The Internet's One-Stop Resource for Parents with Disabilities
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Contributed by Maria
When I was single I always thought that life would be lonely and sad for me because of my disability, because I always dreamed of having my own family. But of course, people and even my own family didn't see it that way. They always saw me like the little girl I had always had been with my parents. Time went by and I decided to make a move with my life. I lived on my own for the first time at the age of 25. I was kind of depressed because I still believed that I wouldn't have my own family. People and family would tell that I was crazy if I was thinking of getting married they thought that no man would take me serious as a woman. Soon after I moved I met Antonio. He was the one who made me feel good and treated me like non-disabled person. My family was not happy at all when he became part of my life. Soon we decided to live together and have a baby and he knew that I really wanted to have a baby, so I got pregnant. Well, when we told them that I was pregnant my family gave us their back, they told me that I couldn't have a child and that I should have an abortion. You could imagine how I felt to hear that from my own family. I didn't have any support from my family, but although I went with my pregnancy I experienced some depression thinking that they would rather that I kill my baby than giving me love and support that I needed at that time. I guess they were scared for me but their word and their actions hurt me and my husband. The only one that kept me up was my baby. At first when we found that I was pregnant I was happy and also scared, many things came to my mind on how I was going to take care of my baby. I'm don't have control of my hands that much and I knew that I would need some help with my newborn while my husband was at work, but I kept wanting and loving my baby. Even with all the things I went through during my pregnancy it was very normal like any other non-disabled pregnant woman and the most beautiful experience I ever had. I had a normal labor everything went better than I expected and quick. I gave birth to a 5-pound beautiful baby boy, and since that day my life changed and I don't feel lonely and we are a really happy family of three. As a mother I am enjoying motherhood. I love my baby; his name is Antonio after his daddy and he is seven months right now. He is the enjoyment of our lives. Sometimes I get frustuated that I can't do much for my baby, and I think that my child won't have a mother that would be able to play ball or run with him at the park like other children with their moms, but he has a Mom who loves him 100%. My message is for those people who want to form a family. Don't give up and listen to your heart. If you know that you could do it, don't let other people put you down. My question is why non-disabled people can't believe that disabled people can't fall in love and have a family? The answer to this question might never come. Back to Our Stories |
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My name is Maria Vasquez, and I am a 29 years old woman with Cerebral Palsy. I would like to share with my story about being a pregnant woman and being a mother now, and being in a wheelchair.
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