Reflections of the past week

So I have had a pretty bad cough this week and have not really been up to putting anything together.  But as I was washing dishes at 6 this morning I started reflecting on stuff and thought that I would comment about it.

This week there was a day for Spread the Word End the Word effort going on.  As I was thinking about this I was thinking that I never used the R word but I never stopped anyone else from using it either, because it didn't effect me.  But since having Markie I realize how much that word can cut a person to the core.  

Now when I think about it and that label being placed on Markie something strong wells up inside of me and I want to shout you will never place that label on my son.  I am not foolish enough to think that there will not be some cognition delays but I will not allow anyone to refer to my son as "R" ever again either.

I also have enough trust and faith in God that I know in his own way he will answer the prayer that I pray into Mark's life everyday.  The simple prayer I ask is that Please God keep Mark's mind sharp and strong enough that he will be able to function and be able to know when he is being taken advantage of.  I ask for this because I know there will come a time when he will have to step out into this world that is always looking to take advantage of people that are a little slower to recognize what is going on.

I now think that we need to put together a campaign to "Spread the word to end the stereotyping".  As I was washing the dishes I was thinking about the genetics doctor that came in to talk to me and Guy while I was in the hospital.

Without the bloodwork being done on Mark she came in and she said that he had all the characterstics of Down Syndrome.  She then proceeded to tell us that people with Down Syndrome are big floppy, dopey people with mental retardation.  As she said this to us I felt like I had been punched in the gut to hear such cruel things being said.  But I felt an even deeper cutting over her mental retardation description.  That my prayer just welled up in me as she was saying this.

I couldn't believe her manner I thought it was very insensitive to say stuff like that when you are talking to people that are just learning that there child has Down Syndrome and they are scared as to what the future holds for them.  Then you lay this description on them that sounds desperate.

 I wish I could meet this Genetics Doctor and show her my beautiful boy and dare her to tell me that he is just a big dopey kid that is mentally retarded to the point where he will not be able to function.  I dare her or anyone else who thinks like this to just spend a day with Mark.

After spending a day with him and chasing him away from opening up cabinets to pull everything out.  To him playing with his toys and his brothers and receiving one of his famous hugs and a pat on the back.  I would dare anyone to say that he is too big and floppy and dopey to be able to enjoy doing anything.

So I am proposing that we put togehter another mission to end the sterotyping!!  And instead we should get to know everyone before we make generalizations.  Just my thoughts.

Does my sweet little man look like a big floppy dopey kid?  I think he is a sweet little peanut that people should get to know!!

Kelly,
Praying God's Blessings