Couple Decide To ‘Try One More Time' And End Up With Twins With Down Syndrome, Yet They Are Not Fazed
November 19, 2018 16:54 By Mambee
Rachael Grier was shocked when her husband, Cody, walked into the kitchen one morning to announce that he had canceled his vasectomy so they could ‘try one more time’ to have a third child.
Rachel was elated because she had been trying to get him onboard with that for a while. Luckily, the couple did not have to work hard as she soon discovered that she was already pregnant.
On a hospital visit, they learned that they were not to expect ‘one’ but two kids.
Enthusiastic about making the changes to adapt to the news, they were distraught when it was closely followed by something less palatable.
The twin girls showed signs of congenital heart disease and a probability of having Down syndrome.
Having had a son who had to undergo heart surgery before his second birthday, this was like taking a nightmarish walk down memory lane.
Rachael wrote on Love What Matters that information on the options for taking care of the probable genetic disorder, such as genetic testing and termination, was abounding. On the other hand, details about the more pressing need - what to do about the specific heart disease - were practically nonexistent.
The couple was, however, adamantly against abortion so they began reading up on everything they could gather in order to help lovely girls they were expecting. They were left with an overall bleak impression of what was to come.
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The mother noted,
In a short time, I realized that within our ever so rapidly developing and progressive society, human rights and advocacy for those with Down syndrome are, at best, primitive, if at all present.
People are getting the same ‘spiel’ as we did, and it is leading to an eradication of children such as my own.
A little while down the line, though, a miracle happened. One of the babies’ congenital heart problem suddenly disappeared.
The torturous journey to helping the other twin overcome the disease began and, at the age of six months, she underwent open heart surgery.
The procedure was successful, and the proud mother noted that her girls were both beautiful. SHe felt they were gifts and has shared their lives on her Instagram page, ‘Doubling Down Mom’.
How common is Down syndrome amongst twins, though?
In a study carried out by Sue Buckley, out of 1 million births of both non-identical and identical twins, only 14-15 cases of Down syndrome occur.
That is not a very high rate, trye, but it doesn’t mean there isn’t need to demystify the condition.
Children with Down syndrome are as beautiful as any other child. Rachel’s beautiful girls are proof of that. Congrats to the happy parents!