Living with a sister with Down Syndrome

Don't you wish Megan didn't have Down Syndrome? How do you put up with Megan? These are just 2 of the questions I have to ask alot when meeting new people for the first time and they realise I have a sister with Down Syndrome.

To me having a sister with Down Syndrome is just normal to me and I love her to bits she can be a joy (her middle name is joy) at times, a terror at times and a challenge all the time! When I was little we didn't do alot of the things and average family would do. We couldn't go to the zoo when she was little as she would take off, we always had to think twice before we went any where to make sure it was 'Megan proof' for years just doing simple things such as grocery shopping was hard but we coped. When we moved up to perth it was 4 years be for we even considered going to adventure world and another year before we went. To me and my other sister, Jocelyn this was the normal and sure we felt like we were getting the raw end of the deal alot of the time but we still did it. It was and still is hard on our parents as they have to often re think things before they do them when dad first got offered the job in perth we went u for day looking at schools not for me and Jocelyn but for Megan.

Jocelyn and I realise how tough it is on our parents so more times than not if we 'loose' her aka she runs off and we can't find her we have to look for her on numerouse occansions we have lost for a period of time and we watch Mum stress and panic until she finds her we do it too. Though there have only be a few times when we really got worried such as in myer,garden city and at Heath Coat (aka the pirate ship park) it still is hard. Megan has gotten better at not getting lost in these past years which is a relief.

Megan has affected my life dramaticly but would I have any other way? No way! Megan is a very special part of my life and because of her I one day hope to work with children with disabilities just like Megan.