Appalling

So recently I had a discussion with somebody that truly disgusted me. As most of you would know my son Nathan has a birthmark on his lip, it is a hemangioma. We are very accustom to getting comments on it. We get asked all the time what happened?, if he fell, what did he bonk on? One person even went so far as to ask if I dropped him. Now I really have come to expect people to ask, if you are looking from a distance it could look like a fat lip. I am okay with those questions well most of them....the did you drop him one I admit made me crazy mad.

So recently we were with some people and a discussion started about Nates birthmark. A lady (we know but are not direct friends but know them through association) started to talk about the birthmark and asked if we had seen anyone about it, I assured her we had and she continued on why don't they remove it? I sure wouldn't want to live with it....I am getting pretty ticked by this point but doing good at explaining it too her. I was relaying exactly what the specialist had told me. She then asked "well was it a plastic surgeon, I am sure a plastic surgeon would take it off they do amazing things" Yes it was a plastic surgeon and one that specifically deals with vascular malformations on children. She then decided to change topics and started in on Cleft lips and here is what she said.."I seen a lady with a child at the mall last week and the kid had such a horrible cleft lip, I am surprised she even had this kid out in public, I sure wouldn't leave the house if my child looked like that" My Jaw dropped, I didn't know what I could possibly say to this women...thankfully Samantha needed me right at that moment. I don't know that I have it in me to be nice after hearing something like that....I think I would have said some not very nice things if Samantha hadn't needed me.

It shocks me that people have these attitudes, It truly saddens me and makes me want to cry. Do you think that it is the parents fault? Do you think they don't weep for there child? Do you think they don't wish and pray that it wasn't there? Do you honestly think that person has not sought medical attention yet? Furthermore do you think just because they do not look what the world would classifie as "normal" does that mean they should have to be holed up in a basement never to be in public? Some people are mean. Do people think that about Nathan? Are people appalled when I take him out in public with a birthmark on his face? Nathan is truly one of the happiest babies I have ever encountered..his smile which he so readily gives lights up my life and makes my heart smile. I pray for his sake that it does go away like the Dr's are saying it will. Not because it looks funny or Ugly, but because people are mean. I don't think that Nathan's birthmark makes him any less cute - he is adorable with or without it. If anyone reading this does not agree then please KEEP IT TOO YOURSELF