Chronic sorrow: one mother's experience with two children with lissencephaly

The concept of chronic sorrow has been used to describe the reaction of parents to the ongoing losses associated with caring for a child with chronic illness or disability. A middle-range theory of chronic sorrow provides a framework for further understanding of this phenomenon. This theory is applied to a case of a family burdened with the unrelenting stress of caring for 2 children with lissencephaly. With an understanding of chronic sorrow, nurses can plan interventions that recognize it as a normal reaction, promote healthy adaptation, and provide empathetic support.