We have learned about courage and tenacity. We have learned about an unquenchable desire to learn and grow under very trying circumstances. We have learned about patience and about living with pain. We have learned about making the best of a difficult situation, about putting on a cheerful face, despite great discomfort. We have learned about sustaining friendships with others, when we have every right to focus only upon ourselves. We have learned that our children are often our best teachers.
We cannot give grades for these lessons; they are profound lessons that go far beyond grades. Soon there will be a time for grades, and we are certain that those grades will be as outstanding in the future as they have been in the past. Soon we will all share in Elan’s pride in his academic achievements. But, no matter how stellar his achievements will be, and they will surely be stellar, they will not compare with the personal bravery of the fourth grader who has inspired us all.
Elan’s fourth grade teacher. More on Elan here.
elan arnowitz
What do sick kids have to do with social media: Part II
Our son was recently diagnosed with Perthes. We are currently staying at the Hackerman-Patz Guest House in Baltimore while Elan recuperates. This note is a follow-on to the original post and continues the conversation about what sick kids have to do with social media.
Disclaimer: if you don’t have a 10 yr old (or, think like one), some of the players mentioned here might not make sense…
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What do sick kids have to do with social media?
Well, actually a lot…
Our son was recently diagnosed with a rare hip condition. While not life threatening, it is serious and will require surgery and extensive recuperation.
We, of course, were shocked at the news. Elan is an outgoing, kind soul that goes out of his way to avoid stepping on ants. Intuitively, while my wife was finding solace through family & friends, I went online to research and connect with others.
Through social media channels such as e-mail lists, web forums, flickr, you tube, blogs, podcasts, social bookmarking sites such as delicious, online communities and Wikipedia, I was able to begin digesting different treatment options. There isn’t consensus in the medical community for Elan’s condition. Drs. generally support treatment options and surgery that they are familiar with. As bad luck would have it, we have to act quickly and make a decision that may impact the rest of his life.
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