But I didn’t know the laundry list of possible health problems that would be presented to me in a few weeks. I didn’t know the meaning of the words Down syndrome. Heck, I don’t think I even really knew what a chromosome was. I didn’t know what it felt like to really worry about my son’s future.
When I heard the words for the first time, I allowed myself to cry. Once. On the way home from the geneticist’s office.
Then I went about the task of learning.
Some things you can learn from others. Statistics, probability, historic perspectives, can all come from books and “experts.” Best practices, health guidelines, suggested therapies – they’re all important and have their place. As parents, we all look for this kind of knowledge, whether our child has special needs or not. |
But if I could tell that scared Mom, who wanted so desperately for her baby to be safe and healthy, one thing it would be this – “You know more than you think you do.” Maternal instincts are nothing to sneeze at when it comes to knowledge. Doctors, family members, and the well-meaning “public at large” don’t know you or your child. |