|
|
|
Feminists for Life's 2012 issue of The American Feminist focuses on "Hard Cases, Exceptional Choices." FFL President Serrin M. Foster answers the most controversial and important questions of our day including "What about rape--including statutory rape, incest and rape--disability, and life of the mother?" Following the questions are firsthand accounts by Remarkable Pro-Life Women® who faced life's toughest questions. The 36-page special issue includes thought provoking ads in English and Spanish, about children with special needs, and of a woman conceived in rape. Join FFL NOW to receive both "Hard Cases, Exceptional Choices" and "Pro-Woman Answers to Pro-Choice Questions." | |
Lourdes Hnath
When I was 34, I found out my son
was going to be born with major
heart problems and Down syndrome.
Doctors encouraged abortion, but
since my family and I don’t believe in
this, it was not an option. However,
I was terrified. How do I take care of
a child with special needs? Will he
even know me? We quickly educated
ourselves about Down syndrome by
reading, reading, reading. However,
the books were starting to scare
me until I realized: every child is
different. He would not have all the
obstacles listed in these books. We
were truly going to have “on-the-job
training.” We were hooked up with
one of the many organizations that
help disabled children, so he was on
waiting lists for all kinds of help even
before he arrived. I was still scared.
When he was born, I asked his doctor,
“Now what do I do?” He said, “Take
him home and love him.” That is what
we did. His heart was repaired at 3
months of age. Besides his disability,
he was just a regular kid. He laughed,
cried, discovered things he loves to
do (swimming and dancing), and he
is my life! He is very close to my entire
family, and his older brother and
younger sister are devoted to him.
He is his own person. He sees things
differently than most people (usually
more logically), and he makes us
laugh every day. My baby is now 18
years old. He has been in school since
he was four, and he is very proud of his
job that he has through school. Even
though my life isn’t what I planned,
it is better because of my Joshua.
No child is ever a mistake.
Lourdes Hnath is a church musician
and a stay-at-home mother of two sons and a daughter.
|
|
|