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Down Syndrome

Momma on a Mission: Krista Rowland

So, because of Gelli’s extra chromosome, I have come to realize that the world is much smaller than I previously understood.

Evangelina stayed in the hospital longer than we first thought she would due to the fact that she had duodenal atresia.

I know this because while Gelli was in the NICU recovering from corrective surgery for her duodenal atresia and malrotated intestines, I was searching blogs and crying through the stories I was reading of mommas across the world.

I read stories of hope.
Stories of inspiration.
Stories that made my heart hurt.
Stories where faith brought families through some crazy challenging situations.

Gelli is six years old now. She will be seven this year. Seven is a big milestone here in the Philippines. I’m not quite sure why, but I know I will celebrate this little girl every day…and while I enjoy making a big deal of all my kids’ birthdays, I know that each day is a gift. 

BIRTHDAYS and all.

But the truth is, I also know that kids like Gelli don’t always have the same chance that she has.

For whatever reason this may be, I will not judge.

But I will hold the medical community responsible for words spoken carelessly.

If Krista wants to look for inspiration to continue doing what she doing, she doesn’t have to look far. Adele provides more than just the sunshine in her days…

Just like my friend, Krista Rowland.

I wrote about Krista last year when I stumbled upon the way she was changing the world one basket at a time…

Krista prepares “Welcome Baskets” for families who are blessed with the new addition of a child with Down Syndrome. She visits with these mommas as they begin a new journey, and offers support, friendship, and the voice of experience. She brings together people who want to give and who want to help, and connects them in a real way through the work that she does in curating these “baskets full of blessings” to a family adjusting to the idea of THEIR new blessing.

It’s beautiful.
It’s something I wish I had when Gelli was born.
It’s something that I knew I had to feature when I found her on Instagram and asked if we could be “cyber friends.”

So, part of the friendship that I am blessed with through the internet and social media provides me the ability to stay current with events and milestones that can be considered both positive and negative in our international special needs community.

I also get to keep up with other cuties like Adele who lives on the other side of the world, but has and advocate living in Manila…How awesome is this community that we live in?

Which leads me to why I am posting today.

Awhile back, through Krista’s personal Facebook page, I learned of a disturbing conversation that took place with a new momma and her pediatrician.

It was offensive, insensitive, and uneducated. 

I asked Krista to share her thoughts with me, of course, as I shared mine with her regarding this very controversial topic, and we both felt that it was something that should be shared with others as well.

But I will let her tell you about the experience through this guest blog post:

Recently, I delivered a basket to a very deserving and beautiful family. I sat in their living room, snuggling their sweet, brand new baby girl. Momma told me that after delivery, the pediatrician came into her room and said “You should have gone for the twelve-week ultrasound because you could have aborted.”

I sat in silence.

I looked down at the little piece of perfection sleeping on my lap and thought about our world, I thought about how insensitive medical professionals can be, I thought about ignorance being perpuated and how society has such a long way to go.

A baby.

A life.

All life has value.

Who has that authority and power to tell a family that their child has no right to life?!?!

It’s overwhelming for families, but with the right support system and community resources to help guide parents, it somehow, all works out.

My little girl has brought so much love, laughter and light into our lives and to countless others all across the globe. 

Four and a half years ago, my world became a better place.

If the doctors only knew.

If the world only knew.

If a**holes like Tom Segura only knew.

Judging before knowing.

What does the future hold for our community?

A new mom was telling me that they received a pre-natal diagnosis and that all throughout her pregnancy, she was encouraged by doctors and medical professionals to terminate the pregnancy. As she was telling me this, I could feel my blood start to boil and my heart really did ache for this beautiful family. Mom is not from this country, so she has some difficulties expressing herself and finding the right words. She was not able to stand up for herself in the way that she wanted to. She knew that she wasn’t going to terminate her pregnancy but she didn’t receive the support and guidance that she deserved.

After almost 80 basket deliveries to hospitals and homes, why is this the norm?

Why are families being told:

“I’m sorry.”
“Something is wrong with your baby.”
“You should have had the twelve-week ultrasound.”
“It’s going to be a hard, long road.”
“Your child will be a burden on society.”

This has me asking myself questions like:

“Why are families who receive a pre-natal diagnosis being encouraged to terminate?”
“Why are they being asked multiple times if they would like to end their pregnancy?”
“Why are they leaving the doctors’ offices without resources, without any guidance?”

When we received our diagnosis, I was 15 weeks pregnant.

My OB was caring, compassionate and she allowed us to grieve. We did grieve. We went through a few weeks of feeling sorry for ourselves, lots of worry, fear and upset. We were entitled to this time, but we also were surrounded by people who didn’t allow us to wallow for too long. The medical professionals in our lives didn’t tell us that they were sorry or that our child with Down syndrome would not have a bright future. They took us by the hand and guided us in the right direction. They gave us facts about OUR unborn child, not a book filled with grim statistics that were not relevant to our pregnancy. We focused on the ultrasounds and we educated ourselves.

I don’t know what James and I would have done if we were told over and over again that this child had no right to be in this world, that she would be a burden on society or that this child would be a burden to us and our family. We looked up to these people, we valued their opinions and knew that they would never tell us to do something that we would later regret, for the rest of our lives. You are vulnerable when you receive news that you don’t expect. You are in a state where emotion takes over logic. You fear the worst and let worry creep into your mind.

All you need is for your hand to be held and told that it will all be ok.

You need to be told to breathe and relax and to not let those who are ignorant and uneducated dictate what you should do with your body, with your child, or with your future.

I am not for banning abortion when a family receives a pre-natal diagnosis. I was not put on the earth to judge others. Telling a woman what she should and shouldn’t do with her body, is the wrong way to go about it.

What needs to be law, is that when a family receives the diagnosis, they must be given unbiased information and educated. New parents should instead be required to meet with a family who is qualified and can fully explain the beauty of having a child with Down syndrome. This type of sharing, can only come from someone with experience on what children with Down Syndrome can achieve.

However, when a woman receives a diagnosis and is told simply, that it is against the law to terminate. And when that same bearer of news hands her a pamphlet and sends her on her way, that is not making advancements either. With education and support, a woman and her family will see the potential and the beauty of the journey that lies beyond the diagnosis.

As I sit with new families, they sometimes feel lost, they aren’t given the resources, the forms, nor the community support that is available to them. They are fearful of the future and are unsure of how to proceed.

I know it is my job to reassure these families and promise that I will hold their hands and be the support that they need and deserve.

I badly wish that the world would change.

I know that it sounds like such a silly statement, but I do feel discouraged some days.

It is going to take each and every one of us taking some sort of responsibility to change this world.

We all need to be in this together.

We have to be the parents that our children need us to be.

We need to keep advocating.

We need to keep showing the world the beauty that lies within each of our children.

When we stand together, we will be the change that the world needs.

I agree Krista. I know you do it all for Adele. Just as I do it for Gelli. And each and every baby that is lucky enough to have that perfect extra chromosome.

If you want to find out how you can donate to Krista’s cause check out the links below:

http://aperfectextrachromosome.blogspot.ca/
https://www.facebook.com/aperfectextrachromosome/

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It’s December 1st! Is there anything more delic It’s December 1st!

Is there anything more delicious than the smell of Christmas and the new found freedom as we anticipate celebrating the holidays with our families again?

@festivalmall has hosted a series of musical shows since November 5th that include Ace Banzuelo and Silent Sanctuary. Check out Michael Pangilinan on December 10th, too!

With Santa visiting, Christmas parties, arts and crafts and lots of promos, you can even enter for a chance to win a Toyota Fortuner!

Best of all-I love it when the places we know give purpose to their celebrations. Thank you #FestivalMall for partnering with @dsapi1  this holiday season. 

Thank you for sharing all the different ways we can celebrate the holidays with you!

#tistheseason #seasonofgiving #downsyndromeawareness #aintnothingdownaboutit #upsyndrome
I have always been intimidated by Cornish Hens. Th I have always been intimidated by Cornish Hens. Through this learning exercise with @usapeecphl, I have learned a bit more about these little birds that have bigger breast parts, and thank you Chef @ivoryyat for showing me how easy it is to prepare Greek Lemon Roasted Cornish Hens with Roasted Potatoes.
 
Clean and fresh flavors are perfect for these smaller birds that are rich in protein with zero carbs. Try the recipe in the comments section. I’m sure you’d enjoy it as much as I did!
 
Interested in U.S. Cornish Hens? You can buy them in stores near you. #CornishHen #USCornishHen #PoultryPerfection #CookingWithUSPoultry #USPoultry #USAPEECPHL #ad
@gi.aventajado and I played with some of the @pura @gi.aventajado and I played with some of the @puratosph products that they sent over the other day. Ready to use Bavarian Cream made these Cream Puffs easier than ever. I think we have to figure out how to temper our couverture better…

#workinprogress #wasdelicious #giabaked #puratosph #gavinosph #anyonecanbake
@mommymundo always has a way of bringing together @mommymundo always has a way of bringing together just what we need, no matter the time of year. Loving these photos of my first boy that were snapped @expomom.

Anyone else thinking about #HolidayPhotos? I am not one of those moms that has it all together before Christmas. It’s usually a mad dash for us at the end of the year, but if it’s anything that the past few years has taught me, it’s that the little things are what makes the Christmas special.

Many of us haven’t been together with the extended family or even our immediate family in so long. That means it’s the perfect time to document.

@nextbymetrophoto will be hosting one last Christmas Marathon family photo shoot before the end of year. Check them out or shoot them a message. They have some cute set-ups.
****GIVEAWAY ALERT*** 10 things I LOVE about @sed ****GIVEAWAY ALERT***

10 things I LOVE about @sedahotels listed here and on FB!

1. Each property has a Signature Dish. If you can’t make it to Bacolod, you can still enjoy Chicken Inasal in any of their properties.

2. Clean Design. So easy to work and play in a space that is light, modern, and clean in design. 

3. Beautiful views. Every chance I got, I would sit outside at @straightupatseda. 

4. Spacious Rooms and Residence Stays. Staying in the Three Bedroom Premier was perfect for our family. 

5. Attentive Service. Everyone was pleasant and accommodating.

6. Centrally Located. If you are thinking of fun things to do in Makati and want a home base, Seda Residences Makati is near a few of the museums, parks, and malls.

7. Work with ease. Internet service is uninterrupted. Meeting rooms are available and easy to book.

8. Relax and Play. From mid-day tubbies with Gelli to, taking advantage of the pool, or the children’s room, the little girl had more than enough things to keep her busy!

9. #FamilyTime. Spending an extended amount of time outside our own space led to laughter, fun conversations, and opportunities to try new things. We were comfortable and rested in the space we were in, which meant more opportunities for us to connect.

10. Homegrown with a Purpose. A Filipino brand that understands the importance of both work and travel, each property is important to the city & province location. Environmentally aware by adopting Mayumi, a Philippine Bald Eagle. 🦅

Want to win your own staycation at #SedaResidencesMakati?

Up for grabs is one night in a ONE BEDROOM DELUXE for two persons with breakfast!

Here’s how to enter to win:
1) Follow @sedahotels 
2) Follow @mommanmanila & @kitchen143 
3) Tag a friend (or more) who love(s) staycations too!
4) Comment why you should win this staycation treat!

Plus points for people who share this post in stories and the winner will be announced on December 6th.
Thankful for work that doesn’t feel like work. Thankful for work that doesn’t feel like work.

@kitchen143 is something I really do love. Sharing a little bit of my kitchen with viewers and followers brings me joy. Even better when I get to work with chefs whom I can learn from and friends who like to spend time in the kitchen too!

#Thanksgiving
Thankful for the gift of music. Wish I caught mor Thankful for the gift of music.

Wish I caught more mini moments from We Will Rock You.

Such a great musical!

@sedahotels 
#sedaresidencesmakati 
#sedaat10
Thankful for @bestbuddies_ph. @gelliaventajado j Thankful for @bestbuddies_ph. 

@gelliaventajado joined our family and led me to @bestbuddies. 

Thankful for all the ambassadors who were able to spend time with us. And for @smlpeeps  and @asurionphcareers for helping make magic happen on Saturday afternoon for #Friendsgiving.

#Thanksgiving #bestbuddiesph
Thankful for women who share their faith with me. Thankful for women who share their faith with me. 

#Thanksgiving
Is there anything better than a stuffed turkey at Is there anything better than a stuffed turkey at this time of year? Whole turkeys require serious commitment to cook. #IYKYK But because U.S. Poultry is now available here in the Philippines, that also means preparing turkey is a tad bit easier.
 
Frozen U.S. turkey products are available and ready to cook for people who want to dabble with flavors for this bigger bird but aren't sure how.
 
Thank you to Chef @ivoryyat for putting together a medley of my favorite fall flavors. This combination of apples, sweet potatoes, and maple syrup perfectly compliment  the roasted turkey leg and remind me of flavors and scenes from back in New York. 
 
@usapeecphl l has the highest standards that follow USDA requirements which are certified safe before shipping to the Philippines. Get them in stores near you. 

#ad #Turkey #USTurkey #Thanksgiving #PoultryPerfection #CookingWithUSPoultry #USPoultry #USAPEECPHL #ServeTurkey #EatTurkey
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