Jolene Philo

, , ,

The Lessons I Learned while Raising a Child with EA/TEF

, , ,
The Lessons I Learned while Raising a Child with EA/TEF

The lessons I learned while raising a child with EA/TEF have been many and varied. That’s to be expected since our son was born in 1982 with esophageal atresia (EA) and a tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF), two conditions that left him unable to swallow and required immediate surgery. Many of the lessons came about as a result of the surgeries and invasive procedures he endured between birth and age 5. Other lessons came later as he became more independent in adolescence and adulthood. I encourage you to use these ten lessons as a springboard for considering what you’ve learned as well.

, , ,

When God Redeemed My Worst Christmas Ever and Used It for Good

, , ,
When God Redeemed My Worst Christmas Ever and Used It for Good

When God redeemed my worst Christmas ever by using it for good, it came as a big surprise. Most likely because 1982 was the year of my worst Christmas ever, and the using it for good part didn’t come along until December of 2024. 42 years is a long time, which explains my surprise.

, ,

Enjoying the Holidays with a Food Allergy

, ,
Enjoying the Holidays with a Food Allergy

Enjoying the holidays with a food allergy sounds like an oxymoron doesn’t it? After all, eating together is an integral component of the holiday season. I looked forward to making our traditional holiday foods until I was diagnosed with a dairy allergy in 2012. What was to enjoy about the holidays when the foods associated with it were off limits to me?

, ,

Emotions Are Information: A New Way to View and Interpret Big Feelings

, ,
Emotions Are Information: A New Way to View and Interpret Big Feelings

Margaret Vasquez explained that emotions aren’t who we are. Rather, they are similar to physical sensations. When we feel something hot, cold, sharp, or painful, our bodies are alerting us to approach with caution something in our environment. When we feel emotions––big and small––our mind is alerting us to something internal that deserves our attention.

, , , , ,

Did I trust God’s plan for the life of my child with disabilities?

, , , , ,
Did I trust God’s plan for the life of my child with disabilities?

Did I trust God’s plan for the life of my child with disabilities? Did I trust God’s plan for the life of my child with disabilities during his frequent medical crises as a baby? Did I trust God’s plan for the life of my child with disabilities when he was a young adult? Do I trust his plans now?