About Mer-Boy

Mer-boy is my ten-year-old son who, upon his arrival in this world, steered me clear of a path of self-absorbtion.

Mer-boy has a rare genetic connective tissue disorder Ehlers Danlos Syndrome.
EDS causes highly extensible, unstable joints, tissue, organs, and arteries.
EDS causes chronic pain, relieved only by consistent physical therapy. Mer's been in pain his whole life, but doesn't realize it. He weighs 40 lbs, stands head to my belly, and is most comfortable in water...hence, Mer-Boy. The child swims like a creature with no skeletal system.

Mer has a major cardiac defect, secondary to the EDS, Mitral Valve Regurgitation/prolapse, which has thus far been controlled by medication to preserve heart function.
Surgical intervention is inevitable, but due to the instability of Mer's tissue, something not in his favor.

Mer has Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, which we regulate together through diet, exercise, behavior modification, and a calm learning environment.

I've made mistakes, God knows I've made mistakes, but the most important thing I believe we  give our children is love. Sounds simple but it's not always so, especially since we battle our own demons of inadequacy.

Say it, show it, let it shine through your eyes. Love is what children need to see reflected in our eyes when they enter a room. Watch how they seek your expression. Children are beautiful, strange, brilliant little creatures. They will thrive in an environment of love...just as we do.