My birth was a little more dramatic than the standard way a baby enters the world. Within minutes of coming out, I was whisked away into another room while doctors gave my parents the difficult news: I was born missing my left hand. I’m sure it was quite jarring for them. An entire hand was just… not there?
As surprising as it was at the time, it isn’t super rare. Having extra fingers or toes is the most common limb difference. My form, called amniotic band syndrome, is more rare, occurring in one out of every 10,000 to 15,000 births. Regardless of the form the disability takes, these families have to learn all the ins and outs of navigating that disability – from finding accessible travel to building confidence in their…
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Reader’s Digest New Zealand (Digital) - 1 Issue, June / July 2024