>Actually, my mom and I have made great strides in building a new
>relationship.  I think the real progress began when she got up the nerve to
>ask, "Do you blame me?"  I think much of a parent's anger or restentment
>comes from harboring a secret guilt that they are somehow at fault for the
>condition of their child.  Just a guess, I'm not a parent.  Anyway, I realize
>now this is an uncomfortable topic.
>
Denise,

        My mom believes she had a severe kidney infection before my birth
and so she, too, probably feels a little guilt about my disability.

        On the other issue, being a man as well as the father of two great
people who were adopted, I don't think I can be pro-choice or pro-life. I
can stand on the fence. But some beliefs(and this is one of them) are based
on strong feelings which can trigger much debate and very contradictory
behavior.
As a topic related to CP, it really doesn't belong here, but that's never
stopped us before. C'est la vie.

Bobby