I have worked in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and have seen many babies with different types of problems including prematurity (23 weeks gestation; average is 36 to 40 weeks gestation), rare genetic disorders (maple syrup syndrome), congenital heart problems, missing lymphatic systems etc...fight for life. Seeing all these babies, I have a skewed perspective of "healthy normal babies". In fact I question whether if they exist. 

I was trying to say how much I value my life without major disability. Also I was trying to relate how precious and rare it is to have a life without major disability.  I have seen working in the NICU, many of the potential risks, complications, genetic problems etc that may occur at conception, during gestation, at birth and shortly after birth that give rise to disease, disability, and death of infants. From this I am amazed that so many people have a life without disability or disease.


I was not trying to say people with disabilities cannot have precious and good lives. I was not trying to say that all people without disabilities have good and precious lives. 


My perspective is skewed and I do not mean to offend anyone.

Greta
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> 
  To: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> 
  Sent: Sunday, January 08, 2006 12:17 PM
  Subject: Re: HUUH???????? Exposure to viral infections at birth ...


  > The  gift of life without disabilities is even more
  > precious than you may  think....


  Why would you write something like this?  Plenty of people with  disabilities
  have very good lives while many without don't.

  What's your reasoning?