A strong willed and rambunctious eight year old girl today, Brianna did not have an easy start to life. Debbie P., Brianna’s mother, started drinking alcohol and smoking marijuana in junior high school. By the time she was in her young 20s, Debbie was using cocaine and by her 30s had moved on to crack. Debbie’s first daughter, Angelica was born in 2000 as a healthy, happy girl. Because Debbie was not ready to stop using drugs, Angel’s father decided to leave. With Angel by his side, he moved to Florida and left Debbie far away in chilly Buffalo, New York. Debbie continued to heavily use drugs, and even turned to selling sex to strangers in return for money, which she then used for buying drugs. In 2002, Debbie again became pregnant. Not knowing who the father was and still not ready to give up crack, Debbie never saw a doctor during her pregnancy. Before giving birth, Debbie decided that she would give the baby up for adoption as soon as it was born. God, however, had a different plan. The day before she went into labor, Debbie’s car broke down. When it was time for the baby, Debbie was at the mercy of an ambulance to get her to the hospital. By the time EMS arrived at her apartment, though, it was too late; Debbie had given birth to her second daughter, Brianna, at home and by herself.
Having Brianna at home as opposed to in a hospital, Debbie saw, held, and instantly bonded with her daughter – and putting Brianna up for adoption was no longer an option. It was clear from the start that Brianna was different. She was diagnosed with Turner Syndrome, a condition in which an entire sex chromosome is missing and can cause many physical abnormalities and concurrent health issues. As Debbie continued to use drugs and raise Brianna, life began to spiral out of control. After loosing her job and her parents took Brianna away, Debbie finally realized that her daughter deserved more. Things had to change. In 2004, Debbie entered long-term rehabilitation and became clean. A nurse from rehab was the first to ever address fetal alcohol syndrome with Debbie. More concerned about having a “crack baby”, Debbie had never even considered the affect that her drinking could have had on Brianna. Thanks to this nurse, though, Brianna was eventually diagnosed with FAS at 21 months old. From long-term care, Debbie then moved into a supportive living community and eventually got back on her own two feet. Today, Debbie and Brianna live together and are still in Buffalo, New York.
Brianna is in a special education classroom and has an aid the majority of the time to help with her behavior while at school. Easily distracted and determined to do what she wants, learning can be a challenge for Brianna. Outside of school, Brianna is extremely active. She not only takes Taekwondo, ice skating and therapeutic horse back riding lessons, but Brianna also participates in programs at the Children’s Hospital in Buffalo. Brianna has also earned her kid orange belt in karate, is an avid swimmer, and loves stuffed animals – of which she has over 350! Seven years clean as of this year, Debbie is proud and amazed by the daughter she has. Brianna is different than other children her age, but nevertheless she is an entertaining and smart girl, making her mother laugh every day. If it had not been for Brianna, Debbie might never have come clean, but being the parent that Brianna deserves is the most rewarding feeling that Debbie could ever imagine.
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