As the mother of a critically ill child, I often heard, ‘you can’t take care of anyone else unless you take care of yourself.’

Every mother who cares for a chronically, critically or terminally ill child has heard this phrase more than once. And most mothers don’t listen. If your child is sick, you, as a mother, take care of your child. That’s your job, your instinct, your passion and your purpose.

But as the mother of a critically ill child, I only focused on taking care of my son. And when I lost him, I felt the need to care for someone else.

So I did that for many months. I wanted my energy, my passion and my purpose to be used for some kind of good. I needed to help other moms and dads, whose energy was spent on their sick children, to feel some kind of relief. I wanted to care for anyone but myself.

But there comes a time when every mom, every parent, every person, has to take care of themselves.

I am lucky to have an amazing group of individuals who have loved, supported and walked me through the most difficult journey a mother ever has to navigate.

And now, though I would give anything to have my baby in my arms again, I will use the only outlet I know to help myself heal. I will brave this unknown and terrifying world of social media.

And I will write.