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077: Welcome back to the Special Needs Mom podcast. Today I have guest, Bonnie O’Neil. Bonnie is a mom to 3, one if her children having type 1 diabetes. She also has an intense background with her own childhood and the disease. Bonnie is also an author and a spiritual director. 

Bonnie was born into a family that had previously lost a son to the sudden, undiagnosed, onset of diabetes. She lives in fear of this disease her whole childhood and into early adulthood.  After finally moving forward without fear, she was blindsided by her son’s type 1 diabetes diagnosis at the age of 5. 

She shares the vulnerable story of how she quickly pushed away her faith and was really angry at life.  Bonnie explains that she now knows it’s okay to feel angry, jealous or isolated. There is nothing wrong with intense and negative emotions. 

Bonnie also has insight on the struggles we live through as parents. We usually circle around to the same emotions again, such as control. But the control we feel as our kids are first diagnosed, is different from the control we feel as our children move out. The emotions and feelings will spiral back around but they will be different for us each time. 

Bonnie uses her book as a tool for helping mom or parents to take control of their mental health and in turn support their whole family. 

Connect with Bonnie:
Website: https://www.bonnieoneil.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bonnie.w.oneil
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bonjourbonnieo/
YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7KP4kpHlWSCHEk- m_ymFRA
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bonnie-o-neil-a9b7a5ab/

Connect with Kara, host of The Special Needs Mom Podcast:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thespecialneedsmompodcast/
Website: https://www.kararyska.com/