Everything Under The Sun: Mekhi Ferguson's Story

Thursday, September 3, 2015

Mekhi Ferguson's Story

Mekhi and Priscilla.

It's been about ten years since we first heard about a storm named Katrina and how it devastated New Orleans. Many of the city's former residents scattered around the country to other places and have never returned. That was true of Mekhi (MAH-kai) Ferguson, now 13 years old.

Life wasn't easy for Mekhi, even before Katrina struck. He was born with several birth defects and so far in his young life, he's had some 23 surgeries. Already he has lived at a hospital for at least a year at three different times in his life. He faces even more in his future.

Mekhi and his mother had come to Baltimore after the devastation of Katrina, where Melanie, his mother, had an aunt, Priscilla. Unfortunately, in 2008, mother Melanie, who was diabetic, died, and Priscilla, now 60, took over his care and became guardian.

As Priscilla tells it, "I tried to tell God, 'You don't need me. I'm a 51-year-old woman, leave me be. Today Mekhi calls me Mom and I call him son. I can't imagine my life without him."

MOUNT WASHINGTON PEDIATRIC HOSPITAL (MWPH) in Baltimore has become a familiar place for Mekhi, where he spent a year recovering and rehabilitating after he had limb lengthening surgeries. Like all teens his age, of course, Mekhi has become proficient at playing X-Box games, something he is known to do during his stays at MWPH. Mekhi's review of the hospital is a glowing "It feels really great there, I love it."

By the way, Mekhi has utilized his outgoing personality to become something of an ambassador for MWPH. Whenever he comes for physical and speech therapy, he makes it a point to stop and see some of the kids in the hospital before their surgeries. He helps them to cheer up and shows that, like him, they will recover and resume the activities that they enjoy.

This young teen is also a writer, having written a book, Life At The Hospital, which is a humorous look at his stay at MWPH. That was one of his home school assignments, and he obviously went the second mile in penning it.

Members of Girl Scout Troop 5205 stopped at MWPH with Jared Boxes they made for the children.

Right now, Mekhi has been fitted with braces, the bane of most teenagers who have them. He's on hiatus from surgeries, but faces major surgery around age 17, when his upper jaw will be moved forward to align better with the lower jaw. May Mekhi and his guardian Priscilla continue to support each other with faith and guide each other through their difficulties in life.