The moment Mickie was born, I was flooded with emotions that I had a little girl. It was in that moment I began to imagine what my little doppelganger would be like. All the hopes, dreams and stereotypes of what society and ultimately I believed came to mind. We were going to walk hand in hand to dance class in her pink tutu and spend countless hours with a trunk full of Barbies. I could not wait to pass on my love of fashion and play dress up in my closet. Then there were the activities that I had been told over the years were for the boys. I would teach her to fly fish, rock camo while duck hunting, play cards, master her jump shot and the thrill at beating boys at golf.
That was all shattered when she had her first seizure at 3 months old. By 9 months old, she had failed over 8 anti-seizure medications. Each month that past, she fell further and further behind her peers in development. I knew deep down in my soul something was gravely wrong. In the war that we were waging, I started to wonder if the dreams I had imagined for my daughter would ever be possible.
We get to challenge the stereotypes that we’ve collectively created. Every child with special needs should be afforded the opportunities available to their typically developing peers. As genetic testing and science advances, society gets to follow suit. We are making remarkable advancements. Recently, children with special needs were represented with fanfare at last week’s famed New York Fashion Week. Organizations like Changing the Face of Beauty are creating a platform for inclusion and acceptance of individuals with disabilities in mainstream media.
Take a look:
http://changingthefaceofbeauty.org/about/
Blessings,
Mrs. Griess