I just finished reading a book titled "Angel Unaware". It was written by Dale Evans, the wife of Roy Rogers. Roy Rogers and Dale Evans were way before my time, however I do remember hearing about them when I was a kid. They were radio and television stars back in the 40's and 50's. So I stumbled upon this book at the library the other day, Angel Unaware, about their daughter who was born with Down Syndrom. Her name was Robin, she was born with a heart defect. About 50% of babies born with DS have this defect. It's very treatable today, not then. Robin Rogers died when she was two years old, but she left her family changed...forever...in a good way.
Something in the book made me sick to my stomach, sent chills up my spine even. Roy and Dale were desperately trying to find a doctor who could help Robin with her heart condition, this was back in the day when 90% of babies born with DS were sent to institutions to live their lives away from those of us who are "normal". The Rogers had been told over and over to send Robin away and one doctor had the audacity to say..."they (meaning those with DS) should just be lined up against a wall and machine gunned". Wow.
Many times since Paige was born I have thought about how people like her were treated years ago, and I think wow, I'm so happy she was born at this time, when there is so much more acceptance!!
Well....a few days after finishing that book I was online and saw a story about a new DNA test for pregnant women, yep, that's right, a new test that makes it SO MUCH EASIER to test unborn babies for Down Syndrome! So you know...we don't have to line them up against a wall with a machine gun anymore, we can just kill them before they are born.
That is when I decided to start a blog about Paige. A blog about Down Syndrome. A blog about how happy we are to have Paige, and her Down Syndrome in our family.
I read an article (Shannon, Chris, or Cindy showed it to me when I was subbing for one of them at the High School) about how genetic testing is making the birth or DS babies a rare thing, I was ready to be ticked until I finished the article. The author stated that it is a shame as people with DS have a great deal to offer the world with their amazingly Christ-like spirits. the blog is a great idea.
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