Young Black Mother Raising a Child with a Disability

I was about 22 when I gave birth to my daughter. I knew when I was pregnant with her that something was not as it should be, because she rarely moved around in my stomach. When she was born all I heard were the nurses and doctors whispering before I had even laid eyes on her. They knew that something was wrong and no one mentioned anything to me while I was carrying her. The sonograms never showed the murmurs and cleft in her heart, the underdeveloped liver and digestive tract. I was told that she would have to be tested for something called trisomy 21 to make sure that they were correct on the assumptions. When I did finally see my little girl she was the most beautiful little angel in the world, but I knew something was wrong because she kept moving in my arms as if she were a fish and her tongue kept protruding in and out of her mouth. My daughter was also very small and she was unable to suck her bottle like normal babies find easy to do.

When I was given the news about her condition, which was she that she had tested positive for trisomy 21, which meant that she had down syndrome and was severely retarded, I was devastated. I felt like I was the cause of my baby being this way. I didn't really know what I had done to deserve this, and I was afraid for her because I didn't know what all of this meant. Later I found out that she had a underdeveloped liver and that she needed to have her heart checked out by a specialist. The results of that were devastating too. She immediately had to undergo treatment for her liver, she also had to begin taking medication for her heart as well as prepare for open heart surgery due to the cleft. My world was shattering right before me and I didn't know if I was going or coming. My daughter also had to begin physical therapy, speech therapy and occupational therapy because of her delayed learning ability.

I swear I wasn't prepared for this, but I was willing to do whatever to help my daughter to become healthier. The first couple of years were stressful but we both made it through with prayer and support. My daughter was able to control her blood pressure with the medicine they provided her with and eventually the murmure started closing so she was able to completely get off of one of the medicines. The doctor decided that she would be able to function without having to have the surgery done right away. My daughter also began to do well in therapy. She began walking at 16 months old, although she never crawled and was able to pronounce names when she was only 10 months old.

My daughter over came all of her obstacles, when there was doubt, she was a warrior. She is now 7 years old with a personality so full of life and love. She speaks very well and one of the top students in her class. She has recieved awards and has even become student of the month a few times throughout the school year. She is still developmentally delayed but my daughter is truly one of a kind. The entire town knows her, people of all races and nationalities, she even has friend who are deaf who she signs to when she sees, and some of her mexican friends have helped her to brush up on her spanish. It is just a miracle how the beginning of her life was a struggle, and now she is the most funloving, free spirited, uplifting person I have ever met in my entire life. She bring joy to our household and keeps every body where they need to be. She hates anger but loves to love. She is definitely my inspiration and she has taught me so much about life. I love her dearly and I wish you all could meet her.

This is my story about my daughter Robin, this was my bad news turned into a miracle and I wouldnt trade this experience for the world.