Part 1- Downs-Syndrome-Awareness-Week-2014-My-Story-Part1

Did you know that's it's Down's Syndrome Awareness Week this week?
I only just found out, so here's a bit of my story;
In March 1992 Amanda was pregnant with our first child, an exciting and scary, well certainly trepidatious time for a young couple, we had had the standard tests and scans and all was good, her due date was about right and she started having the braxton hicks!
I drove her to Stafford Hospital and our son was born after around 36 hours of labour! If men could / had to give birth then we wouldn't have any over population problems that's all I can say! I was sent home at 2am for a couple of hours sleep to return the next day at 9am.

When I returned me, Amanda and our baby were ushered into a small waiting room and told the shock news that our lovely wonderful little lad (just 2.5lbs) had Down's Syndrome.

Our world collapsed.

This situation has been likened, more than once, to a bereavement. You see, whilst it's not an actual death it is the death of your expectations. None of us know what our children will become but we just want the best for them, that's all, the best start, the best chances, the best world, and when "the best start" is stolen from them you weep, and boy did I weep.

The next few weeks were a blur, coping, being strong for each other and crying in private.
Then I remember vividly being told that Jacob had a heart problem and might not survive, and then and there I prayed, I'm not a religious man but I prayed, I said God save him and I'll love him forever just the way he is.
We were in Birmingham Childrens Hospital and he had to go for a heart op, on the same day, the same bloody day someone decided that as Amanda was bleeding whilst breast feeding that she should go and get checked for breast cancer. I do wish I'd been stronger in those days and told them to sod off, but I think were we both in a perpetual daze so just did what they said - so off we went to a different hospital to be checked, to be told there's no problem go away to rush back to Birmingham having given up our blue baby and to get him back pink and healthy - to this day, the happiest day of my life.