My sister Robin is 53 and has a genetic disorder, Prader Willi Syndrome. When I was much younger I told very few people about my sister, for no other reason than fear, people fear what they do not understand. When I was 6 years old I was essentially hanging out with another child; she was my big sister but she was also my favorite playmate. She took me all over the place on the bus (hello latch key parenting) we ate at fabulous fancy restaurants like Denny’s and Wendys, frequented the local Christian reading room (they had free tea!) and we went on bike rides around the neighborhood.
I do not recall how I felt when she moved out, this could have been a trauma and I simply have blocked this but she got her own place as early as 18. Despite her independence, she was a wreck, always up to something with charging her credit cards up, choosing the wrong men, oh wait, so yea she was your typical 20s something….or like me..
Looking at her you would not know she is disabled, I mean she looks like a cute little short pudgy person who cannot stop smiling, she’s just pure joy and my parents raised her, well all of us…we will come back to that, to be very independent. My sister knows that she is disabled but she does not what that to be your first impression, she wants you to know she’s a good friend, loves Jesus, and that she is an actress of the theatre. Robin has been through a lot with people in her life, also like me, she is idealistic and is trusting, and because humans suck she has been in some pretty serious situations but there was a period when my parents simply gave up on trying to find out where she was, what she was doing, how they could help, I mean they abandoned her, kind of like them taking off to travel the US before I could even dream of college. I mean I think they raised us to be so independent so they could just drop us off or leave us; I grew up in a loving home and I know my parents wanted kids but now that I am older, my mother has passed and I no longer desire my father’s approval, he’s so politicized I hardly call him but I really do wonder why they did have us, shouldn’t parents be ride or die?
Mending my own abandonment issues brings to light that I wasn’t the first they left so now, seemingly being the main support for her I have made a promise that I, unlike my parents, will never desert her. It’s hard, she’s like a teenager and loves to lie and manipulate but recently I told her “we are sisters, I won’t desert you like others have Robin but you must be honest with me”, she cried, and said she never thought that she was left by our parents but she perked up at the end of this difficult conversation and said, “well we’ve always stuck together, and we always will”. This was her prayer for me last night…
“Jesus we lift up Becky to you. You know her situation and you love her so much. We pray for an end to these difficult times, that she would find joy and be kept safe and protect her, bless her lord. In your name Amen”. I mean could she be any sweeter!? I struggle with my faith but some things always looked after me, she believes so strongly, I guess it’s rubbing off on me but I still love my witchy friends 😉
-B
