Posted 3/21/2006 6:17 AM (GMT -6)
Carrie Ann,
First of all, welcome to HW Forum, CF Room. Please, make yourself welcome and feel right at home.
I am a mother of twins with CF. If you had of offered your assistance when my twins were newborns.....I would have been hugging you saying...thank you thank you thank you!!!. LOL.
Anyway, some things that you can do is:
1. Get her a briefcase that can hold all the medical information, doc appts, teachings from the different medical team of the CF care center. She will need your help here learning how to cope with a baby with CF, and helping her sort out things will be a HUGE help.
2. She will not be herself when she starts to learn about CF and how to care for her baby, please be patient with her short feelings and remember to check up on her daily offering your assistance. Once she truely finds out everything there is to know about CF, she may be distant with family members to help her grieve (don't be too concerned). At diagnosis, parents go through a grieving process (this is normal). Please give her space if she goes through this, but, too much space might not be good, depending on her feelings. I am hoping she will not go thru this, but, most likely she will. When and if she says, I just wanna be left alone for now, she really does mean it. Since you are her sister in law, please don't take things too personal, just give her lots of hugs and let her know you are there when you need her.
I have to get ready for work now, but, will post later on some more suggestions if I have time when I get off work today (usually it's pretty late). talk to you later, and thanks! for your attention towards wanting to holp a mom out with a child with CF, it means alot to her.
Hugs!