At 39 and pregnant for the first time, I found myself asking “Why me?” Why am I so fortunate to have a baby this late in my life? Maki and I were so happy in the first 12 weeks of our pregnancy as we happily shared the news to close friends and family.
After 3 months, the OSCAR results were out and the doctors told me I have a 25% chance of having a kid with Down syndrome. My world fell apart and I cried for days. My sister told me this “If it’s just a 25% probability, do you want to confirm if the child will indeed have Down syndrome by taking further tests?”
I said “No, I will keep my baby just the same”
Fast forward to 25 Dec 2017. Marian was born and she was diagnosed to have Trisonomy 21. I hugged my Mum so tight seeking for comfort as I cried my eyes out, utterly confused. It was Christmas Day after all and there were at least 10 medical staff in my room checking up on Marian’s condition a day after she was born.
The first few months were a struggle coping with sleepless nights, difficulty in breastfeeding and unconditional love for my child.
I asked myself again “Why me? How to cope?”
Fast forward to 2020 and Covid-19 happened. As the world was coping with the pandemic, I spent more and more time with my child at home and discovered my true calling.
I realized it is me who is chosen to be Marian’s mum so that I am able to share her journey of learning and bringing joy to other people around her. And hopefully, help other people with disabilities and their families achieve a better quality of life – through 21 Extra Goodness.