Video about Down Syndrome

Along with the article about the lawsuit concerning the birth of a baby with Down syndrome was this video about people who are glad that they gave life to their child with Down syndrome. Here is the You Tube link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVxz71ygHbk&feature=player_embedded

How did I feel as I watched this video?

Well, it made me cry. I have had such a mix of emotions surrounding Julia's life and death. Watching that video made me wonder what I was missing out on by not being able to see Julia grow up. I'm sure that anyone with a child with Down syndrome will tell you that I missed out on many good things as well as many really really hard things. One woman put it, "I always feel so overwhelmed that I don't experience the joy." I appreciated her honesty. Another woman responded, "Don't be sorry. You are not alone. Having a child with special needs is exhausting, stressful and sometimes heartbreaking. Nobody really goes around all day in saintly bliss because of their child with DS! When things get overwhelming, it's hard to find the joy in anything! I have been peppered with this same advice lately: "Take care of yourself." Get breaks whenever possible. If you don't miss your kids, you haven't been out long enough! And when the fog clears and you get one of those moments of clarity, where you feel the joy, or wonder, love or just acceptance, write it down." I really appreciated her honest and yet very supportive response, too! (That is what is so great about the people in the SVDSN.) In some ways it feels like our lives have been spared some future hardship from Julia dying so young. But in other ways, it feels like some profound joys and a deeper love than we could ever know have been stolen from us. Ultimately, *Julia* was taken from us. That is what is most tragic. On the video, I look at the pictures of the kids and parents and what they have to say about their child with Down syndrome and it makes me wish I could of had the chance to have been inspired by Julia. I think she was inspiring and would have continued to be inspiring.

I recommend you watch the video.

In case the You Tube link doesn't work, here is the link to the article and video:
http://www.lifenews.com/2012/03/13/couple-wins-suit-doc-didnt-suggest-aborting-down-syndrome-baby/