Heaven's Special Child
Posted inMemoriam

Who Is Heaven’s Special Child

"Heaven's special child" is a metaphorical or symbolic figure representing individuals seen as pure, innocent, or blessed. This term is often used to describe children who have passed away at…
orphan disease
Posted inMedical

What is Lissencephaly?

Lissencephaly is a rare neurological disorder that affects the development of the brain. It is characterized by the lack of folding in the brain's cerebral cortex, which is the outer…
Erica happy to go camping
Posted inAdventures

Buckeye Invitational

The Heart of Maryland Chorus was invited to the "Buckeye" in 1996 after placing 3rd in an annual Mid-Atlantic District Contest. While most members and guests boarded a chartered bus…
Child with Lissencephaly
Posted inMemoriam

Heaven’s Special Child Poem

HEAVEN'S VERY SPECIAL CHILDA meeting was held quite far from Earth.It was time again for another birth.Said the Angels to the Lord above – “This special child will need much…
Erica Sunglasses
Posted inAdventures

Birthing Ritual

Our three children have and remain a source of inspiration to me and I thought I would introduce them to you. Let's start at the beginning. On a Wing And…
run-away-wheelchail
Posted inAdventures

Runaway Wheelchair

Speaking to Erica like a "normal" person was a good thing to do but sometimes lead to unexpected results, like a runaway wheelchair! On one sunny afternoon at Sesame Place,…
Archie Dog
Posted inAdventures

Erica’s Guardian Dog

This story relives an episode with one of our helpful dogs, Archie, and our disabled 6-year-old daughter resulting in a trip to the E.R. So here we were, a year…
Erica Balloon Release
Posted inMemoriam

Erica Michelle Bayliss

Erica Michelle BaylissMay 3, 1992 - April 5, 2001 Our little Angel has gone to heaven but not before making a lot of friends along the way like these special…
Child with Lissencephaly
Posted inMedical

Erica vs. Pneumonia

October 2000 - Only a month into the school year and Erica missed a week of school! Why? She caught pneumonia again and this time spent three days in the hospital.…
Kids Nebulizer
Posted inMedical

Home Medical Equipment

We had a lot of home medical equipment. Friends would joke about it looking like a hospital and then suddenly we had a daunting collection of medical supplies and equipment.…
Cat's Angel Drawing
Posted inAdventures Memoriam

A Personal Narrative

Our 13 year old daughter, Catherine, wrote and read it to her class at St. Mark's School so they could understand Lissencephaly. We couldn't be anymore proud! Personal Narrative on…
Erica Bayliss as Halloween Pumpkin
Posted inAdventures

Fun Halloween Campouts

Incredibly, with all of her issues, Erica was happy nearly all of the time, especially when on a Halloween Campout. 1999 Halloween Campout Here we are at Yogi Bear Campground…