I am sorry to hear her son was diagnosed

Still wasn’t the right thing to say

I am sorry to hear her son was diagnosed with XXXXX, but not because I believe XXXXX is such a terrible condition to have.

So when I said, “I’m sorry,” this is what I really meant:

I’m sorry you might start researching your child’s condition only to become more confused than you already are. I’m sorry there might be more questions than answers.

I’m sorry you might feel the need to become a geneticist, neurologist, psychologist, gastroenterologist and a lawyer all at once. I’m sorry for the feelings of guilt and inadequacy you might experience.

I’m sorry your insurance might not approve the treatment you’re seeking, and you may have to fight tooth-and-nail to get the services your child deserves.

I’m sorry you may feel alone sometimes, because you think nobody understands what you’re going through. I’m sorry you may lie in bed at night and wonder what more you could be doing.

I’m sorry that rude people may stare at your family when you go out to enjoy yourselves. I’m sorry that autism awareness isn’t the same thing as autism acceptance.

I’m sorry that, at some point, you may find yourself trapped in a never-ending debate on vaccines.
That’s what I meant when I said, “I’m sorry.”

But it still wasn’t the right thing to say :(


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