#mcclellan

October is Dwarfism Awareness Month! but I really have dwarf pride. So Im calling it Dwarf Pride Month. I am very happy to be three feet two inches tall, I have a very rare form of Dwarfism called Morquio Syndrome type A, in scientific terms I have Mucopolysaccharides IV A.

WHAT THE HECK IS THAT? Let me tell you...Ok breathe in and out. It is a bit complex and feel free to ask me to explain in more depth.I have an autosomal recessive genetic disorder caused by the deficiency of GALNS enzyme due to mutation in the GALNS gene.Which causes a large accumulation of Keratan Sulfate in my cells and tissues. This Keratan Sulfate caused me to be short in height, hard of hearing (I wear Hearing Aids), cornea cloudy (I wear glasses), ligament laxity (which means my joints aren't stable and I sometimes wear tape or braces to stabilize the joints) and much more.

How did you even become this lucky person to have Morquio Syndrome? I am so glad you asked.Both my parents unknowingly carried an abnormal recessive gene on their chromosomes. Both my Mother and my Father had to be carriers for me to be affected.

BUT Your older and only brother is six feet tall?... How?...That is because my parents had a 25% chance of their child being affected. I was the lucky one.

When did your parents know they were carriers?Not until I was diagnosed. See When I was born I was slender and tall. Absolutely nothing was alarmed about the birth of me. I fell when I was a year old baby and didn't recover on my own. I needed surgery. It wasn't until I was almost two years old the doctors figured out I have Morquio syndrome. My parents didn't see many signs of this disease affecting me until I was about 3-4 years old. I hit all the milestones that a typical baby hits and was a happy active baby. 

How were you diagnosed? I was diagnosis via skeletal x-ray and urine. In the urine they did a glycosaminoglycans analysis. This is where the extra keratan sulfate was noticed. 

How Rare Is Morquio? It affects about 1 in 200,000 births equally in males and females. Not every person with Morquio syndrome manifests the disability the same way. Some have it more on the mild side and some on serve side.  

I see you mention hearing aids earlier but don't you use a wheelchair? Does that mean you can't move your legs? Great question. I can move my legs, I go to physical therapy every week to stabilize my joints and get stronger. I also use a bicycle and sometimes a walker. I love swimming too so don't let my awesome power wheelchair fool you into thinking I can't be active. Just like I wear hearing aids to help me hear better but I still love listening to music. My glasses help me see but I still love looking at art work in museums. I've a service dog to help me in public but that doesn't mean I can't go out in public on my own. Often times my mother is with me but she doesn't speak for me and I am not glued to her body.

"General McClellan had little or no conception of the greatness of Abraham Lincoln As time went on, he began to show his contempt of the President, frequently allowing him to wait in the anteroom of his house while he transacted business with others. On one occasion McClellan went up stairs to bed, leaving the President and an attendant waiting below.—W. W. [Source: "Abe ","Lincoln's Yarns and Stories Edited by col Alex.. K McClure page 241]

An Imperfect Union #Amazon http://goo.gl/xxZdDe #Nook http://goo.gl/vIw8GO #Kobo https://goo.gl/CKDSxE #iBooks https://goo.gl/k5nrsM #Google: https://goo.gl/cMS0y2 #Smashwords: https://goo.gl/DZxBvF

Price Ave., McClellan Park, CA

Telegraph from Abraham Lincoln to Richard W. Thompson

Telegraphy was one of the fastest ways to transmit information during Lincoln’s time and it was one that the president became increasingly fond of during the war. Lincoln was known for spending hours in the small telegraph office set up in the War Department building, which was just down the street from the White House.

 Lincoln’s telegrams were extremely poignant to the war effort of the Union and its generals. This was the first time in history that the Commander-in-Chief was able to communicate almost immediately with his officers. This communication highway allowed for information to be given to the president in almost real-time and Lincoln’s responses to be included in strategy and planning of attacks as they occurred.

 Lincoln’s telegrams also offer a highly-detailed account of the war and the strategies we was attempting both on the battlefield and as a politician. Lincoln found great value in spreading information from the army to the Union public who were glued to their newspapers.

  Telegram from Abraham Lincoln to W. T. Bascom

Part of the reason for the success of the telegram was due to Lincoln’s curiosity and support of new technology and its’ potential. Charles Tinker, a telegraph operator in Pekin, IL and later in Washington D.C., recalled meeting Lincoln in the spring of 1857 and having the Illinois lawyer watch him sending messages and information with considerable questions and inquiry. Tinker commented that Lincoln was extremely interested in how the machines and the overall apparatus worked, allowing Tinker to go into considerable detail about the telegraphs. A few years later, in 1860, Lincoln was notified about winning the Republican nomination via telegram, which was delivered to his house in Springfield.

 The military telegraph system in D.C. was a bit different than what Lincoln had seen at Tinker’s Pekin office.  Lincoln didn’t start using the telegraph office to deliver his orders until summer of 1862. At this point during the war, the army of the Potomac was struggling to stay motivated during General George McClellan’s campaign in Virginia and it was likely that Lincoln’s frustration with McClellan may have forced him to establish a faster channel of communication with the army to move them along.

  Telegram from Charles Karsner to Abraham Lincoln

Lincoln did become friendly with the young telegraph operators. He was often seen leaving the White House to enjoy the solitude and calmness of the office. Lincoln was often bombarded with politicians and the public wanting job nominations or approvals or even an opportunity to talk to the president. Once he was away, Lincoln could concentrate on war strategy and tactic and could then immediately send his suggestions out to the front lines.

George B. McClellan 

Because Lincoln was able to communicate directly with McClellan and later, with Grant, his overall style of command was changed from presidents before. The instant communication lines meant that Lincoln was in constant contact, which was good and bad. At certain points, Lincoln felt that George McClellan was not being entirely open and honest about the happenings in the field. Some historians speculate that these miscommunications (or omitted truths) were partially was caused Lincoln to relieve McClellan of his position after the battle of Antietam-Lincoln needed to be able to trust the reports that were coming to D.C.

 Telegram from Robert Todd Lincoln to Helen Nicolay

On the opposite end of the spectrum, Lincoln’s communications with Grant were extensive and showed Lincoln’s confidence in his newly appointed commander of the Potomac. Though the war ended, the impact that the telegraph had on the war was obvious and telegrams became more and more popular for contact. With the expansion of telegraphs and their use by the public, telegraph companies began to form and would eventually become outdated due to the growth of the telephone in the 1920’s.

Things in the Military Friends house got a little crazy and a little out of hand. I was having trouble keeping up.  I need to use a lot more of the pause button next time.

I figured out that BOTH Mary Ellen and Pauline need to cook dinner if there’s going to be enough food for everyone, especially if there are guests. 

Also Mary Ellen got pregnant, (really ACR?)  but nearly lost the baby twice before she’d even been pregnant six hours.  whew.  

Mary Ellen McClellan-