I was born in 1998 with ABS on my middle finger on my left hand. My whole right hand, and both of my feet. I am 17 years old now. This is my story of my ABS experience. I’ve had multiple surgeries to make my fingers better to comfort myself and others.
I’ve always been bullied since elementary school because of them. I’ve had plenty of people tell me that “you’re beautiful no matter what” or “God made you this way for a reason.” But there is something that’s just not letting me believe that.
I’ve read some of the stories on here and I’m with you guys. We’re not alone. I’m trying to get better in believing God made me this way for a reason, a good reason at that. We’re all in this together.
Thank you for reading my story.
I never knew about ABS until a couple of years ago when I went to a new doctor, and she said, rather casually, “Oh, Amniotic Bands Syndrome…” I was almost overwhelmed by emotions as I asked her frantically what it was. “Oh, you can just Google it under ‘ABS’. Huh. A whole world opened up, and I ended up writing my experiences in a book entitled “Funny Little Fingers” available in paperback or Kindle on Amazon.
Of course, the worse was elementary school, where cruelty as children can be boundless. Yet, the experiences caused me to become an overachiever to the point that I pretty much believed I was “normal.”
Then, meeting the most beautiful and remarkable woman in my life who never gave a second thought to my condition accepted and loved me for 47 years gave me the most profound perspective on life because of her undying faith in God. May He bless all of those with our uniqueness so we can bless others…
I would love for my son who was born with ABS to be encouraged by you. I would like more information on your book.
I understand her view because I would get bullied regularly too. They don’t understand and can be quite cruel. So as a result I stayed in the shadows for a while. But if you have the strength to face those fears and be confident others start to look at and see that you are comfortable with youself. I used to ask my mother ” why don’t I have all my fingers like everyone else?” There’s always a reason. Everyone has a special purpose in life and it takes time to except exactly who you are. I mean, at times I lack the self esteem too but I learn not to let it bring me down. People who bring others down just don’t understand and sometimes are scared of difference. I pray you find your path that works for you and being a teenager should be the best times of your life. Live it up and be strong.