Preparing myself for my son’s first out-of-state trip without me

Next week, my 6-year-old son, Cayden, will celebrate something even more exciting than Halloween: He’ll be headed to Parris Island in South Carolina to watch my younger brother, Ben, graduate from the Marine Corps. I’m so thankful that Cayden has the opportunity to watch his uncle celebrate such an amazing achievement.

Cayden and my younger brother have a special bond. I had Cayden when I was just a teenager, so the difference in their ages is just 12 years. I remember Ben expressing to me how odd it felt for him to be referred to as an uncle at such a young age. But he embraced the role with pride and grace, and it’s been delightful to watch the bond between them grow over the years.

While I’d never deny Cayden this experience, it does make me a bit nervous. Cayden will be going with other family members, and I won’t be going along. It’ll be his first time out of the state without me, and it’ll be the longest we’ve ever gone without seeing each other. I’m sure both of these factors would leave any parent stressed, but I have additional concerns.

For starters, Cayden has infantile-onset Pompe disease. Because it’s such a rare disease, most medical professionals aren’t familiar with it. Anytime Cayden is away, I worry that he might have an emergency and need medical attention. If I’m not by his side, how can I explain his disease and everything that comes with it?

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Thankfully, we live in an era when technology is right in our hands. It takes minimal effort to make a phone call. If anything were to happen, anyone in my family who will be accompanying Cayden can call me right away, which helps to allay some of my fears.

I don’t doubt that my family can appropriately care for Cayden. But that doesn’t mean I don’t worry. I’m used to being around and making sure everything is done correctly, from his tube feeds to putting on his BiPAP mask at night, and even simple things like getting him dressed.

But I won’t let my fears prevent Cayden from having a good time at this event. He deserves to go, and I know he’ll be happy when he realizes what his big surprise is. My brother will be ecstatic, too. They have no idea what’s in store for them, and I can’t wait to hear about their reactions on the big day.

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