AMC Mini Meet-Up 8-20-11

How lucky are we? On August 20, 2011, we had the amazing experience of meeting 7 (yes, 7!) different families/people with Arthrogryposis for a barbeque. And I have to tell you, it was inspiring and I cannot wait to do it again! In attendence were Valerie Pepe (Staten Island), Laura Kraus-Van Cott and her husband Kenny and their daughters Kaeli and Jenna (Staten Island), Alanna Owens MacDonald and her husband Patrick MacDonald and their daughter Mary (Massachusetts), Donna Gackenheimer and her fiance Dan (Long Island), Melissa Chang and her son Henry and daughter Elizabeth (Connecticut), Lisa Loughran and her son Roger (Red Hook, NY) and Serena McMurty and her daughter Tiffany (Long Island). Also in attendance were my family- Mom, Dad, Maddy, Al, Bri, Carla and Andrew and the lovely Madison Texidor. (Al and Bri weren't invited, but crashed anyway. The nerve. Just kidding of course).

Here is a group shot:



We had a beautiful day. The prediction was rain, but there wasn't a cloud in the sky. We were able to get a picnic area at Willson's Woods Park about 1 mile from our home.



Owen and Caleb were entertained by Madison T. and Gavin while I set up:



At 1pm everyone started arriving. Initially, I was worried. Would having this one thing in common be enough to unify the group? Would we immediately have an natural understanding for all we have been through or would it be uncomfortable talking about limbs, surgery, braces, etc.? I wasn't sure what to expect. And I wasn't sure how Gavin was going to feel seeing crutches, wheelchairs and meeting kids like Owen.

I soon came to learn that I worried for nothing. It was great. We got to meet such special people. The bond you feel with people who have gone through or are going through the same things that you have been through was natural and immediate. We talked and laughed, compared notes and experiences, ate, drank and were merry. I got to meet two adults with AMC, Donna and Valerie and I have to say that seeing that nothing stands in their way was amazing. Nothing gets in their way and nothing will get in Owen's either. They can go, do and participate in anything they want to. What great examples of two people who live with AMC every day and live full and happy lives. It made me personally feel like Owen will do whatever it is his heart desires.



Mary has the cutest wheelchair I ever did see. Hot pink. And she can move the wheels. I was so impressed. Roger just started sitting up. Serena walks wonderfully and hit it off with my sister Maddy right away. Elizabeth is a month older than the twins and she was waving to me and saying bye bye. Jenna has a VEPTR like Owen and I watched her play and communicate with her sister. I feel blessed to have gotten to meet everyone.


It was an awesome day. When we all said good bye, two things became clear to me. First, that we would be doing this again, if not a yearly reunion, than something more frequent. And second, I just met the new additions to our family, our AMC family.