What a difficult week this has been, summed up by an emoji frown. It all started with a very persistent sneeze and drippy nose that quickly became a full-blown cold. (Undoubtedly, this was caused by the hustle and bustle of Hanukkah—not to mention plenty of germs at a big party.) Instead of trying to fight it, as I have in the past, I just surrendered to bed for quite a while and tried to rest.

Of course, one can only do some much Netflix and YouTube binge watching before they glaze over. I switched to reading books, doing crossword puzzles and then playing on my phone. Big, big mistake. My head ached, my right arm ached, and my right eye began to twitch. Since I’ve struggled with severe eye strain in the past, I knew what it was and stopped immediately and went back to TV. The boredom that followed was so bad, mere words can’t adequately express it!

By Wednesday night, I started to feel better—less congested, less queasy, less coughing. We were almost out of fresh groceries by that point and I was suffering from a bad case of cabin fever. I planned to do some shopping, errands, and just get out of the house a little.

Imagine my surprise to find my Pathfinder with a little puddle beneath it and the dashboard light on when I started it. Long story short: The brake line needed to be replaced and it will be in the shop for a few days. Just what I didn’t want. Ugh. So Thursday was also a washout.

Sounds fun, right? Wait, it gets better… On Friday, it started snowing, and icing, and I’m still home, still stuck, and we’re living on pantry/frozen food. Well, the rest of the family is anyway; all I wanted is soup, crackers, and hot tea. The snow is expected to continue today into the late evening, which means we’ll just have to make do.

So, yeah, I’m a bit grouchy. There was one high point amongst all the dark clouds—an exceptionally nice Hanukkah gift! How amazing is this dried fruit platter that came with a pineapple cutting board? It’s made by Gourmet Gift Baskets and tastes as good as it looks. (Who knew you could dry a kiwi and it would still be yummy?) At the rate I’m munching, there won’t be any left to share.

How is everyone else doing out there? Hopefully, much better than me!

Should a woman who’s pregnant with a Down Syndrome baby be encouraged to abort it? Strangely enough, the answer to that question may depend on what country she lives in.

Due to genetic testing becoming more widely available, mothers have to face a gut wrenching choice if their test is positive. Most, understandably, would have mixed feelings and 67% of American ladies choose not to carry a Down Syndrome baby to term.

While 67% may seem high to some, it is nothing compared to the stats coming out of Europe: France is at 77%, the UK is 90%, Denmark is 98%, and Iceland is leading the pack with a nearly 100% rate!

Since it’s almost impossible in a free society to get 100% of the people to agree on anything, that is very, very suspicious and points towards a strong bias coming from the government. Rather than being given neutral information, ladies are pressured into following a terrible Eugenics agenda.

The push, of course, is based mostly on cost. Europe has fully socialized medicine and wants to control who gets the limited resources. Because they don’t deem the disabled “worthy” enough, the disabled may soon disappear!

This is frightening on so many levels. Instead of looking at humanity and the world from a God-based perspective, many folks in the science community want to play God themselves, with life and death powers over their fellow men and women. Should they get to decide that Down Syndrome isn’t fit to live? Because you know it won’t stop there—any type of disability could be next. What about the deaf, the blind, midgets, Autistic, low IQ, Epileptics, anyone who needs crutches or wheelchairs? Once we start down this slippery slope, it may never end.

I am passionate about protecting the rights of all people, especially those who have special needs. They are not handicapped; they’re handi-capable! Just because someone isn’t born “perfect” doesn’t mean that we have the right to judge them worthless. People with Down Syndrome are different, surely, but not bad! They are beautiful, loving, joyful folks who deserve what everyone else does. So what if they need extra medical help? Isn’t that what society is here to do, help those who need it most?

Time and time again, I am struck by the empty, vicious, one-sided argument that comes out of the Atheists. They believe in superiority, not equality, whereas a true person of faith recognizes that all people are created by the Lord, in his image, and only He can make or take a life. Not us.

I don’t judge any lady for what she chooses to do with her own uterus, but that choice must be freely made, without undue influence and unnecessary fear. If she decides not to, okay, but if a mother wants to keep her Down Syndrome baby, shame on any doctor who tries to talk her out of it. These decisions can’t be based on cash; they must be based on love. I dare anyone to look into these precious eyes and tell him he never should’ve been born…

The following guest post may be difficult to read, but it is also honest, poignant, and above all, a brave account of one mother’s struggle to save her terminally ill daughter. This beautiful little girl, Marian, needs our help! If you can, please contribute to her fund, and if you’re not financially able, you can still help by spreading the word and praying for her and her family.

Hanukkah, perhaps more than any other Jewish holiday, is the favorite holiday of children. As a Jewish American, it holds a special place in my memory. During my childhood, I could not wait to open a new gift each night! My mother would lay them out by the fireplace, and I’d shake and inspect each one before carefully making my selection, trying to foresee what would unfold.

Now that I am a mother of two small girls, I am reminded often of my childhood and relationship with my own mom. During this holiday season, instead of focusing on gifts and fun, I’m concerned with whether my younger daughter, Marian, who in most ways is a healthy and active two-year-old, will live or die.

In February, we received the news that Marian’s enlarged spleen and developmental delays were early warning signs of Niemann-Pick Type C. This disease is fatal with no cure. It causes neurodegeneration and progressive suffering. Without a cure, Marian will lose her ability to swallow, speak, move, and learn. As I sit and watch her laughing, playing and cuddling her big sister, it is difficult to imagine that this will truly be her fate. We know that without a cure, she will be lucky to live past ten-years-old, and whatever time she has left will be filled with crushing disabilities.

The immediate days after we received the news we terrible. We were in shock, devastated, and heartbroken. We had only recently learned recessive genetic conditions like these even exist—a whole category of “lysosomal storage disorders” affecting children and adults, all fatal and only a tiny amount with effective treatments.

Three things drove us forward in those early days, (1) a NPC parent telling us that we can do nothing or we can fight. We chose to fight for her life; (2) a NPC specialist telling us the disease is at a turning point of hope; and (3) the words my great aunt Elsie, a Holocaust survivor, said many times, and repeated over and over by my mom, “It should not get worse.”

And so, out of our devastation, came a ray of hope. We began traveling back and forth from Los Angeles to Chicago to receive an experimental treatment that is effective in slowing the disease progression. After two months, Marian went from not being able to stand independently to walking. After three months, we were able to transition her treatments to Los Angeles. After six months, her language comprehension increased.

Friends and family rallied around us in a way I never could have anticipated. We began raising money to help find a cure and we took the plunge in opening our lives and sharing our deepest pain and need. We are sharing our story for many reasons—to help others learn about NPC, to create awareness, and to accelerate research. All of these things will to help save Marian’s life and others with NPC.

As I sit and watch my two girls, sitting side by side, who love each other so much, I am filled with hope. In spite of the constant fear simmering beneath the surface, our hearts are filled with gratitude and love. Even with the pain and devastation that has come, I still hope that Marian and all children with NPC will have a brighter future.

This year, as we light the menorah and commemorate the miracle that took place so many centuries ago, I will remember that miracles still happen. I can’t shake and inspect what will unfold in Marian’s future, but we are grateful for each good day that she has and are urgently fighting for more.

Marian’s family has established a nonprofit to raise funds for lifesaving research. To learn more about NPC or to support this cause, please visit hopeformarian.org.

Taking a page straight out of “Harvey Weinstein Apologist” Donna Karan’s despicable book, Kirstie Alley is defending Matt Lauer and denouncing the alleged victims of his abuse.

Given her outspoken history of how Hollywood viciously body shamed her and denied her parts as she aged and gained weight, this is even more surprising! But it gets better: In the ’80’s, she also claimed to have been sexually harassed and pressured into compromising positions.

So where is the compassion for others who’ve dealt with the same nightmare? No where to be found in this heartless Tweet: “What the hell is happening? We now live in a country where people lose their jobs when accused of something without proof or trial or in some cases w anonymous accusers? Can’t confront your accuser? This is bull. And IT HURTS THE REAL VICTIMS of abuse. AND innocent people.”

Obviously, nobody should ever be falsely accused; we can all agree on that. But I truly don’t think this is a scam or a shakedown for quick cash. As someone who literally grew up watching Matt and Katie on the Today show, this is really hard for me to accept, too. He seemed—key word here is “seemed”—like the nicest guy in the world (ring a bell, Bill Cosby?).

Over and over again, as these allegations break, multiple accounts start to go public, with very similar details in every case. Instead of asking why people stayed silent for so long, as if it’s a mystery, the terrible reactions should be clear. How many women and men—because there are many, many male victims, too!—are living in fear and silence, not only from the abuse, but the potential fallout of coming forward and confronting the abuser.

This is just not right. We need to believe victims. We need to help victims. Nobody can tell a victim what they would’ve done, or could’ve done, unless you’ve walked in those same shoes. Victims deserve sympathy and assistance—not blame, not shame, and definitely not disbelief. Shame on you, Kirstie!