My Parents Helped Me Create a Strong Foundation of Self-Esteem - by Laura Wuertle

Good Things Come in Small Packages! I was diagnosed with Turner syndrome (TS) as an infant thanks to my mom's persistence. After several tries, she took me to someone who knew what they were looking at.

I was very lucky to be born into a loving family that has never failed to support me. Even though I was small, had bad vision, and worse hearing, they never let me be down on myself. "Good things come in small packages", they told me, every chance they got, and I believed it. They told me I could do and be anything I wanted, and I believed it. They gave me the space to try, fail, learn, and succeed, helping me become independent.

I was teased a lot and bullied a little in school, but I got through it thanks to the strong foundation of self-esteem they had laid. I didn't have a lot of friends, but the friends I did have were close, and they too helped me see beyond what other people said about me (and to me) and know my own self.

Today I'm 53, have a BA in history from UC Berkeley, and a Master's in Library Science from San Jose State. I own my own home and have a wonderful job with great coworkers and bosses. I've worked for my county's Human Services Agency for almost 25 years, and have been a program analyst for about 8 years.

I'm so grateful to my mom, my grandmother, and a slew of teachers that always told me I could do it even if I was afraid. I'm so grateful, too, to have found my "sisters of the heart"--my fellow TS butterflies who are my army, my cheering section, and my belonging. Thank you all for allowing me to lead a blessed and charmed life.