[Susieq]

Morning!
I am brand new to this site and was hoping that I might be able to get some insite from some of you. I am 25 years old and resently met the most amazing person I have ever met. He has myelomeningocele Spina Bifida. I have no problem seeing past the wheelchair, because the person on the inside is so wonderful that I completly forget about his disability. I have although been doing some research on his condition, and its scary.

My parents think its a bad idea to get involved with him, because they dont want to see me hurt if and when he passes away. I can see there point, but I think that everyone deserves the right to be happy, even if for a short time. I'm confused. Can someone please give me some advice?

[Joed]

Hi Susieq...

I'm a 50 y/o female with spina-bifida, and although each condition is different in severity, I can tell you that I don't plan on leaving this ol' world anytime soon. And while I don't have any appropriate statistics on hand, I'd be surprised if your friend's life expectancy would be much different from anyone else's.

I've been married for 19 years (9 yr. previous marriage) and have an eight y/o son.

My life has been full. I've worked hard, played hard and earned a college degree. I lived alone for 2.5 years in a cabin out in the middle of nowhere...it was heated entirely by wood (chopped and hauled by me) and during the winter I had to haul in my water from a pump 1/4 mile down the road. Admittedly, many a tear froze on this cheek of mine when I struggled with keeping the fire going, but I survived it all. The best years of my life, really. I discovered what I was made of. I was also working 10-12 hrs. a day at a furniture factory.

All this to say....don't underestimate this man you're interested in. And especially don't let others invite you to underestimate him.

If you decide to pursue this relationship into another level, then there will come a time when you'll need to ask the hard questions of him...voice your own concerns. You seem to really like this guy, so I say, enjoy it where it's at. I agree that everyone deserves the right to be happy. If he makes you happy, then it's all good.

Let us know how it goes.....

[Susieq]

Thanks so much for that. I think I needed to hear those things from someone living with it.
He is a very determinded young man, with a love for life that I have never seen before. He is totally independant and is an athlete on the canadian national develpment team with dreams to go to the olympics. So I know he has no plan on leaving this world either.
I have already desided to give this a go.

[milosh]

f*@k them off... what? an AB can't became SCI like most of us did? what they'll do then?