IAMA woman with Down Syndrome, AMA about my life, my disorder, or anything at all!

If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?

My tongue! I just cant stop chewing on it!

I instantly began chewing on my tongue when I read this.

Its good, right?

the first drawing seems to be Tohru, from Jackie Chan Adventures

Knew it was from something like that! Even she didn't remember.

Care to embarass your nephew for us by telling an embarrassing story?

Haha he doesnt like me telling this story, but last year i caught him kissing his girlfriend! It was his birthday and i was very excited to give him his present. I walked up to his room and tried to open the door, but it was locked. Luckily i had a key, so i opened the door and saw him on his bed kissing his girlfriend! They looked really weird and his face grew red when he saw me. I started to laugh and set his card on a table. He didnt want to talk to me for almost a week after.

Props to your nephew for actually typing that out

Im typing, he just makes sure i spell good haha.

Be careful. When he gets older, he and his girlfriend will be doing more than just kissing...

Like what?

This is awesome. Keep up the good work! Greetings from The Netherlands.

Where is that?

A country in Europe!

How does he speak english then?

Do you get picked on still, meanest thing a stranger has done or said to you? Nicest thing a stranger has said or done to you?

Most people are very nice to me, but sometimes people say mean things behind my back. One time, i heard a stranger call me stupid, but i marched right up to him and told him i wasnt! He stopped laughing right when i said that!

Please dont be shy! Ask me some questions

Does your boyfriend have Down Syndrome?

Yes, he does. We met each other at a meeting of people with down syndrome. He is so sweet to me, we like to touch each other and play games all the time.

Is your down syndrome on the mild end? Do you have any heart problems?

When i was in school, they put me in the special classes because they thought i would be dumb for the rest of my life. My mom wouldn't have any of that, and she took me right out of school and taught me herself. Now i know a lot of stuff! The last time I went to the doctor, he said I was as fit as a bull.

how hard can you hug?

One time i hugged my mom so hard she made an accident!

What are your plans for the future in regards to relationships and children? What is your dream job?

I have a boyfriend, we like to go out sometimes. I also have a job as a person who puts groceries in bags at walmart. But the job I want to have the most in the whole world would be someone who gets paid to draw.

Tell us about your boyfriend!

He is really big and strong and is the best boy friend ever! Sometimes he picks me up and carries me like a bride, and we like to do fun things together. One time, we had to cross a puddle after it rained, and he laid his jacket down so i could walk across.

He sounds lovely. If you two get married, I want an invite.

Why would we get married?

I wanted to thank you for doing this AMA! My brother has Down Syndrome and he is the greatest person I know and so many people have such little knowledge about the topic.

Thank you for helping advocate for people with Down Syndrome!!

I bet your brother is a really cool person :)

Hey there ArtGirl!

I am currently a psychology student and I am very intersted in those with DS. They seem to be some of the nicest and bravest people on the planet, and I am sure you are very courageous yourself.

Could you tell us how you got into art? Was it hard at first?

I have been making drawings for 15 years. My mom used to take me to classes where I would exercise my arms and hands a lot.Sometimes, they would give me crayons and tell me to draw on some paper, and I have loved to draw ever since!

What's your favorite thing to draw?

I like to draw pokumon!

Hey, Ellen! Those are some really cool drawings. Way better than I can do.

I wanted to ask you what you think about people calling stuff "retarded" when they mean it's bad. Does it bother you when people use that word like that?

Also, what's your favorite TV show, if you have one? And favorite movie?

I hate that word! My dad used to call me that, then my mom showed him and made him move out.

YEAHHHH POKEMON!!!!!!!

Do you like poke mon too?

Of course I do! I have been playing it for 12 years! I'm actually playing it right now!

I have been playing for longer!

When did you first learn about Down Syndrome?

My mom always told me i was special, but i still didnt understand why everyone treated me so different. Nobody wanted to be my friend, and it hurt a lot. I always knew there was something wrong with me, but it wasnt until a doctor told me what i had that i knew what down syndrome really was.

If you could tell future teachers anything, what would you tell them?

Be respectful of everyone, especially if they are slow or not smart. These are the people who need help the most, not hurt the most.

It looks like there is a margarita on your shirt. If you drink, what's it like being drunk for you?

Haha i never get drunk, but margrita is my favorite drink!

Favorite band, song? Is your nephew going for the Justin Beiber look?

I like Hannah Montana, I even went to her show. My nephew showed me dubstep one time, and I dont like it all, it doesnt even sound like music!

This is a great AMA! You are an awesome person, it seems! :) a few questions:

Are you able to read/type at all, or is your nephew helping?

Also, I'll be working at a camp for special needs kids and adults this summer. Any tips for me?

I can read a lot of it, but my nephew helps explain some of the hard words. I can also type most of it. And just be patient with them, they can be hard to work with but they are the most loving people in the world when you get to know them.

I'm really sorry to hear about your mom. That must have been tough. Have you always gotten along well with your sister? Did you have to move far to live with her and your nephew after your mom passed?

My sister is pretty nice, but can be hard to get along with sometimes. She tries to make me go to bed early, but i stay up as late as i want!

Out of real curiosity, have you ever had to take an IQ test? If yes, what was the result if you don't mind saying?

When i was real young, they gave me a test. I dont remember what it said, but they tried to put me in the special classes after that.

[deleted]

Tell your uncle I said hi!

Is there anything very specific you wished more people knew about DS that you don't think is common knowledge?

We are all very special people, and you shouldnt group us all together as dumb because we might not be the same as you.

Do you have a favorite artist? What do you like to draw with?

i like to draw with a pencil

Wow, I love your drawings. Upvote for you!

Thank you! i put a lot of time into my drawing!

How old are you? How do you like your job? You said you have a boyfriend, does he have Down Syndrome? Do you live with your family?

I am 30 years old. I love my job, it is awesome and everyone is really nice to me. I live with my nephew and his mom. They let me move in and they built me a home to live in in the back yard. It is pretty small, but it has a toilet and air conditioning.

Awesome. c: I work for Walmart in Canada. That's awesome of your nephew. Is his mom your sister?

Yes, she is my sister

Hi! What is something that is hard for you to do? Also, which are better? Dogs or cats?

P.S. Your drawings are amazing.

It can be really hard for me to get my computer to work right ,which is why i live with my nephew and his really nice mom! My mom used to help me do the hard stuff, but she got in a real bad accident and isnt alive anymore:( And dogs are way better, my cats just poops in my bed and scratch me when i pet them.

Just wondering, what's you favorite movie? Which movie are you looking most forward to this year?

My favorite movie is pokamon 2000! I have watched it a million times. The movie i am excited about right now is the hangover part 3.

Most people I see with Down syndrome look so happy all the time and I was wondering if you could give insight on why or how they're all so happy. Plus it's awesome how happy people with Down syndrome are even though they have a disease.

We are all so happy because we don't have to worry about the bills, according to my mom.

Who's your favorite superhero? I had a friend with DS that absolutely loved Spiderman.

I like the Hulk, because he is really strong like me.

You said earlier that your sitter makes you do things you don't like, could you explain that? I want to make sure it's not abusive or anything. Thank you for this AMA, by the way.

If i misbehave or am doiing something he doesnt like, hell put me in timeout . He has also called me mean things

are you a belieber?

I didnt know what that was, but my nephew explained it to me. I hate justin beiber!

What kind of pets do you have?

I have 2 cats, 3 dogs, 2 birds, and a turtle.

Wow. Can either of the birds talk?

I talk to them all the time, but they never talk back. I think they are just being lazy...

What would you say was the very biggest obstacle that you have had to overcome? (physical, mental, social, whatever)

When i was little, i had a hard time moving my arms and getting them to do what i wanted them to do. So my mom took me to a doctor and he helped me make my arms work. This was really hard, but its also how i started to draw!

What do you think is the best part of your day? What about the worst part?

The worst part of the day is when my sitter is watching me, he is so mean and makes me do things i dont like. The best part is when i get to stay up late at night and go on the internet with my nephew.

You mentioned you have a boyfriend. Have you ever thought about having children one day?

I have been dating my boyfriend for over a year, but i still have not had a baby yet. I thought this was weird since my mom told me when a boy and a girl were together for a long time the girl would get pregnant with a baby.

Do you like to travel?

Which is the best place you like to be, travelling or not?

I like to drive around with my sister a lot. We even went to mexico one time.

how do you feel about yesterdays post are you pro-life? Thank you, I realize I didn't choose to be born into my body any more then you did in yours, I just wish everyone else knew that to.

[reddit!] http://www.reddit.com/r/science/comments/1fv06r/noninvasive_first_trimester_blood_test_reliably/ ?

I think everyone deserves a chance at life. Even though having someone with down syndrome can be very challenging, they have their own special gifts that make it worth giving them a chance. One of my friends almost didnt have a baby because they knew the child would have down syndrome. I convinced her not to do it, and now she has a healthy 4 year old boy who she loves very much, and she thanks me almost every day for changing her mind.

What television shows do you like to watch? And how often do you draw?

I like to watch game of thrones with my nephew!

What are your thoughts on gay rights?

I believe in the teachings of jesus, but i dont think he cares about what kind of people get married. Everyone deserves a chance at happiness

If there is a God, what do you think he or she or it is like? Why are we here?

I believe in jesus, and i think hes great! He put us here to help each other, which makes me sad when people hurt each other.

Which Pokemon is your favorite and why?

Charizard!

How's it going? You doing OK?

Im doing GREAT!

My cousin has DS and is a model for Target & baby gap! Question: do you ever get annoyed when people are TOO nice to you? Do you ever wish they'd just treat you the same as everyone else?

I love it when people are nice to me, and i like being treated special.

Are you planning on playing the new Pokemon X&Y? If so, which starter will you choose?

I dont have the new gameboy, so im not sure.

Hi Ellen! I'm from Canada and love to travel. If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?

I want to go to China. I heard they have dragons there!

If you could eat lunch with any person on earth, who would you choose?

My mom...

This is one of my favorite IAMAs, you never answered the second part of my question. What is the kindest thing a stranger has said or done for you?

The nicest thing a stranger ever did for me was save my life. I was walking across a street, when a man grabbed my arm and pulled me back. I was nearly hit by a bus running a red light.

Would you rather fight one horse-sized duck, or 100 duck-sized horses?

I can beat up a duck any day!

Any spiritual experiences or beliefs you would like to share with us? I've often heard the notion that people with Down's are angels in the flesh, or spiritually special in one way or another. I was curious if you feel any connection to God or the spiritual realm?

Thank you for having the courage to do an AMA.

I love jesus, he is my savior and the church means a lot to me.

Thank you for doing this AMA. I am writing a fiction novel (a zombie story) in which one of the heroines is a young lady with Down Syndrome. She is a her in every sense, but I want to make sure I get her character right, especially in the context of a zombie-filled world! Is there anything that I should make sure to include or avoid? Any characteristics that are commonly misrepresented in the media?

Dont make her seem stupid. We might be a little slow, but we have personalities and interests just like everybody else. You need to understand that.

What's your favourite drawing that you have done?

Pokemon

Do you have a nickname?

My name is Ellen!

Favorite shrimp recipe?

She doesn't cook a lot of shrimp, sorry. But my aunt can make a mean burger!

Have you ever thought of selling your extra chromosomes on Ebay or Craigslist?

How would i do that?

Can you count to potato?

Downvotes?

What?