So I just read an article about a 13-yr-old girl who has lipodystrophy, which makes her look about 50. It's a disorder where the lipid layer beneath the skin breaks down and is unable to support the skin, but the skin keeps growing, often at a faster than normal rate, causing wrinkling, sagging, etc-- effects one normally sees with age.
That's a hard enough thing.. that a young girl has to deal with that in day to day life. But that's not what really bothered me most about the whole situation.
As you read on, the article explains that lipodystrophy is an extremely rare (only 2000 people globally have it) hereditary disorder, passed from parent to child. In this case, mother to child. The girl's mother has four children, and three of them have the disorder. That's 2% of the entire lipodystrophic population in one family. Very sad, yes. Would I have chosen to have children rather than adopt, knowing there's a very high chance of them having the same disorder that has made my life complicated and extremely difficult? No. I wouldn't. But that's not my right to say for anyone else. The girl's mother has had a very hard life, largely because of this disorder, and has according to the article been through a "string of bad relationships." ...Which, in the end, translates to: all four of her children have different fathers, and their fathers are not in their lives. They now live on public assistance. Now, I realize that this is a sadly common situation. And in my opinion, the fact that she has lipodystrophy does not make it any better or worse. But it's very, very sad. Their condition, particularly this 13-yr-old's (which is a more accute case than any of the others) can be helped (not cured as far as we know, but covered up) with plastic surgery and facial treatments. Now, that's not the most healthy choice and it certainly doesn't make everything better. But for a thirteen-yr-old girl who just wants to have a life? It's something. But it's not even an option in their minds, because the family is on PA.
This whole story makes me rage on the inside. It's the devil taking what isn't his from God's people. It's people living in ignorance, and especially the young children who aren't being taught that THEY'RE WORTH SO MUCH. That little girl is beautiful, whether her skin looks old or not. But nobody tells her that. She gets teased at school to the point that she doesn't like to get up in the morning, and her mother just wallows and feels sorry for her. She doesn't encourage her, she doesn't help her... Her mother has the same disorder and because she's spent her whole life feeling sorry for herself and devaluing herself, that's the same way that she treats her children. And I'm not judging her life because no, I can't imagine what she's gone through, and ESPECIALLY if she didn't have the Lord to lean on... I only wish she knew, how much she could help her kids. Yes, I think it's irresponsible to have 4 kids by different fathers period. Let alone when their fathers won't be there for them. Let alone when you can't support them. Let alone when you know they'll have severe disorders when they're born. I don't think that's okay. Hard life or not, when you have a child, your own needs and wants take a back seat. Period.
But when you have kids... wouldn't you strive, to make a life for them? To encourage them and tell them that they can do anything they want? ESPECIALLY if there's something in their life that makes it harder than the average person, like this disorder. Wouldn't you tell them every day, wouldn't you teach them, that that can't hold them back unless they let it? That it makes them stronger, that they're beautiful, that they can do anything another person can if they want it badly enough? And that God loves them.... I'd tell them. Even if I didn't believe it I'd tell them. I'd make sure they knew. No one should have to get up in the morning feeling like no one in the world loves them, and that they're not worth seeing.
