@humphriezz People don’t seem to grasp that the least problematic aspect of down syndrome is that kid is slow—put a toddler’s brain in an adult’s body with an adult’s urges and this is the inevitable outcome
I know a few women who grew up with siblings with down syndrome, and they all put up with some abuse from their partners bc they grew up subordinating their needs to help take care of their sibling
This isn’t every case but I think that it applies to the vast majority, and if my options are to: 1) cleanly abort a severely handicapped kid that is incapable of living a full life, 2) have it but know that its siblings are going to be carrying part of the burden, or 3) have it, never have another kid to carry the burden, save money and pray that it isn’t abused after I die then #1 is clearly the best option
This week, my wife and I made the very difficult decision to terminate the pregnancy due to Trisomy 21.
The choice was not made lightly. We really appreciate all of the personal stories that you guys shared with us, especially the unconditional support we received from fans with no matter what we decided.
I know some of you may be very disappointed to hear this news. We are devastated. This has been extremely traumatic for both of us, especially Ashley.
She underwent the procedure earlier this week and is on the mend. Thankfully, everything went smoothly, but emotionally we are drained.
Trisomy 21, also known as Down Syndrome, is caused by an extra chromosome. It is caused by an error in cell division, like a glitch. The odds of a baby having it is 1 in 1000.
When I first confronted this news, I was shocked but optimistic. If they’re a little slow intellectually, then we’ll make it work. I signed on to be a parent, come what may…but I just didn’t fully understand what Down Syndrome entailed.
Once we made it public, it became clear that MOST people don’t know what Down Syndrome entails (and no, it’s not the same as Autism):
50% of babies with DS have heart defects. 75% will have hearing challenges. Over 50% will have vision problems. Impaired immune function, developmental disabilities, learning disabilities, delayed physical development, poor muscle tone, structural issues with face, decreased lifespan, etc…Sadly, the list is long, feel free to look it up…Down Syndome isn’t a “blessing”, it is objectively shitty from a health perspective.
I didn’t realize just how rough it is for the child, let alone the family…more often than not, they would be fully dependent on others for the rest of their life.
The miscarriage risk is also close to 50%, which made matters worse…they may never see the light of day and it puts Ashley further at risk.
We spoke with doctors, friends, family and genetic counselors and learned that up to 90% of women terminate their pregnancy after learning the baby has Trisomy 21.
This was WAY higher than I expected, I thought it would be lower given that I hear so many say they kept or would keep the baby. I believe that’s because most terminations happen privately, it feels shameful. A lot of judgment being cast.
You never think you’d be in this type of situation until it happens to you and then things change.
To all of my fans who have weighed in on this topic who have Autism, Down Syndrome or any other conditions…we appreciate you. You matter a lot and we’re glad you’re here. I commend you and your families for having the strength and courage to push forward.
As for us, we made a difficult decision that we believe in the long-run will be beneficial for our family. Thankfully, we had a choice.
It will take a little time to move on, but we are excited to try again in the future and hopefully have a better outcome.
Love you guys & thank you for understanding. ❤️
@kristinoems_dog There is a lot of air between needing to push a birthday party a weekend bc a sib has a travel soccer game and needing to help your mom restrain your adult down syndrome brother bc she told him no and he’s flipping out
"I have a boyfriend" doesn't stop them.
"I’m married" doesn't stop them.
However, “I love luxury and expensive things"
that one clears the room every time.
@cybelethebest I don’t know any women who planned on marrying after 30yo or having kids after 35yo, but if we don’t find the husband in time then we’re just locked into a suboptimal timeline. We ALL know that fertility drops more rapidly after 35!
When women tell these stories of women having babies later in life, it’s not generally intended to say “you have all the time in the world, go ahead and wait!” It’s to say “if you’re running late, try to remain hopeful.”
Nobody is encouraging women to *intentionally delay* till the very last moment they’re fertile.
A yard big enough for a spa, sauna, cold plunge,
lap pool, raised garden beds, backyard chickens, greenhouse, backyard shooting range, compost area, orchard, seating area around fire pit, and enough open grass to kick a soccer ball around. A house with a ton of natural light, home gym, butler’s pantry, library, soaker bathtub, gas stove, and spa shower 💅
There is a lot of luck invovled with finding a spouse, particularly one worthy of having children with, so I side-eye pretty much all comments looking down on those who haven't settled down. It's arrogant and shows a lack of self-awareness.