The Many Faces of Moebius Syndrome!

Michele's Story

My name is Michele. I am a 52 year old female with, I guess what is called bi lateral Moebius Syndrome, since it is mainly on one side. I was born on September 11, 1956 in Ft. Worth, TX where I have lived my entire life. I think I had a problem sucking on a bottle because it seems like I was told I spent a couple of weeks in the hospital after I was born because of this. I guess I caught on because I know I drank from bottles. Also, I think I also had clubbed feet because I had an apparatus which I wore for a time. It was a steel bar connected to my shoes. I guess it straightened out my feet, although I'm not sure how long I wore it. I know my mother took me to doctors when I was a young child but when I was growing up, we never spoke of my having this condition. I'm not even sure when I first heard the term "Mobius Syndrome." I had a fairly normal childhood, although I always knew I was "different." I don't remember a lot of teasing in school, although there was some, especially when new kids would enter the picture. I went to the same school system so a lot of the kids were "used" to me so It's just when I went to junior high & high school where there were new kids, I would have to endure teasing until they got "used" to me, too. I'm sure there was probably more than I even remember, but sometimes your brain chooses not to remember the bad stuff. If people took the time to get to know me they could look beyond the Mobius Syndrome but as we with Mobius Syndrome know, there are some people who don't bother to look beyond it & just assume we are retarded or something. I do have a lot of friends I have known for years (many since childhood) so I know there are a lot of people who will look beyond it.