroadcast-ep-110">110: Inpatient During Holidays</a></p><p><a href="https://therarelife.org/show-notes/ep-130-fearful-child-loss-anticipatory-grief-ways-it-guts-us-w-amanda-griffith-atkins">130: Fearful of Childloss</a> </p><p><a href="https://therarelife.org/show-notes/ep-131-chronic-stress-our-bodies-ways-our-physical-health-takes-hit-w-amanda-griffith">131: Chronic Stress + Our Bodies</a> </p><p><a href="https://therarelife.org/show-notes/ep-132-when-self-care-gives-us-the-swears-w-amanda-griffith-atkins">132: When Self-Care Gives Us the Swears</a></p><p><a href="https://therarelife.org/show-notes/ep-135-careers-and-family-roles-the-ways-theyve-been-impacted-by-disability-parenting">135: Ways Career + Family Roles Can Be Affected by Disability</a> </p><p><a href="https://therarelife.org/show-notes/ep-142-what-if-my-disabled-child-outlives-me">142: What If My Disabled Child Outlives Me?</a></p><p><a href="https://therarelife.org/show-notes/ep-147-sex-disability-parenting-all-the-ways-it-takes-a-hit-ways-to-reclaim-it-w-amanda-griffith-atkins">147: Sex + Disability Parenting</a> </p><p><a href="https://therarelife.org/show-notes/ep-153-hurtful-things-loved-ones-say-and-do-how-it-affects-us-what-to-do-about-it-w-amanda-griffith-atkins">153: Hurtful Things Loved Ones Say and Do</a></p><p><a href="https://therarelife.org/show-notes/ep-156-should-i-get-a-divorce-insight-solidarity-from-divorced-medically-complex-parents-w-amanda-griffith-atkins">156: Should I Get Divorced?</a></p><p><a href="https://therarelife.org/show-notes/ep-159-sharing-the-mental-load-with-your-partner-in-disability-parenting-w-amanda-griffith-atkins-will-atkins">159: Mental-Load Sharing with Your Partner</a></p><p><a href="https://therarelife.org/show-notes/ep-171-the-financial-strain-of-medical-parenting-w-amanda-griffith-atkins-alyssa-nutile">171: Financial Strain</a> </p><p><a href="https://therarelife.org/show-notes/ep-182-hobbies-for-disability-parents-why-we-need-them-how-to-squeeze-them-in-w-amanda-griffith-atkins">182: Hobbies</a> </p><p><a href="https://therarelife.org/show-notes/ep-189-grief-in-disability-parenting-what-it-is-why-it-s-there-how-to-process-it-w-amanda-griffith-atkins">189: Grief in Disability Parenting</a> </p><p><a href="https://therarelife.org/show-notes/ep-203-how-to-strength