Brooke Greenberg

So tonight I watched a special on a young lady who has never grown past the size of a one year old. She is currently 16 years old and only 17 pounds! No doctor has any idea why this has happened, and she has defied so many odds. One time the doctor's found a tumor which they said was causing her to sleep. The family planned a funeral and perpared the family. For fourteen days she was asleep, until one day she woke up! The doctor's took her for an MRI and they could not find anything wrong, no more tumor. She is truly amazing. She has a wonderful family, and her state has given her resources to ensure that her family has the supports that they need. Here are some links to her story.

Brooke Link 1
Brooke Line 2

What upset me about this, is that they made a very distinct statement that she would not be nearly as loved or well developed if she was in a placement outside the home. This really upsets me. I may not love the children at my work as if they are mine, but I think it is pretty darn close. I'm not sure how much more some of the staff I work with and myself, can offer our children. I have kids that families haven't been to see them since the day they dropped them off. Some parents, that have moved on and come once a year. Some parents that I have no phone number to to get a hold of when their child needs something. Parents whose rights are terminated, and for good reason. They may not have the same kind of love, but I will make sure they have everything they need and that they know they are well loved.

It makes me mad that their state offers supports, and for my state, placement is pretty much the only thing that a parent has offered to them. It seems like they have nursing care whenever they want it! It even looked like the nurse went to school with her.

She had a beautiful family, with married parents, three sisters who care for her dearly. They include her in all family activities. My kids, rarely have married parents. Their siblings, some, have never seen where they live. Most do not celebrate Christmas, Mother's Day and Easter with their families. But they have staff that will celebrate with them, give them presents and make sure they are hugged beyond measure! (I love celebrating Thanksgiving with "my kids" when they don't go home.)

What I think it is, is that I am jealous. I'm jealous that "my kids" don't have everything this young lady has. Which is in no way, this young ladies fault. Perhaps my kids would grow more if at home, perhaps they would be loved more if with their parents, perhaps they shouldn't be in residential care.

But that isn't an option for them.

One time I was at a baby shower and a lady asked me what I did for a living. I told her that I worked with children with severe disabilities. She looked and me and said "I heard that children like that should have never even been born." I went on to tell her that all children have a purpose and I am glad that they are born. (Now I wish I had said something, like maybe people like you shouldn't have been born, but I know that is not what God would have said, and I would never mean that.)

What amazes me about Brooke and others is that their "disability" is really an "ability." Research is showing that what they learn from people that are classified as "not normal" is insight to health problems and how to cure and treat different things. For Brooke, it is research into aging.

I read somewhere about Down's Syndrome and how Cancer, of course I can't find it now. here's a similar article but not the one I wanted.

Either way, who says individual's created differently have no purpose on this earth, when they could help to find an answer to one of life's most devastating illness.