I think it's terrific that David Henry is a doctor, and thus, for me, becomes representative of all the doctors in my son's life who have told me how things will go, based on their many years of medical study.

And then their is Caroline, also in the medical profession, but she chooses a different way--she goes with her heart. In this, I saw the conflict of knowledge (the medical text way) versus faith (the belief in love, and in things other than book learning.)

It was so heartening to me to find myself liking and rooting for Caroline! Because in my life with my son, I have found the "faith" way to be so important. We are finding our path, with love, and what is surprising to me is that so much of the medical predictions I was given have not proved to be true.

What are others thinking about this idea?

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Jennifer Graf Groneberg

Well, if David is representative of the medical community - he thought someone with Ds should just be THROWN AWAY....by sending her to the institution and by telling his wife she was dead - that was the effect.

I don't think things have changed that much. Look at our prenatal termination rates.

I was a bit disappointed that Caroline didn't take Phoebe right away back to her house - that she went to the institution first. I wonder if she hadn't seen that woman getting her hair cut there if she would have dropped Phoebe off.

But I think that bit was realistic too...nurses in those days were taught to be obey the physicians - she was just following orders until her heart told her otherwise.

I, too, like the fact that David and Caroline are both from the medical profession, but that they chose their future from completely different ends of the spectrum. So many things that have been medically proven in this life have ended up wrong. Although, I think that David Henry was just using his "medical know-how" to cover up that having a differently-abled child scared the crap out of him. He went with book knowledge (for that time period) to cover up his lack of courage to dive into something completely unknown and against the grain. I don't think that he was very brave, thus, he did not get the opportunity to grow.

I think that Caroline was right in taking the baby to the institution first. It just seems to me that is what she would have done. It made her decision to take Phoebe home realistic.

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Gillian
wife to Sergei and mom to Elaina (, Zoya (6) and Polina (2 1/2 DS)
http://lintofpocket.wordpress.com/

I love your points, Jooniper. It would have been a missed opportunity by the author not to include such a scene, and I really appreciate that she took the time to include it. It is so shocking, and makes Caroline's decision seem inevitable. To me, at least.

And it's fantastic that you brought up the point about your baby being born in Russia. You have a unique perspective to bring to the discussion.

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Jennifer Graf Groneberg

You're right that David and Caroline choose different paths (medical predictions vs. faith). Isn't it interesting, however, that Caroline has difficulty following the path of faith when Phoebe talks of marriage? I also found in interesting how Paul's view changed so quickly after meeting and getting to know Phoebe. Oh how I hope that my son can change the preconceived notions of the people that he comes in contact with along life's way!

Kim, Logan (3 1/2, Ds) and Carson (1)

Excellent points, logansmom. It's true, Caroline's faith had limits, and I also wonder what would have happened if they all could have somehow reconciled. We shall never know!!!

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Jennifer Graf Groneberg