Just say hello

I have been thinking of what to write about Downs Syndrome for '31 for 21' and i must admit there is very little i know about the Syndrome, I am learning little bits from Michelle and have met more and more kids with DS lately - I think having Jaiden has opened up my eyes to people with disabilities more in general, i remeber a time when i would walk stiffly passed a smiling disabled child who would say 'hello, how are you?' to me feeling unsure what to say. I am very ashamed of that 'closed minded me'and deeply regret not taking 2 seconds out of my precious day to say "well thank you, how are you?" I am pleased to say i feel completly comfortable talking to any disabled person now and i hate watching the ignorent ones walking stiffly passed.
I was at a friends birthday party recently and met one of her relatives i had heard was in hospital with cardiac problems, she had mentioned him before in passing a few times but had never said how serious the heart problems were or that he in fact had Downs Syndrome. I had a great chat to him he is a lovely boy, well a man really, he is turning 18 in November and VERY excited about it! He was telling me that he was a bit sad because all his brothers and sisters were married now and he wasnt, but he does have a girlfriend he sees quite a bit and he wants to marry her someday :)
After a chat with his parents i found out he had only recently come out of hospital after having a valve in his heart replaced and that he was expected to have ongoing complications and will be lucky to see his 25th Birthday. I had heard that DS could cause Cardiac problems but i was unaware of the frequency and seriousness of this.


* On a different note, Some great news! My MIL is home again and feeling much better, they have no idea what caused the problem but a batch of scans and tests reveiled no Pnemonia and no Clot (THANK GOODNESS!)so at this point she just has to take it easy at home and see what happens.