Humpty Dumpty

Most of us remember the story of Humpty Dumpty from our childhood.

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
All the King's horses, And all the King's men
Couldn't put Humpty together again!

This poem spoke to Scott's sister Tamara. Her entire life she felt that her and Humpty were kindred spirits. In Tamara's 29 years on this earth she had more surgeries, pokes, prods, sticks, and manipulations that anyone should endure in a 100 year lifetime.
Tamara had VEDS too. She lived in a different time when the doctors knew far less than they do know (I can't imagine since they know so little now). With what Scott describes as amazing grace, Tamara endured it all.

You see, Tamara was far smarter than any of us. She knew she couldn't be fixed. She knew that no matter how hard she fought or how much the doctors did, she just couldn't be put back together again. She knew she was Humpty Dumpty.

The strange thing is Tamara's love for Humpty Dumpty started when she was very, very little, about Kate's age I believe. Many, many years before her VEDS diagnosis.

This is a Humpty Dumpty Easter egg that Tamara painted in 1979, when she was 8 (I think).



This is our Katie today, holding onto a hollowed out Easter egg that her Aunt, that she never met, made 31 years ago.
You see Scott's mom Paula was an amazing woman. For years so would blow out the yolks of eggs and then she and the two kids would sit down and paint the eggs. Some times they used Tempra paints, sometimes they used watercolors and sometimes they just used regular egg dye.
She would take these perfectly dyed eggs, put strings on them and make a Easter egg tree.
Every year she would box them up in their egg crates and put them in the Witt family basement where they would wait until the next year.

While K and I played outside today, enjoying this beautiful weather, I noticed a box that said "Easter Eggs". I opened the box and inside was a treasure trove of all these beautiful eggs. Perfectly kept after all these years.
I remember seeing these eggs when we moved Ron out of his house and into this one with us in 2005 but I had lost track of them since then.
Then like magic there they are right under my nose.

Scott, Kate and I had a wonderful time opening the cartons and going through the eggs. Scott told Kate and I wonderful stories of Tam and Paula. It felt like they were right there in the room with us.
And now they are


This is just a small fraction of the eggs we have. Most of these are from 1979-1981.


I know they are two of many people that are looking down on us giving us strength, courage and hope to get through the rough days.
I know they are doing everything they can to keep Scott here with Kate and I for as long as possible.
I know that they aren't really gone, we can feel them all around us.
Most importantly I know, we'll feel that way years from now (God willing) when Scott's no longer with us.
Somehow knowing this warms my heart and gives me and odd sense of peace.

A beautiful day spent together as a family. We hope yours was as beautiful as ours.