Thanks!

June 15, 1999

Thanks!

Thanks for here here/there this morning!

After we spoke, I was just so overwhelmed that I did take a nap. My

thought process is a bit more focused about how to deal with 's

deficiencies in math and Spanish. Right now, I am going to focus on the

math since the instructor is teaching summer school and will be available as

a resource. Spanish is also a bit more difficult to deal with since he will

have to take first year Spanish for the third time or embark on a new

foreign language.

Because we have just endured having to retake for two semesters a

course that he only failed in one of the two semesters of the previous year,

I have an indication of how he deals wih having to go thru the same course

twice [although the instructors were different]. So I am less able to NOT

think about the 'what if' scenarios of having to repeat classes in which he

found difficult to perform in.

Unfortunately, there are so many things floating around [with as an

individual and the family also] that our challenges to find even the

smallest rocks to start to build on amongst all the sand so overwhelming.

We are not quitters though [of course can be until he has been able

to calm down and develop the ability to let it show through].

Looking forward to making progress withyour help.

Jim

September 8, 1999

Wow..........that would kill me & the person

would get a hell(excuse my lang) of a tounge lashing

from me....they are CHILDREN.........not mongloids, not chinese,

not anything else..........I dont put up with that crap...the world has

come along way & the few people who act stupid should be told !!!

Sorry but our children have enough bridges to cross without ignorent

people to boot........ Skylar doesnt have many features & when I tell people

she has ds they look at me like I have 2 heads............

Amber

September 8, 1999

,

I would not be rude about it...but not all

ignorant people hear anyway.....

Some people dont want to know or learn

Honestly I havent come across the problem yet

& before my babies were born a little boy with ds came

up to me & touched my leg......god sends us signs & the power

to deal with stuff like this

Sorry if you thought I was a maniac.........lol

Amber

September 8, 1999

What a cutie pie !!!

Thanks for the pics.....just want to hug her......

lol

Amber

September 8, 1999

>are about the same size, and in the twin stroller, no one questions me.

>Which is just as well, right now I don't feel the need to explain my

>children or down syndrome to anyone. Do you know what I mean?

Gail;

Yes, I know what you mean. I am tired of people asking me if

and ( and Nicala are the twins) are twins....then when I

explain that they arn't the people look more confused then ever. Now, I

just lie to them and say " yes, they are twins. " It beats having to explain

things to them. I had one woman come right up to me and say " he has down

syndrome, doesn't he? " ....that was kinda surprising. I have also had

another woman come up to me and say " your son looks just like mine did when

he was little. " I informed her that has ds (I wasn't sure if she

could tell or not) and then she said " so does my son. " Just last week,

someone called a mongloid (that's the second time this has

happened....I HATE him being called that). I just said " NO, HE IS NOT A

MONGLOID; HE IS NOT FROM MONGOLIA.....HE IS FROM CANADA, HE IS A CANADIAN "

, mom to Nicala & (2yrs 9mth today) and (10mths)

September 8, 1999

Before I read any further, I want to say one thing. We cannot help the

attitudes of others toward our children. What we can do is smile and

explain whatever they seemed confused about. As a parent of a child with

Down syndrome, I am determined to change any pre-concieved ideas people may

have. I admit, before having Maggie I never gave any thought to Down

syndrome. I certainly wasn't repulsed but I didn't know anything other than

a medical definition. Please (in your hearts) forgive people's ingnorance

and do your best to educate your small corner of the world. This is the

only way to irdicate any poor attitudes. Having a snotty or condescending

attitude will only turn people off to further encounters with parents or

children or adults or adolescents with Ds-let's not repay ignorance with

anger.

To this end, I would like to announce our Tucson Area Down Syndome

Connection Calendar. The money earned from this calendar will go toward the

above mentioned goal. My children are featured in the month of February and

it is amazing but they are the cutest kids in the whole darn thing! If

anyone would like to purchase one (it is for our group) please feel free to

e-mail me. They really are great, the kids are adorable!

October is national Down syndrome awareness month and our calendars go on

sale during this month. Some of us from our support group will be putting

up posters (I ordered them) in elementary, middle, and high schools as well

as some of the public libraries. I am determined to put Down syndrome out

in the world and have acceptance!

Thank you,

Re: Thanks!

From: " " <lauranra@...>

>are about the same size, and in the twin stroller, no one questions me.

>Which is just as well, right now I don't feel the need to explain my

>children or down syndrome to anyone. Do you know what I mean?

Gail;

Yes, I know what you mean. I am tired of people asking me if

and ( and Nicala are the twins) are twins....then when I

explain that they arn't the people look more confused then ever. Now, I

just lie to them and say " yes, they are twins. " It beats having to explain

things to them. I had one woman come right up to me and say " he has down

syndrome, doesn't he? " ....that was kinda surprising. I have also had

another woman come up to me and say " your son looks just like mine did when

he was little. " I informed her that has ds (I wasn't sure if she

could tell or not) and then she said " so does my son. " Just last week,

someone called a mongloid (that's the second time this has

happened....I HATE him being called that). I just said " NO, HE IS NOT A

MONGLOID; HE IS NOT FROM MONGOLIA.....HE IS FROM CANADA, HE IS A CANADIAN "

, mom to Nicala & (2yrs 9mth today) and (10mths)

---------------------------

September 8, 1999

Hi Amber-

The only thing I have encountered is the sad look. If I say something like,

yes I have twins and Maggie has Down syndrome. I get the sad look and I

know they are dying to say Oh, you poor thing! I then find myself going on

and on about how it isn't a big deal. It is just part of who Maggie

is............I probably sound like a nut, but to see her is to love her.

Do you want to see her? Of course you do, here she is.

Re: Thanks!

From: MeanNasty1@...

,

I would not be rude about it...but not all

ignorant people hear anyway.....

Some people dont want to know or learn

Honestly I havent come across the problem yet

& before my babies were born a little boy with ds came

up to me & touched my leg......god sends us signs & the power

to deal with stuff like this

Sorry if you thought I was a maniac.........lol

Amber

---------------------------

September 9, 1999

I agree... to see her, is to love her! )

Sara (19, NDA, no kids)

--- Dean Stauffer <sandds@...> wrote:

> Hi Amber-

> The only thing I have encountered is the sad look.

> If I say something like,

> yes I have twins and Maggie has Down syndrome. I

> get the sad look and I

> know they are dying to say Oh, you poor thing! I

> then find myself going on

> and on about how it isn't a big deal. It is just

> part of who Maggie

> is............I probably sound like a nut, but to

> see her is to love her.

> Do you want to see her? Of course you do, here she

> is.

>

> Re: Thanks!

>

> From: MeanNasty1@...

>

> ,

> I would not be rude about it...but not all

> ignorant people hear anyway.....

> Some people dont want to know or learn

> Honestly I havent come across the problem yet

> & before my babies were born a little boy with ds

> came

> up to me & touched my leg......god sends us signs &

> the power

> to deal with stuff like this

> Sorry if you thought I was a maniac.........lol

> Amber

>

> ---------------------------

September 9, 1999

>a medical definition. Please (in your hearts) forgive people's ingnorance

>and do your best to educate your small corner of the world. This is the

>only way to irdicate any poor attitudes. Having a snotty or condescending

>attitude will only turn people off to further encounters with parents or

>children or adults or adolescents with Ds-let's not repay ignorance with

>anger.

;

I rather liked the way I responded to being called a mongloid.

It was straight forward, the truth, and self explainatory. I did also add

in later that " down syndrome " was the proper term to use. What else could I

have said?....The person that refered to being a mongloid use to work

with children w ds....so he knows plenty about ds....he was refering to

the way the " old school " did. The other person that refered to

as a mongloid was a nurse....that one shocked me more because you

would think that she would know the proper terms working with alot of

children with down syndrome on a continual basis.

BTW...LOVE the picture of Maggie

September 9, 1999

MeanNasty1@... wrote:

>

> From: MeanNasty1@...

>

> What a cutie pie !!!

> Thanks for the pics.....just want to hug her......

> lol

> Amber

>

> ---------------------------

September 9, 1999

Hi -

I too once ran into a nurse who was so totally ignorant and silly-she left

me speechless. I had taken Maggie to an ear specialist because doctors

can't see into her ears due to the extremely small size. I only had Mags

with me and I feel compelled to tell everyone that Maggie or Sara is a twin.

The nurse asked if Sara had Ds and when I said no, she picked up Maggie and

held her over her head while saying, " How did this terrible thing happen to

only you? " Can you believe that sh*#! I smiled and said that we didn't

feel it was terrible that it is just part of Maggie. The story actually

gets worse. When the doctor-who was at least 115 years-old- came in he

asked why I was concerned about Maggie's hearing and I said it was just

precaution due to high incidents of fluid in kids with Ds. He looked at

Maggie and then looked at me and demanded to know why I thought Maggie had

Ds. He acted like I was making it up. He went as far to say I ought to

have her re-tested! Weird.

Perhaps I shouldn't have been so soap box preacher-like but I just want the

world to accept Maggie as she is and for this I feel responsible. I

certainly was not pin-pointing anyone. I can't even say what I would say if

someone referred to Mags as a mongoloid. It is a generational thing. I

think our children will find the world a much friendlier place than children

born 30,40, even 10 years ago.

riginal Message-----

From: [mailto:lauranra@...]

Sent: Thursday, September 09, 1999 7:55 AM

Multiples-DSonelist

Subject: Re: Thanks!