My name is Darlene Erics and I am married to Chett Erics, a wonderful man and a great Father, we have two boys, Derrick Fifteen and David Nine, both boys have a form of Muscular Dystrophy called Duchenes, Derrick is completely wheelchair bound, and David uses forearm crutches to get around.  Both boys know what Duchenes entail, and they realize that in a few years they may not be around.  We try not to think about that though, my boys are to busy enjoying life, they maybe physically impaired, but both boys are smart as whips.  Derrick is already taking college level courses, he is bright, and loves English and History, I guess they take after Mom in that area. They are good at Math too, but that is not from Mom, but from Dad LOL!

Derrick and David are each others best friends, and often you can find Derrick talking to David preparing him for things that might come.  Whenever one boy is hospitaltized, the other usually is not far behind, but we try to do our best to keep both boys as healthy as possible.

It wasn't until the boys were about two that we realized something was wrong.  Both boys were born full term and they each weighed close to nine pounds at birth.  Neither had to stay in the hospital any extra times, and for the first couple of years of their lives they seemed to be hitting all the milestones, it was when the boys walked late that we worried, but the doctors assured us that they would walk when they were ready.

Several months and several doctors later we had a diagnosis that would change our lives.  When Derrick was diagnosed we knew almost nothing about this condition, but by the time David was we understood.  We grieved of course, and wondered why both of our boys.  The doctors said that it is unusal to have children with MD unless both parents carry the genes, so I guess in ways Chett and I have spent alot of time blaming ourselves.  We know though that is not going to change anything, so we do our best to enjoy all the good moments in our lives.

I am pregnant now as well, the baby is due anytime now.  We are hoping for a little girl, and hoping that she does not have Muscular Dystrophy.  We spent alot of time praying about having another child, and well nearly nine months we got our answer.

In addition to having our three children, (well three any day now) we are also adopting a little girl from Russia, a little girl who has Cerebral Palsy.  We hope we can offer her the home she deserves.  Her Name is Katrarina and she is adorable, almost seven, but small for her age.  We learned about adopting this child from a woman we met through a support group for parents who have children with disabilities, her name is Lousiana Sandusky, and I have never seen one family so huge.  She and her husband do well for their family though, and I know many of these children would have no hope without her.

Well I have to go, it is time to give Derrick his medicines.

God Bless

Darlene Erics