Did anyone see the progeria documentary on Discovery Health last night???

[momathome]

OMG, it had to be one of the saddest stories I have ever seen. In an hour-long special about children with progeria, they focussed on an adorable little girl from the UK who was the youngest child ever diagnosed wih the disease which is characterized by rapid aging, hair loss, strokes and heart attacks. Children usually die by the time they are teen-agers. It was heart-breaking. The little angel that the story was focussed on died at 2 1/2 years-old after suffering numerous strokes and pneumonia. While she was still alive, her family visited a hospice for children in the UK and the expressions on their faces as they realized that this was the place where their little girl would die left me in tears. I don't know why I watched it, I got hooked early on. This story made me very grateful that the worst thing we are dealing with around here is Kasey's asthma - I will happily take asthma after seeing what these kids and their families have to endure. Discovery Health Channel can be dangerous to watch when you are the parents of young children.
-Lauren

[khakismom]

Lauren, I saw this docu a few weeks ago, and you're right, it's about the saddest thing ever. DH hates it when I watch Disc. Health because I can get paranoid, but always end up weepy. He refuses to watch any medical program that involves babies or children (Disc. Health or TLC).

[momathome]

Oh, man , Maureen, I am with you! I was on the verge of tears the whole time and then immediately ran into both sleeping girls' rooms to give them hugs and kisses and thank my lucky stars for all that I have. Dh can't watch these shows and he thinks I am nuts for doing it. I had volunteered at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia for years, working specifically with children with cancer. My greatest fear in life is that something could happen to take one of my babies away. I saw firsthand the heartbreak that families go through watching their angels die - Liza is actually named after a little girl I was very close to at the hospital who died 9 years ago (today would have been her birthday). I am easily sucked into hospital shows after my volunteer experience but it is so much more upsetting now that I am a mother myself.
-Lauren