After the Worst Day Ever

“What a powerful, courageous, and honest book! Drawing on years of pastoral experience, scholarly wisdom, and meticulous research, Duane Bidwell takes us inside the lives of children, letting them speak for themselves about their trials and amazing resilience amid debilitating illness. A godsend for those who care for sick children, the book’s five hope-filled practices also speak to those of us needing hope in an increasingly precarious world.” —Bonnie Miller-McLemore, author of Let the Children Come “I cannot say this enough: I needed this book when I was a pediatric staff chaplain. Sitting with patients and their families after receiving a life-rupturing diagnosis is fraught with fears of what not to say. How are they feeling? Where is the divine in all this? Bidwell cajoles the reader to listen to the children: the experts in their lived experiences. Hope is not an isolated experience, they show us, but one practiced in community. May we all practice hope in a way that fosters creativity, centers experience, enhances resilience, and nurtures the authenticity that Bidwell’s patients offer.” —Rev. Joshua T. Morris, Union Presbyterian Seminary “Duane Bidwell goes past the fear of chronic disease and dis-ease that strikes across the life span. Listening to the wisdom of children and youth on their own terms brings high rewards, and the compelling stories and sound methodology in After the Worst Day Ever are a gift for those who live with chronic illness and those who care for them.” —Daniel Grossoehme, senior research scientist, Akron Children’s Hospital “The guiding experts in this book are children and adolescents experiencing end-stage renal disease. Duane Bidwell lifts their voices and—in accessible language—elicits their practices of resilience. By highlighting spiritual resources of coping, he enters a world not yet fully discovered in healthcare research. This book offers new insights not only for healthcare professionals but for everyone who seeks to sustain hope in the midst of challenge and adversity.“ —Rev. Dr. Dagmar Grefe, manager of Spiritual Care and Clinical Pastoral Education, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles