These folks are God’s salt of the earth who foster life despite obstacles.
too tired right now ... but I’ll be back with my 1 month early, 4 lb, 2 oz preemie downs grandson ... doin’ GREAT
We didn't do the amniocentesis test because it posed a risk to the baby and provided no information for which anything could be done about it anyways.
By the way he also had a cleft lip.
The “specialist” that we went to I'm Dallas was a supreme @$$hole and I quickly came up with the nickname Dr. Doom for him.
The screening said there was a 1 in 15 chance of DS.
He recommended that we do the test so we would know for sure and “have all options available.”
My wife looked at me (since I'm the lawyer I guess) and I promptly said “doc, I already know our two options- we will love him until the day we die or until the day he dies, but we aren't going to murder our child- so no more “options” talk.
He was born on October 14, 2011 very early in the morning (like deliriously long day) with a cleft lip (not a cleft pallet though), and we learned right away he had DS.
We were a little I'm shock as they took him away quickly to get him breathing better.
He was in the NICU over night (in fact for 7 days because of oxygen levels), but the next morning I held him and felt no different about him than I did my other “normal” and “beautiful” kids.
Three months later his lip was fixed by a world renowned surgeon, and he went through it perfectly.
Our other kids (7 daughter and 5 son at the time) fell in love with him immediately.
A few weeks after he got home I was praying for him as I rocked him to sleep, and I heard a whisper from the Lord that I didn't expect.
I sincerely believe that God told me “Ryan, you are MY special needs child, so I knew you needed Reagan.”
I pondered on this for a while and the meaning was clear. There were things in my heart that had become hardened and twisted (I blame it on the day job) that needed to change.
He has brought a clarity and perspective on life to our home that we would have missed out on if we has followed the heavy handed “advice” from the medical establishment.
I just wanted to share a small part of our story because it crushes me to know how many of the wonderful and innocent people get killed without even a chance to be adopted.
The eugenics movement is alive and well in this country, and I want to shout from the rooftops about the truth of DS.
If you or someone you know is pregnant with a baby with DS and you want to message me please do so. Having been through the scare tactics and BS the doctors spew, I want to share the truth and encourage these people.
By the way, Reagan lights up the place wherever we go.
And in only three years my wife has come across a woman carrying a baby with DS who was in turmoil over whether to have an abortion.
I'm happy to say that after they met Reagan and saw the joy in our family they ALL gave birth to and kept their babies. That is the work of God.
Now we home school the older two, and while my wife is teaching one, the other takes responsibility to play with and watch over their little brother. They do it with a genuinely pure heart and without griping at all. They just adore and love him. It really is beautiful to see.