Perhaps, my most profound experiences relative to quality of life issues have been the years that I have spent caring for my own severely handicapped daughter, Meghan. She had a rare metabolic disease that was genetic and inborn. It is called Batten Disease. Few people or doctors are familiar with it. She was diagnosed at the age of three. Until then everyone thought she was normal. Her diagnosis was shocking and tragic. There was no treatment for her disease, and no hope for any cure. Her prognosis was devastating. Her brain would progressively deteriorate, she would lose all of her abilities and die within a few short years.
As a mother I would have taken her place a thousand times over to save her from death, but I couldn't. I often thought of those who purposefully took the lives of their babies, and felt anger at the unfairness of it all. I did everything in my power to make Meghan comfortable. I cared for her every day, and I would not trade those experiences for anything. She was a happy child, laughing, smiling and beautiful. I didn't understand why this had to happen to her. She had so much to give to life.
Yet, she was a child that in today's world, many might have chosen to abort, justifying it for her sake. Through genetic testing her disease could be predicted before birth. A child like her could be saved from having to "endure" her terminal illness, and parents could have been spared the grief of caring for her. Some might also have considered her quality of life worthless because she wasn't normal.
In fact, there were at least two people bold enough to ask if I would have aborted her had I known of her illness. Others considered her feeding tube "extraordinary" and would have thought it better to starve her to death. Obviously, these people were blinded to the gifts that even a profoundly handicapped dying child could still offer. They did not experience the life-changing goodness of her life. I firmly believe that if she had never lived it would have been an extraordinary loss.
In her seven short years on Earth, she touched more lives and taught more lessons than many people do in a lifetime. I know. I witnessed it first hand. Doctors, nurses, therapists, schoolteachers, friends, family, even strangers were drawn to her. They couldn't help but see the goodness in her big blue eyes, and touch her curly brown hair. She brought out the best in everyone. Without saying a word, she taught people, through her example, not to take life for granted. She never suffered outwardly. Everyone cared for her and loved her. To the moment of her death, never did I question the value of her life. Not once did I wonder whether it was worth it for her to be born!
Human life is a sacred gift, no matter what the circumstances. Abortion not only kills, but it deprives the world of the unique blessings that might have been experienced through that child. Every life has a purpose even though it is not always clear. Unborn children are to be protected. They are the future of our world. Human selfishness should not take precedence over human life. There are alternatives to abortion. Remember the saying: Two wrongs don't make a right. Unborn babies should never receive a death sentence because of the mistakes or fears of their parents. Instead of trying to find ways to justify death, we should be embracing life. There is no replacement for even the smallest life lost. After all, what would you want the choice to be if the aborted life was yours? Would you want to be considered a worthless burden?
If you are pregnant, confused and need support, please call us (JRL) at 517-784-1300 and let us help you find the resources and support you need.
May God Bless You.
Cheryl M. O'Neill
