NeuroTalk Support Groups - View Single Post - In This Day And Age Ignorance Is No Excuse!!!

theoneRogue420 · 06-13-2007, 03:20 AM

Wicked, I don't blame you in the slightest for being upset. I totally agree with you... in this day and age, people ought to be more compassionate and less ignorant. But if wishes were fishes, the whole world would be fed.

My rsd is mainly in my legs, so I have no obvious problem for peeps to stare at or ask questions about. Sometimes I wish it WERE more apparent, simply because I look so wrecked from 14 years of pain... most peeps think it's drugs when they first look at me. I am 5' and 90 lbs, so I look like a "tweaker" I've been told. Peachy, huh?

But the memory that your story dredged up for me had nothing to do with my rsd... it happened about 24 years ago. I took my colicky baby to the Navy clinic, which was always a horror story in and of itself, lol. After an hour or so in the waiting room, a woman walked in with her Down's Syndrome son, approx. 10 years old.

This poor kid wanted nothing more than to have a bit of fun with the other kids... just like every other kid in there. But to my horror, I saw each mother take their child by the hand and lead them away! It didn't take but 5 minutes for that poor kid to be sitting alone in the middle of the play area, I was disgusted, as well as heartbroken. Just exactly HOW ignorant are folks, if they think Down's Syndrome is contagious?!?

Chris was getting really fussy, and it peaked the kids interest. He obviously wanted to come over and see what was up, but knew from experience that his company wasn't welcome. He was soooo wrong, at least for once in his life.

I called him over, introduced him to Chris, and explained why the baby was so fussy. I told him that it would help a LOT if he could just make baby noises at him, or weird faces, whatever he could think of to distract Chris from his pain. The kid was overjoyed at having someone respect him, and actually ask/need his help. When I looked over to his Mom, I was shocked to see her in tears.

Turned out that it was the VERY first time anyone had done anything even close to that. She was overcome, plain and simple. It broke my heart.

It took two more hours before our names were finally called, but for once I wished it had taken longer. I was more than willing to sit there all day, just to give that poor kid one day's joy.

I tried to get the mother's phone #, but she was a foreign wife, poor lady. One of those Phillipino women that men from the U.S. go get when they are too screwed up to make any American women want them. I watched it happening for too many years. I totally understood why she had to stay to herself, but felt deep pity for both her and her son... mainly the son.

I have thought about that kid on and off ever since... wondering how he turned out, if he had any FUN in his life as a child. I did all I could, though... the rest was up to his parents.