Sometimes… just sometimes, dads get a bad rap. Think about all the mommy blogs out there to empower, to share, and even at times, to vent about the life and times of mommy world. But, there’s a whole other equally important side to parenting: Planet Daddy. Planet Daddy gets thrown under the bus all too often, especially when Planet Daddy succumbs to the gravitational pull of DBD (deadbeat dad) rays.
But, all hail Planet Daddy and its “king for the day,” Lester Jones, the father and mighty caregiver for his daughter, Sydney, who lives with complex regional pain syndrome, or CRPS.
Sydney rocked the high school sports arena and all that comes with being a solid student-athlete. But, she learned all too quickly about the symptoms related to complex regional pain syndrome. Things like:
- changes in skin texture on the affected area; it may appear shiny and thin
- an abnormal sweating pattern in the affected area or surrounding areas
- changes in nail and hair growth patterns
- stiffness in affected joints
- problems coordinating muscle movement, with decreased ability to move the affected body part
- abnormal movement in the affected limb, most often fixed abnormal posture (called dystonia) but also tremors in or jerking of the limb
Listed above is what CRPS reads like medically. But, for Sydney, the symptoms reared their head as excruciating pain in her stomach and lower body.
It’s the scenario that most parents just can’t bear to think about, as reported by WBRC news:
Imagine your child being in excruciating pain, and nothing you or her doctors can do will give her relief. That’s what the parents of an Athens High School athlete were dealing with.
So, what’s my point? Good question.
When I read Sydney’s story, it’s her daddy’s voice I hear and connect with—even as a mom. Don’t let me mislead you—both of Sydney’s parents, mom and dad as a united front, care and support their daughter.
However, Lester speaks honestly about his struggle with trying to protect his daughter from CRPS—a fight that Planet Daddy’s “king for the day” brawls with his best efforts.
Read about CRPS and its raw toll on parenting here.
