- The fact that Larry and Kelly Peterson, an Indiana couple, have spina bifida made them the appropriate parents to raise their child with the same medical needs as their daughter.
- They claim that they were criticized by agencies who had not provided assistance to adoptive parents with disabilities.
- Their story is intended to serve as a source of inspiration for those with disabilities who are contemplating adoption.
Hadley Peterson, a 6-year-old girl, has been transforming into spitfires from the moment she was born.
In Cedar Lake, Minnesota, Kelly Peterson, a mother, shares her experience of watching her daughter in her full dramatic glory during an interview with Our website.
Hadley was adopted by Kelly and Larry Peterson Four years ago.Nonetheless, it was not an effortless task.The family’s common issue was spina bifida, which causes symptoms that can cause mobility and other problems.
Kelly, a 46-year-old special education worker, stated that agencies had only worked with families where one person was disabled and not two.
According to Sue Mukherjee, medical director of rehabilitation services at Shriners Children’s Chicago where Hadley is a patient, having firsthand experience with the condition is advantageous.
Mukherjee acknowledges that living with spina bifida is a complex journey.”There is a significant amount of medical attention and follow-up to attend to.
The doctor tells the public that there is no better teacher to teach a baby with spina bifida how to grow up independently and manage their own care.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States reports that spina bifida affects About 1 in 2,875 babies born annually.Despite the CDC’s assertion that spina bifida is not present in all individuals, many people with the condition have shared experiences.
Families with no prior experience with children with spina bifida take some time to get on board, according to Mukherjee. ” .
Larry, who works at a car care call cen and is 46 years old, says that “Hadley has brought us love, joy, and fun since she came into this world” and adds that her remarkable growth extends beyond the limitations of human nature.
The CDC reports that The couple and their daughter were born with myelomeningocele, which is The most severe form of spina bifida and can cause moderate to severe disabilities.
The impact on Each of the Petersons ‘vertebrae is causing significant disability: Kelly has complete paralysis from the waist down, with sensations felt in specific areas of her upper extremities and thighs; Hadley and Larry have movement in their legs.Wheelchairs are used by All three.
Kelly states that her partner can fling their wheelchair into the car and hold onto it for access to the driver’s seat, as well as throw it in its trunk.”Despite facing more obstacles, Hadley is now capable of moving her left side with ease.
Kelly believes that the family’s strength is not solely due to their disability, but also because they were raised by parents without spina bifida.
Kelly believes that our disability was not the primary concern when we were brought up, and this is reflected in everything we do.”Our identity was shaped by it, but not all of it was comprised.
At camp, The Petersons encountered each other when they were only 10 years old and later discovered that both babies were born on The same day.After reconnecting as teenagers, They dated but ultimately separated when Kelly left for college.
Kelly recalls being reunited with her ex-partner after falling out on social media during their 10-year hiatus.
Following Kelly’s divorce, they started dating and have been together ever since. .
She says, ” [Larry] has things in common with us that we don’t need to explain.”We have both experienced it, so it’s not necessary to understand them.”.That makes us feel at ease and relaxed.
After getting married in 2016, Kelly and Larry opted to do just as much as possible After their wedding ceremony.
One day before the due date, they submitted their application for Hadley through Special Angels In 2018.Hadley was born on December 829 and presented in October of 2018, which coincides with their respective dates of birth.
Hadley’s birth day and The day of her birth were marked by The Petersons meeting her biological parents.
She was not adopted until September 2020, partly due to paperwork and other regulatory requirements.
Kelly stated that they were committed to adopting and are now aiming to educate disabled prospective adoptive parents on how they can contribute by taking action.
Kelly says, “We were told it might take a while, because of the stigma that two people with disabilities can’t do this.”We were cognizant of our options and limitations.
“A Christian agency explicitly stated that they do not work with individuals with disabilities” she says.”My response was, ‘That sounds like an unsuitable Christian for you.'”. ‘ “.
The Petersons were convinced that Hadley was the right person for her due to their mutual understanding of the challenges she will face in life.
Besides her diagnosis of spina bifida, Kelly has been teaching children with special needs for the past 24 years.
Hadley suffers from apraxia, an involuntary motor speech condition that makes it hard to talk and 22Q, chromosome disorder that can cause heart problems and other health issues.
Kelly asserts that she is knowledgeable in identifying potential problems, supporting her case, and advocating for her.Kelly, who is also a person with autism, was the driving force behind the push for an evaluation and diagnostic test in Portuguese.
The family is willing to promote special needs adoptions, but they want to be specific that they are not living their lives like others.
According to Kelly, our lives are not distinct, despite being aware of it when we reflect on them.We don’t see it that way in real life.