Sarah A Burst of Sunshine: Look at the Sunshine Not the Clouds

By Doug Paling

Sarah, a beautiful child born physically perfect, but severely intellectually disabled has been blessed with a spiritual gift.

Her father Doug maintains that Sarah’s gifted cloak of influence extends far beyond her physical presence, she has touched so many lives.

Sarah has taught Doug to look through the eyes of a child.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Mar 23, 2014
• ISBN: 9781925171068

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Sarah

Let me introduce you to a very special person. Our daughter, Sarah. Sarah was born in traumatic circumstances. Sheelagh, my wife had said all through her pregnancy that, this pregnancy was different from her previous pregnancies, where she had given birth to our daughters Rebecca and Emma. At the time of Sarah’s birth, Rebecca was 10 years old and Emma was 6 years of age.

Sheelagh’s dad Ernie died as an indirect result of the Ash Wednesday’s bush fires in Victoria. Ernie was an asthmatic and the darkness and lack of air conspired to cause his death. I was in Sydney at the time of Ernie’s death, my wife was at home in Perth. We did not have a phone, we could not afford one at the time. My father Reg received the message about Ernie’s death. He knocked on the door, and as Sheelagh opened the door, dad said very bluntly; Your father is dead Sheelagh heavily pregnant with Sarah, nearly collapsed on the doorstep. She was very close to her father. The bush fires were horrendous, many people lost their lives. Reports were being received in Perth that Tullamarine, the Victorian airport was closed due to the bush fires. Sheelagh was desperate to get into Melbourne to say a final farewell to her dad. She checked with her doctor, who assured her she was safe to fly despite being pregnant. I borrowed money to pay the air ticket. At the time I was working a full time job, plus part time jobs just to put food on the table. A few month’s later in July, Sheelagh and I were at a party, we left early, Sheelagh did not feel well. Later that night Sheelagh thought her waters had broken, we turned on the light, she was bleeding badly. I made an emergency phone call, we drove to the hospital. Sheelagh was immediately prepared for a caesarian operation.

I was gowned up and given specific instructions, I was to stand at the back of the operating theatre. Sarah was taken from my wife’s womb. She did not breath for 2 minutes. She was the colour of stone grey. I started to walk towards the baby, when I heard a voice in my ear saying: don’t worry every thing will be OK.

Sheelagh and Sarah could have been dead at that moment. A clot had formed in the womb, Sarah was fast losing her lifeline. Sheelagh could have been dead if the clot had risen into her body.

Sarah did not progress normally, despite assurances from medical specialists, we knew that there was a problem. Eventually we received the diagnosis we dreaded, but knew in our souls it was correct. Sarah was profoundly intellectually disabled.

At the present time, Sarah is in her very early twenties. She has an extremely limited dialogue, she cannot dress herself and needs