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Chronic Kids, Constant Hope: Help and Encouragement for Parents of Children with Chronic Conditions
 
 
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Chronic Kids, Constant Hope: Help and Encouragement for Parents of Children with Chronic Conditions [Paperback]

Elizabeth M. Hoekstra (Author), Mary Bradford (Author)
3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)

Price: $15.99 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details
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Book Description

July 25, 2000

"As the grandmother of a child born with spina bifida, I especially appreciated the authors' honest and, at times, heartbreaking stories about God's calling for their lives. That they have discovered joy, found patience, and received grace at unexpected moments while parenting their chronic kids provides valuable support for our own journeys." ~Debra Evans, family wellness expert and author

"Finally, a rare combination of practical information interwoven with the agonizing spiritual questions we're afraid to ask aloud! The authors have reached into their own souls and come out with a unique perspective that transforms what could be constant suffering into continual joy." ~Dandi Mackall, author, speaker, and mother of a "chronic kid"

With the heart and understanding of moms who are living it themselves, Elizabeth Hoekstra and Mary Bradford offer encouragement and help for fellow parents of "chronic kids." If you were blessed with such a child, you are not alone. An estimated one-third of U.S. families have children with conditions ranging from asthma to cystic fibrosis—conditions that may not be imminently life-threatening, but are nevertheless life-altering for the entire family. Hoekstra and Bradford address specific issues such as dealing with emotions, what to do when friends say insensitive things, praying effectively, finding good medical care, and navigating the insurance maze. Through their honesty, the experiences of other parents, and your own chronic kid, you will discover how to recognize and absorb God's grace and hope as you live out His plan for your lives.


Frequently Bought Together

Customers buy this book with Parenting Children With Health Issues: Essential Tools, Tips, and Tactics for Raising Kids With Chronic Illness, Medical Conditions, and Special Healthcare Needs $16.47

Chronic Kids, Constant Hope: Help and Encouragement for Parents of Children with Chronic Conditions + Parenting Children With Health Issues: Essential Tools, Tips, and Tactics for Raising Kids With Chronic Illness, Medical Conditions, and Special Healthcare Needs


Product Details

  • Paperback: 208 pages
  • Publisher: Crossway Books; 1 edition (July 25, 2000)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1581341849
  • ISBN-13: 978-1581341843
  • Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 14.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,285,148 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

ELIZABETH HOEKSTRA lives in New Hampshire with her husband, who frequently travels, and their two children. She has published articles on this topic in New Man and ParentLife, and has authored other articles for various family magazines.

 

Customer Reviews

4 Reviews
5 star:
 (2)
4 star:
 (1)
3 star:    (0)
2 star:    (0)
1 star:
 (1)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
3.8 out of 5 stars (4 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Hope is a Four Letter Word, March 17, 2001
By 
barbara yates (Western Michigan) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Chronic Kids, Constant Hope: Help and Encouragement for Parents of Children with Chronic Conditions (Paperback)
No one is prepared when the doctor looks at you after examining your child and his/her demeanor gives away the news: your child is seriously ill. Everything changes. What was a normal day becomes a vacuum that keeps you and your family prisoner while the rest of the world continues to move, breathe and enjoy life.

You feel you're suffocating as well meaning people throw words like "I know how you feel" at you when they can't possibly know how you feel. You vacillate between wanting to scream or disappear, finding that it's a dream and your family is intact. But it isn't a dream, and it won't go away. And though you shout "THIS ISN'T FAIR," and it isn't, nothing changes.

As two mothers who are also nurses, the authors readily admit their medical backgrounds are not necessarily an asset when your child is the subject of chronic illness. They take you through the experiences shared by any parent who finds that in a few seconds, their future and that of their child has been forever altered by the ravages of the disease.

There are implications for the family, and especially those for the caregivers and the siblings. Hoekstra and Bradford draw upon their strong Christian faith to answer in part the questions "Why?" and "Why me?" Their practical advice coupled with their spiritual insights make this a MUST READ for the parents of chronically ill children.

As a grandparent of a child born with severe heart problems, the book was a wonderful find. It's been given away nearly a dozen times -- to parents of a child with a fast growing tumor; to parents sitting in the neonatal unit of a children's hospital; to a pastor who often finds himself counseling heartbroken parents who need answers.

The final result will depend on the outcome of each story, but for this reader, the encouragement given by these mothers provided a way to endure the days of shock, frustration and discouragement. The sun is bring again, not because the circumstances have changed, but because the perspective has sharpened, thanks to Bradford and Hoekstra.

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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Helpful, not fundamentalist, December 17, 2007
This review is from: Chronic Kids, Constant Hope: Help and Encouragement for Parents of Children with Chronic Conditions (Paperback)
This book offers real hope with real substance for those in a difficult situation. If we didn't live in such a hyper-sensitive anti-Christian culture, one wouldn't have even imagined the previous reviewer could have called ideas in the book 'fundamentalist.' I feel for the people at that hospital who are being denied some real help due to a librarian's bias and discrimination. Read the book yourself, rather than letting someone else decide for you.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Super good read!, August 13, 2009
This review is from: Chronic Kids, Constant Hope: Help and Encouragement for Parents of Children with Chronic Conditions (Paperback)
This book was an easy read. Very enjoyable. Straight to the heart Christian encouragement.
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Inside This Book (learn more)
First Sentence:
The doctor held up our squalling son for my husband and me to get our first look. Read the first page
Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
chronic child, chronic kid
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Down Syndrome, God's Word
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