Events Calendar
In This Section
National news briefs - March 19
Obama signs bill for boosting jobs
U.S. rewards bank auditors before collapse
S.C. governor agrees to pay state $74,000 in ethics fines
School district sues in records dispute
Feds say brakes not used in Prius crash
Fargo puts flood-fight experience into action
Most Read Stories
Soldier on leave dies after shooting near UA
Man breaks into house, flees when owner wakes up
Theft, fraud allegations leave family in turmoil
Cavs to negotiate for Ilgauskas' return
Teen accused of drinking, dancing topless in club
Intoxicated, suicidal educator apprehended after chilling drive in park
Irish eyes smiling on Falls newlyweds
Barberton man hit by vehicle after fight dies
Blogs:
Akron Docs in Haiti:
Almost home
First Bell - On Education:
Strange, sad story from Canton
Pets:
Found: White Eskimo male dog near Bath and State Rd.
The Heldenfiles:
Fess Parker, R.I.P.
Akron Zips:
Looking back on the season
Tribe Matters:
Cabrera says it’s time to play
Cleveland Browns:
Yates latest to re-sign
Balanced Ledger:
How times have changed?
Kent State Sports:
Kent State gears up for WNIT at Michigan
Cleveland Cavaliers:
Highlights from Wednesday’s Cavs-Pacers Game
Buckeye Blogging:
Bucks High Seed – Turner High Praise
Varsity Letters:
DII state semifinal: Walsh Jesuit loses to Hathaway Brown 53-48
All Da King's Men:
ObamaCare To Reduce Premiums By 3000% ?
Blog of Mass Destruction:
Why Republicans Are Acting So Crazy
Akron Law Café:
Does Capitalism Inspire "Moral Flexibility"?
Car Chase:
2010 CONCOURS SEASON IS UPON US
Let's Talk Real Estate:
Deals in Miami?!.
Sound Check:
Willie Nelson & Family coming to the Akron Civic Theatre May 11
See Jane Style:
Who Wore What – The Oscars
HRLite House:
Horses of Courses
Akron Gamer:
PlayStation's Move ups the interaction, fidelity
Alaska official returns quickly after giving birth to child with Down syndrome
By Steve Quinn
Associated Press
Published on Sunday, May 04, 2008
JUNEAU, ALASKA: The results of Gov. Sarah Palin's prenatal testing were in, and the doctor's tone was ominous: ''You need to come to the office so we can talk about it.''
Palin, known for a resolve that quickly launched her from suburban hockey mom to a player on the national political stage, said, ''No, go ahead and tell me over the phone.''
The physician replied, ''Down syndrome,'' stunning the Republican governor, who had just completed what many political analysts called a startling first year in office.
She had arrived at the Capitol on an ethics reform platform after defeating the Republican incumbent in the primary and a former two-term Democratic governor in the general election. Her growing reputation as a maverick for bucking her party's establishment and Alaska's powerful oil industry quickly gained her a national reputation.
Now she is trying to balance caring for her child's special needs and running a state.
The doctor's announcement in December, when Palin was four months' pregnant, presented her with a possible life- and career-changing development.
''I've never had problems with my other pregnancies, so I was shocked,'' said Palin, a mother of four other children.
''It took a while to open up the book that the doctor gave me about children with Down syndrome, and a while to log onto the Web site and start reading facts about the situation.''
Palin, 44, waited a few days before telling her husband, Todd, who was out of town, so she could understand what was ahead for them.
Once her husband got the news, he told her: ''We shouldn't be asking, 'Why us?' We should be saying, 'Well, why not us?' ''
There was never any doubt the Palins would have the child, and on April 18 she gave birth to Trig Paxson Van Palin.
''We've both been very vocal about being pro-life,'' Palin said. ''We understand that every innocent life has wonderful potential.''
Down syndrome is caused by the presence of an extra chromosome in the fetus' cells. It's a genetic abnormality that impedes physical, intellectual and language development.
The mother's age is a large factor in the chances of having a child with Down syndrome. Once a woman turns 40, the chances are 1 in 100, according to the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.
During her first year in office, Palin distanced herself from the old guard, powerful Republicans in the state GOP, even calling on tight-lipped veteran U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens to explain to Alaskans why federal authorities were investigating him.
Three days after giving birth, Palin returned to work in her Anchorage office, accompanied by Trig and her husband.
This was not a mother's typical visit to the office to show off the new baby; instead, she was serving notice that a child with special needs would not hinder her professional commitments.
''It's a sign of the times to be able to do this,'' she said. ''I can think of so many male candidates who watched families grow while they were in office.
''There is no reason to believe a woman can't do it with a growing family. My baby will not be at all or in any sense neglected.''
JUNEAU, ALASKA: The results of Gov. Sarah Palin's prenatal testing were in, and the doctor's tone was ominous: ''You need to come to the office so we can talk about it.''
Get the full article here.
