Lam,
Today, you will receive the test results you had been fearing. The words spoken by your Genetic Counsellor will crush you. Evalyn has a confirmed diagnosis of Down Syndrome.
Even though the initial screening results indicated a high chance of Down Syndrome, you were so positive that it couldn't happen to you and your family. What did you do to deserve this? What did Evalyn do?
Nothing that your family and friends say will help to ease the grief you will feel for weeks to come. You will do everything in your power to stay positive to support Quyen but ultimately, the loss of the life you had envisioned will consume you and break you.
Evalyn will not be able to communicate with you. She won't be able to play sports with you. She will never do ballet, drive a car, experience love, or live independently. These limitations apply to children and adults with Down Syndrome, right? Wrong.
Evalyn will show you the determination she has to overcome these antiquated views on people with Down Syndrome. She will laugh, cry, crawl, walk and reach all the important milestones just like her peers, albeit in her own time. She will prove that she is capable of so much more than what the medical professionals told you throughout the pregnancy. She will teach you that every life is worth living.
Lam, I won't sugar-coat this. You will have long days, weeks and months with Evalyn's medical and therapy appointments. But I promise you, every single day will be filled with just as much joy and hope as any other "normal" family would experience.
Believe in Evalyn. Challenge her. Love her. All those stinky nappy changes will be worth it when she finally decides to pack her belongings into her car and move in with her friends. Then, you will really have something to worry about...
Written by Lam,
Ambassador Evalyn's Dad
