Pill Fatigue

Caroline has declared that she takes way too many pills a day and doesn't want to take anything other than the necessary ones.  Ok, fine, I can see why 21 pills a day would get very old.  She has been such a trooper for seven years now, with very little resistance to taking her medication.  Usually she brags about how many pills she can take at once ("Don't choke please!" I am always admonishing her).  But today she was visibly upset at the thought of swallowing all of the pills in her hand.  So I bargained with her that she wouldn't have to take the krill oil, the Vit D, or any of the other supplements, except for the B-complex vitamin, which is necessary since she is taking Lamictal and Seroquel.  That only eliminates 4 or 5 pills but it is a start.  I feel badly for her.  I try to take as many supplements as I can morning and night so she sees that I "have to" take a lot of pills too, but I know she knows the difference.  And just how are our kids so different from kids with chronic illnesses (cystic fibrosis, cancer, diabetes, muscular dystrophy) who have to put up with tons of pills, blood draws, and endless doctor appointments?  And they suffer more because no one is rallying around them on a daily basis, holding numerous fundraisers all of the time for treatment and research and the like.  I want to support all of my friends with children who have these serious illnesses, but I just wish that early-onset bipolar disorder got more attention!