We got invited to a Memorial Day BBQ. I was really thankful for the invite, as we don’t know many people yet. It was a potluck, so I brought some lemon cupcakes with chocolate frosting.  But, with the strawberry shortcakes someone else brought, my dessert wasn’t too popular!

After eating, I sat in the living room and made generic chat with the other women about gardening and babies. That was OK, until the president of the women’s service organization came up to Menininho and started playing with his feet and loudly cooing “Oh, poor Menininho! Your parents tried to give you diabetes and that Marfan disease! But you didn’t get those! No! You didn’t get those!”

My first reaction, a knee jerk one, was to say “It’s a disorder, not a disease. There’s a difference; get it right.” My second reaction was “Oh my gosh did you REALLY just say that? Because on what planet is that appropriate? My guess is Planet Offensive.” But, I bit my tongue and said neither of those things.

I totally respect that some people might not understand or agree with why Mark and I were willing to risk passing on Marfan to our child.  I would never try to push another Marf into having a baby just because it was the right decision for our family.  All we ask for is the same respect.  It boils my blood that someone would insinuate that I TRIED to or wanted my baby to be ill.