Sad Story, Happy Ending

This week I’ve been at the Hanger Prosthetics Annual Convention, as a speaker and exhibitor, to raise awareness about meningitis and to talk about the difficulties that meningitis survivors who needed amputations endure.  I’ve talked to many prosthetists and amputees.  Today I heard the saddest story.  A 5 month old baby in Latvia was deliberately burned by her mother, and the baby suffered such severe burns, that she lost both legs and one arm.  Fortunately, she was adopted by a loving family from the U.S.  at 18 months of age, but the girl’s scars, both inside and out, will last forever.  As a parent, I just can’t understand how a parent could do this.  I don’t understand how you just don’t love your children with every ounce of love in your body.  And by loving your children, that also means protecting them from harm, and to me, that means vaccinating your children.  This little girl, who is now 12 and very mobile on her prosthetics, has been vaccinated for meningitis.  While I was reeling from the story her adoptive mother told me, I was gladdened to her that this mother was giving this girl all the love and care she needs.  We have the opportunity to protect our children, and that is why we must all be Parents Who Protect.