I'm Adopted

I have been told that I was born on an Amish farm on the west side of lower Michigan. I don’t remember much about that. What I do know is that I am adopted. I look at my brothers and sisters and I don’t look anything like them. My big brother is really big and different colors than me. My two sisters look completely different from me, one looks a little like my brother but the other one is much smaller. Then my other brother only has two legs and feathers. Tell me I’m not adopted; I don’t look like anyone here. Even my parents are different from me, only two legs and no tail. It’s ok, I know they love me. But that’s not my story, when I was real little, I was attack.

I don’t remember the attack; I don’t know who attacked me. My parents say I’m a miracle to survive, in fact that has been my nick name at the doctor’s office. Miracle Merry, the girl that lived. I had blunt force trauma to the head causing my brain to swell. Mom got me to the doctors and there wasn’t much hope for me. I guess there was much debate on what to do next. The decision was made to try medication first and see how that goes. A day went by and I wasn’t eating. My parents were patient and kept following the doctor’s directions. After three days dad put some food in his hand, and I ate a little bit. Soon I was up and about, but I wasn’t out of the woods yet. I was growing and the medication wasn’t enough to prevent seizures. Yes, now I’m having seizures. I don’t know what is happening when they hit. Every time after mom or dad and sometimes both are right there with me when I come out of it. Over the last few years, I would go about 2-3 weeks without a seizure and then have several for a few days. Then I would go another couple to three weeks before another cycle. I don’t like the seizures, but the time between them is filled with walks and playing with my big brother.

Because of my health issues my parents were trying to spoil me. They would buy me all kinds of treats. There was one that I truly loved. It was the busy bone and I couldn’t get enough of them. Dad would constantly give them and then I would share with my big brother and then get another one. I also found out that if I go outside, when I come in, I get another treat. So, I began asking to go out just to come back in again. I loved busy bones, but they didn’t love me. I gained a lot of weight and again the medication wasn’t working. I started having more seizures almost every day. Medication was corrected for my weight and things got better again. I had to have those busy bones and I gain more weight and again the seizures came. My parents didn’t make the connection that the busy bones where causing my weight gain and being that I loved them so much I wasn’t going to tell them. Again, the doctor adjusted my medicine, but this time he placed me on a diet.

The last five weeks I have not been allowed a busy bone, NONE! I had an addiction to these things, and I had messed up a cabinet door asking for more. I knew where they kept them. I tried to climb up and sneak them, but they caught me. The doctor had suggested green beans to take the place of the busy bones. I get my regular food, beans and then I chew on an antler. You know what, I haven’t had a seizure in five weeks. This is the longest I have gone without a seizure since I started having them.

I still have problems because of the attack. I’m blind in my right eye and not that great in my left. I will always be on medication. I have wonderful parents and that Big Big Brother of mine makes sure I’m ok. I’m adopted, I’m sure of it, but don’t tell them I know. They take good care of me and I don’t want that ruined.

On Feb 10, 2022 Merry passed away in my arms. She had 3 1/2 wonderful years after her attack.