DownSyn Forum

kokiechick

Hey all,

Hope everyone is doing good! This link came across another DS list I'm on, so I put it up on my blog and thought you all would enjoy this too Smile

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http://gotdownsyndrome.blogspot.com/2010/07/i-dont-have-down-syndrome-all-time.html

Dave Hingsburger is an advocate for those with disabilities and gives presentations on this topic fairly often. A story he wrote is featured in our book and I will post that story up in a couple days hopefully. But, in the meantime, someone posted a link to his blog and a story he had written about something he witnessed the other day. We all thought it was pretty funny and quite interesting. So, here it is:

"We'd just sat down for lunch when we both heard that pronunciation of the word, 'Mother' that communicates so much. 'Muhhhhh-therrrrrr'. I glanced up and saw a frustrated and harried woman, carrying packages from the Bay and her son, a young man with Down Syndrome who was in his pre-teens.

Of course, I listened.

..............

It seems that the mother wanted to go with him to get his food and then have him go with her to get her food, then they would eat together. Son, thought this was silly. Why doesn't she get hers, he get his, then they meet for lunch. She did an admirable job of keeping herself calm. I did an admirable job of just listening, not judging. Who knew what kind of experiences she'd had that led to this arrangement? They had been standing arguing and just before she moved again towards the court he said something that had a profound impact on me as a listener and she as a mother.

'Trouble is you think I have Down Syndrome all the time and I don't,' he said with real frustration.

She stopped again, 'What?'

'I only have Down Syndrome sometimes, when I'm learning something new or if the words are real hard. I don't have Down Syndrome the rest of the time when I'm doing what I know how to do.'

'And you don't have Down Syndrome now?' she asked.

'No, I know how to get my lunch, I buy my lunch at school all the time. I don't have someone with me all the time you know.' he was frustrated, he didn't even realize he'd said something of real importance, to me and to his mother.

'So,' she continued looking at him hard, 'you don't feel like you have Down Syndrome all the time.'

'No, most times I don't even think about it,' he said.

She said, her tiredness seemed to be gone, 'Go ahead, we'll find a table after we've got our food.'

They disappeared from view.

Joe and I looked at each other. I said to him, 'That kid should teach classes to parents of kids with Down Syndrome.' "

Makes me wonder what goes on in Osiyyah's head sometimes. Since his speech is delayed, he doesn't always speak his mind, but he does so plenty of times. There are times though, that he'll look at someone with a look like, "Hello, I can do that!" And you know what, he can do a lot and he can do so much more than we realize sometimes. Like when he was in the kitchen one time with a cook book and trying to "make something", haha.

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Qadoshyah

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Our Blog: http://gotdownsyndrome.blogspot.com

JanetG · Posted: July 16 2010, 3:15 PM Post subject:

That is absolutely priceless!!!!!!!! Thank you so much for posting it.... I am going to try to remember that in the years to come as Jacey grows up... Smile

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Janet (44) and Jeff (44)
Joshua (angel) '85
Sarah-age 22
Jaret-age 5
Jacey-born 2/22/08 (dx w/ Ds 9/10/07)

~Ben'smum~ · Posted: July 16 2010, 3:59 PM Post subject:

Loved it!!! Thanks for sharing that! Very Happy

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Karen- Mum to the world's cutest baby!! Very Happy

Ben

Tom · Posted: July 16 2010, 4:02 PM Post subject:

Wow! Thank you for passing that along. Fantastic.

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Tom

Dad to Beth (17) and Mikey (13 - Ds and PDD-NOS)
My Blog - Random Thinking
Find me on Facebook
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dect · Posted: July 16 2010, 4:27 PM Post subject:

Wow - just wow! That is so cool and should remind us all at times.

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Deryck
Dad to Xena 2 Aug 97, Lucas 28 Jun 99, Persephone 12 Jan 2004 (DS & AVSD repaired, artificial mitral valve)

Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind - Theodore Geisel (Dr Seuss)

http://www.picklesnet.co.uk

rlstewart · Posted: July 16 2010, 7:54 PM Post subject:

That was great, made me stop and think.

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Racheal
mom to Henry (01/06), Ramona (06/08), and Cora (2/10)

Don't underestimate my ability
Don't definate my character
Don't belittle my authority
It's time you recognize my quality

-Peter Tosh, I Am That I Am

Tigger · Posted: July 16 2010, 8:01 PM Post subject:

We had a moment like this just a few minutes ago. Talitha and I had a shower and I stood her up to get her dressed. She grabbed her clothes off me and yelled at me - not in words I could understand but her meaning was obvious - "back off mum and let me do it". And she did!! She got her pants and top on without assistance - the correct way around. Right now she is attempting to do her own hair...... Very Happy

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Karyn
Mum to Nikki (Jul 89), Stefanie (Sep 96), Joel [June 98] and Talitha (DS) (Nov 05) AVSD/PDA repaired 23 March 06

"I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well." Psalm 139:14

Mya's Mom · Posted: July 17 2010, 7:13 AM Post subject:

Love this

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Emily
mom to Mya, 4 years old (3/16/06)

earlyam · Posted: July 18 2010, 1:22 AM Post subject:

Loved it too! Thankyou for sharing Very Happy

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Jo, Mum to Georgia 11/11/03 ( BIG High School Musical fan) and Ethan 16/12/07 (DS)

Googsmom · Posted: July 18 2010, 1:39 AM Post subject:

Thank you. May we share it?

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Jennifer, Momma to The Brookster 4 yrs old

www.specialneedsinmolalla.blogspot.com
www.foundalongthejourneythroughholland.blogspot.com

babystpierre · Posted: July 18 2010, 8:53 AM Post subject:

Wonderful!! Yep, something for us to remember as we raise our children. Thanks for sharing.

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kokiechick · Posted: July 18 2010, 11:52 AM Post subject:

Googsmom wrote:

Thank you. May we share it?

Absolutely!

Qadoshyah

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Our Blog: http://gotdownsyndrome.blogspot.com

Sunshine's_Mama · Posted: July 18 2010, 5:22 PM Post subject:

That was awesome! Thanks so much for sharing it!

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Married to my best friend for almost 9 years!
Proud Mama to 3 through the miracle of adoption!

"Chief" is 6
"Ace" is 4
"Sunshine" is 3. She has DS and was adopted from India in the summer of 2009.

Visit our blog at http://browneyedblessings.blogspot.com

Karien · Posted: July 19 2010, 12:45 AM Post subject:

Iloved it! In a certain way, it is so true. Remind me to look beyond the ds and see my child with all his wonderful abilities!!

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Karien: happily married to Neels
Mom to Ewald (16), Eduan (13), Alvin (9) and KALLEN

Abbigailsmom · Posted: July 19 2010, 9:03 AM Post subject:

Love this story! Thanks for sharing Smile

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Stephanie Hakes, mother to Abby born 5/6/07
Reed 9/21/09

Momma2Bean · Posted: July 20 2010, 7:49 PM Post subject:

Awesome. I'd like to think I look beyond Lucas' DS, but this was an awesome reminder and one I needed to hear. THANK YOU! Smile

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Sandy, momma to Lucas "the bean" (10/15/06)