“Oh, no.” That’s never a good thing to hear in our house. I pick up my pace as I walk to the kitchen, where my husband, Tim, is feeding breakfast to our son, Will, who has Sanfilippo syndrome. “What’s wrong?” I ask, always fearful of the answer. “He’s doing…
Plot Twist – a Column by Valerie Tharp Byers
For many, January is a month of renewal, a fresh start to a new year. It’s a time to make resolutions and promises to to be better in some aspect of your life. To us, it’s a reminder of, “Oh, crap, we have to take the Christmas decorations down!” My…
During this season of miracles, I invite you to celebrate one with our family. It happened the day before Thanksgiving, which usually is a day when no work or anything else of consequence gets done because of holiday preparations. My husband and I were figuring out our food-prep schedule and…
“He’s doing fantastic,” our geneticist gushes at our son Will’s yearly evaluation. “His mobility, his muscle tone … really, for 12 years old and his mutations, you couldn’t hope for better for his condition right now. I don’t think there are any other specialists he needs to see or…
October is my favorite month. I grew up in Ohio and loved the snap in the weather when fall finally arrived. Besides being my birthday month, it also brought Halloween. I always looked forward to spooky stories and the thrill of being “scared” at local haunted attractions or while watching…
When people learn what Sanfilippo syndrome is and that our 12-year-old son has it, their reactions are immediate. “Oh, I’m so sorry.” “I can’t even imagine.” “That must be so hard.” Sanfilippo is a devastating disease. There’s no way around that. It’s devastating to the child, feeling frustrated as…
“Get busy living or get busy dying.” As a teenager in the 1990s, I clearly remember that quote echoing off the television screen. It was from “The Shawshank Redemption,” one of the first R-rated movies I was allowed to watch. The film played around the clock on TNT,…
“Will’s just doing so well,” a well-intentioned person gushes to me. I smile, happy for the attention and recognition Will receives for his hard work. “I just see him up and walking so much more,” the person continues. “You can really tell he’s getting better!” I maintain my smile and…
I look down at my hand and back at my face in the mirror. It’s time. I sigh and take off the diamond and white gold wedding band that I love and place it, lovingly, carefully, into my jewelry box. Then, from the same box, I pull a silver-colored silicon…
Columns
It’s 1 AM, so I Must Be Tired
It’s 1 a.m. on a Wednesday, and I’m sitting in my living room debating my options while listening to my 11-year-old son repetitively clap and growl over the baby monitor we still keep installed in his room. Will isn’t sleeping tonight. Which means I’m not sleeping tonight. Although none of…
Recent Posts
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- Enzyme therapy directly into the brain tested for Sanfilippo type D
- I’m finally seeing a therapist, 3 years after my daughter’s diagnosis
- Tralesinidase alfa ERT for Sanfilippo type B children put on fast track
- Educating others about Sanfilippo syndrome, one bite at a time
- Teen’s acute psychotic disorder leads to Sanfilippo A diagnosis
- Feeding our toddler with Sanfilippo syndrome can be stressful
- It’s hard to stay positive when Sanfilippo is so cruel
- Heart condition SSS found in Sanfilippo patient for first time