An unexpected German butterfly

They say that the strangest things happen when you least expect it, in the strangest places.  Well today it definitely happened!

I turned up to netball, having dragged myself there after what had seemed a particularly long and tiring week.  We had enough for a 5 vs 5 to start with, and when some more girls turned up it turned into 7 vs 7, not a bad showing for the summer holidays!

Once the latecomers had joined and we started playing there was an amazing surprise for me - one of the girls, I was sure, had Turner Syndrome.  Many things led me to believe this, her neck was slightly webbed, she was small (especially for her age which I later found to be 16), she had lots of moles, a low hairline at the back, and her co-ordination and spatial skills in the netball were nearly as good as mine!

Halfway through we had a pause for a drink, and after much pondering on the situation I went over to the group of girls she was with, and said hello and asked if they'd been before as I didn't recognise them.  It turned out the girl I was interested in was here on a student exchange scheme from Germany and I managed to practise a fair bit of German.  I remarked at various points at not being able to play sport very well but it still being fun, and about learning to drive having taken me some time to master, but the evening went and we parted ways without my little question which had been forming in my mind being asked - "Ich habe Turner syndrom, hast du auch?" (I've got Turner syndrome, do you have it too?).

While trying to subtly hint that I had it and our similarities, I just didn't seem to be able to get the question out with lots of other people around.  In the grand scheme of things I probably will never meet her again, and it was still nice to have a little chat in German, but I wonder what would have happened and how it would have affected each of us if I had mentioned it.  She's here til Sept 3rd and I doubt our paths will cross again, unless she happens to be in church on Sunday, but I still think it's an amazingly small world that in a netball court of about 14 women there were two of us there - the chances!  I do love my diagnostic skills, obviously having it myself makes me more aware, and I just hope she wasn't undiagnosed and was getting all the medical treatment and support she needed!

Funny old world, always nice to see another butterfly whether we know about each other or not, so to speak.  Fate will see if we meet again, if we do hopefully I will get the chance to say something, and it was great to use the old German again!

Hold on

Hold on

There was a girl who was born,

Her purpose in life she did not know.

She grew up, blossomed, was loved and nurtured,

By her kin who sought good for her.

In her teens the diagnosis,

after many visits to the doctors.

The biggest thing, the thing that hit her,

Ne'er would a child grow within her.

How then, would she find, thought she,

A man to love her totally.

When in the world there are you see,

So many fish in the sea.

She thought that a man would shun her,

Abandon, leave and desert her,

Once the talk turned to the future,

And raising a family together.

But to think like this, day after day,

Only lead to dismay,

She really had to change her angle,

And get herself out of this mind-tangle.

For to stay like this, never trying,

To find that one to spend a life with,

Is surely worse than maybe finding

A few less worthy on the road a-winding.

So onwards she must search and muster

Up the courage to look further

Seek and look and she will find

The one who's worthy of her time.

For God knows her heart, her fears and worries,

And if she lets him, he will tarry.

Send to her that one who loves her,

Will understand, care and not judge her.

For all of this was never her fault,

Just something that did result.

And after all, if God so wills it,

As parents together they shall be fit.

For children are parented, you see,

Not just by those with the biology,

But adoption, and medical treatments,

Can parents make in equal statement.

And however hard that journey may

Turn out to be along the way

These children are still just the same

So very special, from cradle to grave.