Born with a rare genetic disorder known as Sacral Agenesis,
Rose had severely deformed legs with feet pointing in opposite directions.
There was no feeling in the legs and, as a child, she was in danger of harming
herself. When she was two years old her mother, after consulting with the
doctors at the hospital, decided that the best course of action was to have the
legs amputated. This insightful decision by her mother allowed Rose to lead a fairly
normal childhood.
Rose grew up, with her mentally handicapped brother, in
Pueblo, Colorado. Rose believes her parents made the right choice as she cannot
imagine being confined to a wheelchair. She describes her physical condition in
her own way "If you take a Barbie doll and remove it's legs, the region
you are left with is what I have. I have all the female working organs, the
only reason I sit shorter or more compact, as people say, is because I'm
missing four sections of my spinal column".
Rose's great passion in life is cars. All things automotive,
cars, trucks and V-8 engines have been a big part of her life since she started
playing with her father's toolbox at the age of 3. When she was sixteen, her
parents bought her a car. A used car which Rose and her father adapted with
hand controls so that Rose was able to drive herself around. She is rebuilding
a 1968 Mustang which she plans to race.
For years, the administrators at the local school forced
Rose to wear artificial legs, they wanted her to look like everybody else. When
she was in eighth grade she rebelled and refused to wear her prosthetic limbs,
turning up for school on her skateboard. She wanted to be normal, and her
normal is Rose who walks on her hands and has no legs. After meeting with her
parents who were being very supportive, and realising that Rose was very
stubborn, the school relented and allowed her to return, without her
prosthetics.
In 1997 Rose met Dave Siggins who worked in an auto-parts
store, they flirted over the phone and their relationship quickly blossomed,
but it was going to put Rose's life in danger. When they decided to get
married, Dave joked with her that she didn't have to worry about getting cold
feet. Rose and Dave were married in 1999, it was her dream come true. It was a
traditional white wedding and Dave, still joking, pointed out that the cake was
bigger than she was. Rose and Dave lead a normal sex life, the only comment
Dave has made are that the legs don't get in the way.
Two years into their relationship, Rose discovered that she
was pregnant. Rose's pregnancy was extraordinary and ground-breaking, no-one
with Sacral Agenesis had ever given birth. The only doctor who didn't advise
Rose to have an abortion was Dr. Wilson who says "This couple have committed
themselves to a pregnancy and she is, basically, laying her life on the line
because nobody knows what this means, no-one has lived this experience before.
With the first counselling with Rose and David I was very specific and told
them that they have to know that if they move forward with this that she could
die." The main concerns were with her lungs being compressed, as the baby
was likely to grow up the way because of her short stature. The other concern
was how she would tolerate a caesarean delivery, because the baby was lying
transversely she would have to be opened across the top, a true 19th century
caesarean delivery. Rose told her mum that if there were any complications and
there was a choice between her life and the baby's, she should choose the baby.
Having given birth to a miracle baby, Rose was about to
experience a terrible tragedy. Luke had just celebrated his second birthday
when Rose's mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer. She held the family
together, provided an emotional pillar, and organised the vital day-to-day
running of the house. Her death had a disastrous effect on everyone around her.
Rose's father had already had the onset of Alzheimer's and dementia so he, like
her brother, didn't understand what was happening. It became apparent that Rose
was next in line to run the family and do everything her mother had done. As
well as looking after her son and husband, Rose now cares for her dad and
brother. Rose's dad, James, has smoked all his life and now has to rely on a
constant supply of oxygen. He is also suffering from schizophrenia and the
onset of Alzheimer's.
Rose has great moral strength and a remarkable attitude she
says "A lot of people with disabilities feel that life owes them
something, and I was raised in a way that no, no-one owes you a dime. The world
doesn't owe you anything, this is what you have and you use your resources and
you get through life. My personal opinion is, get up and go for it, just do
it."
Rose's story as a woman who has overcome bewildering obstacles
and succeeded despite seemingly impossible odds is a real life example of the
American dream. However, away from the limelight and behind a determined
self-assurance there's another side to Rose. With the usual day-to-day problems
and the added stress of Jimmy's erratic behaviour Rose is feeling the strain.
She takes refuge in the garage where she can oversee the
installation of a new V-8 engine in her Mustang. At last after weeks of hard
work Rose feels the Mustang is ready to hit the race track, which will be
another life-long ambition achieved.
Incredibly, despite the risks involved, Rose has had a
second baby
An Inspiration for all of us for their
passion towards education.
(: Just SMILE :)
Everyone know, that it is very difficult to have a fake smile....!
But try using it and make a difference in your life.
It also makes people around you know and feel the difference of smile.
Firstly begin with...,
Smiling to a person when they look at you, and for sure you will get back a smile.
And this makes or gives us a wonderful feeling.
In-fact this will sometimes make you have that smile the whole day.
You can stay happy and also people around you will know the meaning of happiness,
even if they are in problems.
Just have the thought of who doesn't have problems, rather than the feeling of no one else have problems as you have.
Make people think in that way. Everyone has problems in some or the other way or in any matter in day to day life..., but never loose the hope, stay happy smiling and see people around you smile.
Let them know they are not alone in anyway, or any problem they face.
Try solving them along with happiness, rather than with a dull and crying life.
Just remember...
Crying can make you feel a bit lighter in feelings of depression, but later continuing all over your life is of no use....it can never solve any problem in life.
Keep solving your problems and that too with a positive try/hope.
For sure you will succeed in having a wonderful life in the near future :)
