Certain matters are really hard to discuss with others. There are some areas in a person’s life that is not intended to be disclosed to people who are not really aware of the situation that the person is into because of the idea that the thing you are about to share would bring inconvenience to others. But discussing something to make a clear point and provide general knowledge on issues that are rarely taken into consideration is far more better than thinking about what other people might think of you, just like the case of Rebecca Fadel King (2008) who’s daughter, Lydia, is suffering from a severe peanut and tree-nut allergies.
This condition is rare and the fact that food is already a part of everyday living makes it harder to believe that such condition does exist. For people who doesn’t understand the allergy, her situation may sound funny but the truth is that the condition of her daughter is too severe, she even compared it to mutual funds where in the past performance has no guarantee for future results. The last reaction may be as simple as the itching of her daughter’s lips but the next could be fatal that it might be the cause of Lydia’s early death.
What Rebecca is experiencing now is really troubling and just keeping it to herself and within her family is not an easy task especially to her daughter. I do agree with Rebecca’s eagerness to share the situation of her daughter and her family. What she wanted to do is a brave way of educating people about an existing sickness that is really life threaning and may hit anybody’s children without noticing that it already exist.
I also agree with her about the fact that the adjustments that her daughter has to endure at an early age are the hardest things that she and her family have to bare. She even noted that the family’s favorite Chinese restaurant became off-limits because most of the foods served there was cooked in peanut oil and they were not taking the risk of Lydia enjoying the food at the moment and then suffering the consequences aftewards. What is really hard about her situation is seeing her daughter injecting epinephrine, the medication that is saving Lydia’s life.
I may not be able to justify what Rebecca is feeling because I’m not in her situation but just thinking of the fact that you have to see someone so close to you enduring things like that is like doubling the pain that you have to endure because you’ll never know what will happen the next day or the day after. What I disagree about Rebecca is the hesitation that she is feeling in sharing her situation with others and her fear that she might make others feel inconvenient about her daughter’s condition which is evident when she said that she don’t want any parents to roll their eyes on her.
The situation she is in doesn’t require others to comment on her and aside from that she must not think of how people will react on her situation, what is important is that she would be able to save the life of her daughter and the life others who are in the same ordeal as she is, other than than that why bother thinking about what other people will say to you? I do guess that there are more people who are open minded who can understand her situation than those who would be making bad comments about her.
I also don’t agree with her on these points especially about asking other peoples help because a condition like this need not to be ashamed of, it is something that is needed to be known to provide parents as well as other people the education that such condition should not be taken for granted. What’s really odd about this is the number of people showing less empathy and are so blithe and callous on parents like Rebecca who at times have to watch their daughters and sons suffer from a condition that they won’t ever wish to have.
It is true that there are matters that need not to be disclosed to others and may bring inconvenience to them but if it is something that is really in need of general attention, then it would be better to share it in order to prevent further damages. The situation that you have right now might be something that can save another person’s life in the future.
Reference
King, R. A plea for my daughter. Newsweek. Retrieved June 27, 2008 from http://www. newsweek. com/id/139437