I was 20 years old when I had my Michelle. She was born with Down syndrome in 1977. At that time the doctor just told me that I had a baby with Mongolism and that shouldn’t even take her home. My husband blamed me for not giving him a healthy baby. My family blamed me for this scandal. I have never stopped loving my daughter, and for 36 years I have taken care of her and loved her and to my dying day I will love her. She has brought me so much joy, so much work, so much worry, but she has truly made a fantastic woman. I cannot imagine my live without her. I am a complete woman with so much strength and beauty and love, I would never be who I am now without my daughter. All the pain and suffering, rejection, misery and abysmal sorrow were worth the ultimate growth for my soul and I would choose it again If I was asked.