Well, it’s Friday. This day is a much gloomier one than expected, regardless of weather. For the guy writing this, and certainly for some of you reading, basketball season is over. The Cats lost to a 15 seed last night, and the whole world seemed to delight in our failure. I get it—under any other circumstances, I love upsets too.
Here’s your obligatory “Finally Friday” link to usher in the weekend, but in all honesty, some of The Possum’s sadder tunes might be more appropriate today. I don’t think this one was written about Kentucky Basketball, but we have to replace Kellan Grady, Davion Mintz, (probably) TyTy Washington, and (maybe) Oscar Tshiebwe from a team that just lost in the first round, and it remains to be seen who’s gonna fill their shoes.
Today is not just a day to wallow in basketball sorrow, however. Believe it or not, there are some things even more important. Today is National Trisomy 18 Awareness Day, part of Trisomy Awareness Month, which lasts through March.
Trisomies are the name for that extra third copy of a chromosome in babies, instead of the typical two, and Trisomy 18 refers to three copies of the No. 18 chromosome. Trisomy 18 is much rarer than Trisomy 21 (Down’s syndrome) as well as more severe. Common challenges include heart defects, seizures, breathing difficulties, and a host of other developmental disabilities and birth defects. It occurs in approximately one in 7,000 live births, and one in 2,500 pregnancies, and most children with Trisomy 18 will not survive their first year of life.
Click here to learn more about Trisomy 18, as well as what you can do to help. We’ll be back later today with more Trisomy 18 coverage, including an interview with Columbia native Chelsea Luckey Spoelker and her husband, Doug, who will share their personal experience of having—and losing—a Trisomy 18 baby, Stella Spoelker.
Just a little before 7 a.m., it’s currently 50 degrees at The County Line’s Adair branch in north Columbia, and—per usual—the thermometer at company headquarters in Russell Springs reads just a bit cooler, at 48. The high is 68 degrees across The County Line’s coverage area today, with a chance of late morning/early afternoon showers, and thunderstorms set to come through around 7 p.m.
We’re wishing a big HAPPY BIRTHDAY today to Hanson Twitch Crafton! As always, readers are encouraged to send additions to our birthday and anniversary calendars. Email us at countyline@adair-russell.com to get your special dates added to the list!
