I owe my readers an apology, this month has been… well… shitty.  I have had so much negative and sorrowful energy surrounding me that I have failed to keep up with Mommy’s Mermaid, failed to return messages via FB, text & email to people reaching out and failed to really be present in anything. I am far from a stranger to tragedy or heartbreak but these past few weeks consumed me. I allowed myself to be sucked into things that were and are completely out of my control. It’s ok, we all do it, I know this, but why right now, do I suddenly feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. Perhaps I wallowed in self pity long enough that it got old, maybe I realized things would slowly turn around, or maybe… it took one tiny small event to shift the waters.

Friendships are formed in the oddest of places. I have formed one with a fellow nevus Mommy on the complete opposite side of the country. Opposites attract right! Over the past year or so we have talked late into the night about life, family, our kids, this disease we despise. Shared products, ideas, information from our dermatologists, happiness and our anger.

A few nights ago a conversation started and things were said that changed my outlook. This friend of mine told me about her recent frustrations and shared about their Dermatology  visit that day. Their Physician told her that everyday she writes down four things that make her day great, and today, she would be one of those four. She told me she should start doing the same and that today, I was one of her four. She shared with her physician how much our conversations meant to her.

It’s mind boggling to me that I could be of any help/support to anyone, let alone be one of the great things in their day when I was struggling to find just ONE great thing over the past few weeks…. and that’s where it changed. Yes, I have been sad, I have been a big hot mess, to be honest, I’m not sure how I even managed to appear normal the past few weeks, but somewhere admist my travels down the rabbit hole, I gave enough to make someone elses day great.

It reminded me that no matter what we are all going through, despite our own depiction of what we are, we are ALL effecting one another. Take that in for minute…

Pretty wild isnt it? The smallest of gestures or words can completely alter ones mindframe.

Funny thing is… every time we talk, she is one of my four great things in my day. There are few people that understand Mermaid’s disease, even if they think they do, they dont ask about it or truly understand the fears that coincide with it… and they shouldnt have too. That’s my job, our job, as Mom’s, to carry that worry, to work together to not only build the confidence in our children about their “beauty marks” but build the confidence in one another to be that source of strength.

This disease cannot be cured by lotions, diet changes, medications or heaven forbid; surgeries. It’s here, to stay. Some barely noticeable to the eye, others… plagued with what others consider “unsightly”. Until you live it, I’m not sure you will really truley understand the feelings behind a child asking you to make it stop, to – in Mermaid’s words “take me to the doctor so he can take my scales” to a sobbing little one from the itching and pain or that dreaded call of being told you or your child has in fact developed complications.

What we cannot fix, we can absolutely, undeniably make acceptable. We can make this disease always be number one on our list of great things that happened today, for without it, we would not have learned the level of compassion, strength and protection we all own.

We often forget that where we cannot always control the things that happen around us, we CAN control how we react and handle them. I for one, was quietly reminded of this. Mermaid’s disease is often a foot note in our journey, especially these past few weeks, but wherever our path is heading, I am happy to have you all on it.

To my fellow Nevus Mommy, my friend and my late night confidant, I thank you for sticking by me, for encouraging me, and for always being there to sort things out.

I challenge everyone reading this to write down four things that made your day great.

We have a lot of great nevus stuff coming up, making a home remedy, the discovery of a new medication and some great events to share so forgive me for our brief absence but stay tuned!

Thanks for walking with us today,

Mermaid’s Mommy