Thank you for taking me to get a proper evaluation so I understand my brain’s differences and don’t feel like it’s just all my fault. Thank you for taking me to a psychiatrist, month after month, to get a new prescription. I know you were busy, and yet I never ran out of medication because you took the time to take me to every appointment.
Thank you for ignoring the people who judged you. I know there were many.
Thank you for understanding that there was a difference between my sister occasionally forgetting her homework and me losing or forgetting something almost every day. Thank you for understanding that while all children can be fidgety or impulsive or get distracted, I struggled way more than the other kids my age. I now understand it’s because ADHD brains develop differently. You didn’t know that, you hadn’t done the research I have, but you listened to me when I told you I needed help.
Because of you, I got the treatment I needed, I did better in school, I felt more confident and able to reach my potential. Because of you, I never had to self medicate like so many ADHDers I know. I never sank into depression. I never gave up on myself. I never felt misunderstood. You understood. You believed me. And when you did, when you took me to a doctor who could explain to me what was happening in my brain, you took away so much shame.
Jessica McCabe and her mom, Rebecca. Photo: Jessica McCabe
As a mom to two kids (out of three) that aren’t entirely typical, McCabe’s letter truly moved me! It certainly motivated me to go with my gut instincts in combination with professional opinions on what they need. McCabe says she will be forever grateful that her mom fought through the stigma associated with having a child who was “different”: “All I know is she fought for us, and there was a lot of resistance at times. But I’m so grateful she did. It may have taken me awhile to find my path, but if she hadn’t gotten me treatment when I was younger I can’t say for sure I ever would have.”
