Do you remember dreaming about the future when you were young? Did you think about where you would be and how you would look? Did you wonder if you would go to college and earn a degree; get married to your soul mate; have a successful career or raise your children? My sister, Mary Kathryn Dick, had all those aspirations, and she was living them out until her dreams were taken away April 8, 2009.
Before I describe what has happened to her, you need to know and understand the spirited, energetic person she was before that day.
Mary Kathryn Campbell was born December 7, 1977, at Saint Mary's Hospital in the Metro-Detroit area. She was a healthy baby girl who weighed seven pounds and 10 ounces and measured 20 inches long. As a toddler, Mary was active and in excellent health. She loved to play, draw and sing at the top of her lungs on the swing set in the backyard.
As an elementary student, Mary was in ballet, t-ball and an active Brownie member. When Mary turned seven, our parents decided to move to Bedford County, Pennsylvania, in the Northern Bedford County School District located approximately 95 miles West of Pittsburgh.
In senior high school Mary decided to drop football cheerleading and picked up varsity basketball and wrestling cheerleading to better suit her already active fall schedule. She also continued to advance herself in swimming lesson levels and had many days of playing on the varsity soccer team after school; only to perform later in the evenings for the Northern Bedford High School Marching Band and\or county chorus. She continued on the set of WNBC's morning announcement show and the varsity softball team in the spring. She even performed in the senior high school play entitled "Whole Lotta' Shakin' Goin' On.' " Furthermore, Mary was in Ski Club, Art Club, Press Club and Yearbook. She consistently lettered in sports, and her senior class of 1996 voted her the following titles: Senior Class of 1996 Most Argumentative and Senior Class of 1996 Most Opinionated.
She married her high school Sweet heart Mark and has 3 very young boys.
My sister Mary completed her life-long dream of earning a Bachelor of Science Degree in Human Development and Family Studies from the Pennsylvania State University, Altoona campus in 2002. She was especially interested in working with mentally delayed adults to enable them to better live happy, functional lives. She compassionately served in this capacity for the Human Development and Family Studies department at Skills of Blair County, Pennsylvania, and also at North Star Support Services in Altoona, PA. As a Supports Coordinator, she was responsible for everything from assisting them with understanding their mail to making sure they were safe. She had a 52-person caseload and was required to write 50-60 page support plans for many of those cases.
She has two children born on the same day just seven years apart. She was very excited about the newborn and the first born sharing the same birthdays. Shortly after, she learned she was expecting her third and final baby. Another healthy baby boy named Conner Edward Dick was born on December 7, 2007, which also happens to be Mary's birthday. This was very exciting to her and the entire family. She was living out her dream. Life had its bumps, but the family got through it all together. That all would soon change in an instant.
On April 8, 2009, Mary took her son Conner to Nason Pediatrics for his routine 15 month follow up exam. After the examination, Conner received two shots: MMR#1 (measles, mumps and rubella) in the left thigh and Varicella (chicken pox), which was injected into his right thigh. Mother and son went on their way. Within a few days, Mary and Conner both developed a rash. Little did we know that a routine check up and MMR vaccination would have such devastating effects on her life... her dreams. Her once fulfilling life would soon change.
On or around April 22, 2009, my sister's personality started to slowly and gradually change. She wasn't talking correctly, or if she wanted to say something, her words were not coming out as easily as the way they always did. Her expressions she used to make were different. It was almost as if she did not understand you.
With everyday that passed, her personality changed more and drastically. This was the start of her new found illness DUE TO the MMR VACCINE!!!
