After reading JeremyG’s article on what is basically a need to rid ourselves of those who do not confirm to the norm (physically and mentally) of society I find this sad.
The reason I find this sad is because as someone in a sense I belong in the categories he was talking about. I was born in 1946, and in 1949 was diagnosed as a Type 1 Diabetic. Not quite three years old. Now at that time my mother and father had only four children. Three girls an a boy. I was the second child. They went on to have ten children. Of those ten I was the only one to have any type of physical or mental problems. Now at that point they could have given up on me, and within a couple of years I would have died. But, they didn’t, and to this day I am truly thankful for that.
Now Diabetes is not something I would even wish on my worst enemy. As a child back in the late forties through the fifties, then in to the sixties life was really not that much different then that of those other (normal) children around me. Yes at times I would not be able to do what other children could do because of the effects that diabetes can have on the body. There were days at a time when my feet, and legs would hurt so bad all I could do was lay in bed and cry. It wasn’t a problem walking as it was there always seemed to be constant pain as if my feet weight an extra ten to twenty pounds. It seemed for some reasons they were always asleep.
This is not an article on diabetes, but an article to show that we can over come some of the problems that nature throws at us. Over the years (and because of the times) we have found many positive ways to fight Diabetes, Cancer, MD, and other physical diseases. Is there a cure for any these, NO. Will there ever be, I really don’t know. But I do know that because of our ability to think we have been able to at least help those who are in need of a cure. Because of our abilities to look into the possibility of finding a cure for diseases we may be not have found a cure, but at least a way to help ease the problems, and pains brought on my some diseases.
Yes, because of Diabetes I lost two legs, however, I gained four. That last statement refers to two wonderful sons, who are now grown men. Neither at this point have Diabetes. Now that is not to say they won’t later in life. I can only keep my fingers crossed.
I have had a wonderful life, and if it haven’t been for a mother and father who cared deeply about me I wouldn’t have been able to see those two young men grow to who, and what they are today. And to Jeremy, and those who agree with him; I can only hope that you never have a child who is born with a disease someone considers incurable.
Sincerely, Pam