“I decided to mention it at his 4-month appointment. After talking about how great he is doing, lots of laughs and smiles, all of a sudden everything changed. The doctor looked in his eye and her face became very serious. I pit formed in my stomach.”
‘I noticed a glow in his left eye at 3 months old. I turned the flash off, but it was still there.’: Mom pens PSA after son diagnosed with Retinoblastoma
‘I could barely get the words out. ‘Mom, what does this mean?’ In one moment, my life changed.’: Woman births baby with Down syndrome
“As I came out of the fog, I started looking at my life through a different lens. Although my life might change, it might change for the better.”
‘He has no chance of surviving.’ There was fluid around his heart, lungs, and brain. They didn’t believe the pregnancy was viable, but he was SO loved already.’: Mom births baby with Down syndrome
“My husband and I always said we wouldn’t terminate a pregnancy. But then we were called into ‘the bad news room.’ They said, ‘There’s a chance of your baby having Down syndrome.’ We didn’t know if he would make it.”
‘She might not make it.’ No parent is prepared for those words. She was covered in so many wires, I couldn’t even see her face.’: Mom births baby with Down syndrome, ‘She’s our ray of sunshine’
“We didn’t hear a cry, and all we saw was a room full of doctors. I knew something was wrong. My heart sank. ‘What happened to my baby?’ Her diagnosis was secondary. We just wanted our baby to survive.”
‘Are you going to keep her?’ We never thought it would happen to us. I prayed for her to be ‘normal.’: Mom details Down syndrome acceptance journey, ‘She’s changed our lives’
“We were angry. We were scared. We tried to talk ourselves into believing the test was wrong. ‘Why did you choose me to be her mother?’ I felt so inadequate to raise a child with special needs.”
‘This is a mistake! She CAN’T be mine.’ I turned everyone away from the hospital. I thought I ruined our lives.’: Special needs mom details Down syndrome journey
“My vision of perfection vanished and I felt disconnected. It was painful to say the words. But it had been her all along.”
‘Linda, I have news—please sit down.’ The delivery room was hush-hush. ‘She will be a burden to your family.’ Everyone was disgusted I wouldn’t abort her.’: Mom details emotional journey advocating for daughter with Down syndrome
“Our genetics counselor suggested we institutionalize her. The speech therapist said right in front of my 8-year-old daughter, ‘She will likely never have a job. I don’t even think part-time work is in her future.’ Right then is when a fire got lit. We wanted her to have the fullest and most complete life she possibly could.”
‘Aren’t you going to tell me congratulations?’ She wanted me to cry, but she wasn’t going to break me.’: Mom becomes Down syndrome advocate, ‘This is HIS journey’
“The social worker slowly sauntered into my room. She spoke with a soft, low tone as if she was attending a funeral. ’How are you feeling about his diagnosis?’ I was furious.”
‘You’re purposely starving your unborn child by not eating.’ My husband wasn’t allowed in the room for ultrasounds.’: Mom births baby with Down syndrome after hospital malpractice, ‘He is more loved because, not despite, his diagnosis’
“The pediatrician was super blunt. ‘No, you are mistaken. You’ve confused us with a different baby.’ Nobody noticed it on the million ultrasounds throughout the pregnancy. I watched my husband and 1-day-old baby taken away from me in an ambulance and all I could do was stare.”
‘We may never be ’empty-nesters.’ She may never live independently. But I’d be pretty darn happy taking nightly strolls, arm in arm, forever.’: Special needs mom shares sweet moment
“I was at a stop sign. Crossing the street in front of me was a couple in their 80s and their adult daughter, who had Down syndrome. They seemed to be out for an evening stroll and the daughter and mom were arm in arm. Everyone was smiling. It got me thinking.”
