Okay. I happened to read this story and watch the attached clip on CNN this morning. It was posted as an inspirational, "feel good" story and based on the comments from CNN.com readers, that's apparently how it was received.
I'm going to weigh in here with my dissenting viewpoint.
I'm a type-one diabetic and despite maintaining excellent control of my blood glucose levels for nearly 19 years and having no debilitating complications, I am unable to obtain a life insurance policy. While I like children a great deal, I couldn't imagine being in a position to have a child unless I'm financially in a position that would make my lack of a life insurance policy a relative non-issue. At the end of the day, the fact that I am able to have children that does not mean that I should have children... And given my circumstances, at least for the foreseeable future, I've decided against helping bring a child into this world: I've decided to put the interests of my potential child(ren) before my own desires, wants and wishes...
Now I'm sure many of the people presented in this article are lovely, goodhearted, well-meaning parents but if one is seriously disabled (i.e. - the mom unable to use their hands or the couple who both have cerebral palsy), I really wonder if having and raising a child is really the best life path they can take.
I mean, I've spent time with someone who has CP who spent an afternoon trying to eat my door frame. Nice guy but I'm sure as hell glad he's not my Dad.
A dear friend said that I'm possibly making a bigger issue out of physical disability than I should be. She suggests that while she agrees with the gist of my argument, she believes that as long as the parents are psychologically healthy and financial able, there really isn't a problem.
Perhaps so.
But, forgive me, I really have to wonder about the psychological health of someone without functioning hands who decides to have and rear a child.
As for me, let me just state for the record, I'm glad I didn't have to eat my dinner as a child off of my mother's feet.
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