I try not to write posts out of anger or frustration, but this one has been brewing in my brain for at least a week now. Recently a mom in one of my support groups posted a conversation between herself and a “friend”.  In the conversation her friend said, “I am afraid to get pregnant because I am afraid of having a child like yours.”

Let that sink in.

A child likes yours.

A child like mine.

A child like Lyra…

I have discovered that many people can’t see beyond the medical complications. Don’t get me wrong, I have been caught up in them myself, but they are NOT who my child IS. For some people, all they see if this:

 

To be honest, while no one has actually said anything like this to me directly, I see it in their actions. People fear telling me they are pregnant. Why wouldn’t I be happy for them? If they are happy about it, it’s a great thing to celebrate. Life should always be celebrated. I have seen people visibly flinch or cringe when seeing her feeding tube. It doesn’t look any worse than most piercings. And I have seen strangers look at this happy little girl with sadness in their eyes because she eats differently.

Beyond all of that, by defining my child by her medical conditions they are missing out on this:

and this

and this

and this

In the end. I hope everyone has a child like mine. A child like Lyra. Because Lyra is joyful and lights up a room like no kid I have ever seen. When she sees someone she loves, you know it because she shows it with her whole body. She is loving and happy and I wouldn’t trade her for the world.

So, while I would never wish the trials Lyra has had upon any other family, I do hope that you have a

                     Child

                                 Like

                                           Mine