When my son Benjamin started preschool, I met some moms who have, as I like to say, kept me off a paid professional couch.  I can tell these women anything.  Fourteen years later I am still grateful for their friendship.  Because of them it never occurred to me that not everyone has friends or family who are willing to listen to all the ugly truths that sometimes define special needs parenting.  I mean, I’m Italian.  I was raised to talk.  About everything.

I’m not one to hold anything back.  My friends and I have often discussed the depths of our love for our children, and our fears of leaving them behind.  I assumed these thoughts were not unique to my group of friends, but I had no idea how many people felt unable to discuss this “taboo” matter.

When Brain, Child Magazine published my essay, “Bury My Son Before I Die,” I heard from parents across the globe.  I felt an incredible sense of community in their responses.  I would like to think we all learned that even though our version of parenthood is far from conventional, we do not have to feel alone in our thoughts.  It’s all a part of our norm.

See my interview with HuffPo Live here.