Living Obliquely

Approximately 1400 people are diagnosed with Transverse Myelitis (TM) annually.
Similar to Multiple Sclerosis, it attacks your myelin, leading to painful and debilitating side effects.
About 33,000 Americans are currently disabled as a result of this rare neurological disorder.
Not one person with TM will ever know their prognosis.
I happen to be one of them.



I am a neurological soup. Since my TM diagnosis, I have developed encephalitis, MS, RSD/CRPS, Osteoporosis (I am 34, no 35, eek), and Chronic Anemia. Yeah...life sucks, but I still rock.



4.02.2013

Get into My World! Get Off My Blog [Hater]!

No. Not you! You, my sisters and brothers and distant compassionate readers of true interest, stay with me.

The word gets out. It's a life. It shouldn't have to be...

VULNERABILITY


And another, more psychologically based phrase, your...

MORBID CURIOSITY


You've missed the whole point of this blog. I'm writing about the rare and disorderly - my rarity, my non-compliant body, how all this affects me... us  - for this very reason. To end our feelings of vulnerability in the realm of those that are currently "whole", whose appointment books aren't littered with doctor's names and treatment, surgery, and procedure schedules, and personal reminders of who we are and what we do and what we did and what we should do. Knowledge, this shared intimacy, this bond I've created with you, should go beyond morbid curiosity, beyond pity and judgment. You should move beyond your fear of the different, the moderately deformed; our hearts are more whole, built and rebuilt, cemented and carpenter hinged, soldered and gorilla glued - so strong what's broken becomes unbreakable. I'm talking bones. I'm talking heart.

We, the different than you, the vertically challenged, the numb, the pained, the beat down, the dishonored, the disenfranchised, the differently abled are more able of heart than your life experience can provide.

To survive these lives is to be a superhero. We are ninjas and black belts of the earth and sky. We are divinity and soul that fills oceans and earth. We are richer than Oprah will ever be in dollars or sense [spelling intended]. We are reincarnations, multiple lives within however many years our bodies have sprawled this planet. We are astral projections. We are global realizations. We are strong. We have self-respect. We have accomplished the impossible. We are alive and smiling. We appreciate life more than you, and we probably enjoy it with more vim and verve too.

We deserve to be treated with respect.

So, if you've come here to "research me." To decide if I'm worthy of your time, a 2nd date, your consideration, your friendship, your purchase (of my artwork or neurochic)... you've come to the wrong place. This is for people who care. This is for people who want to learn more, to feel what we feel, to think what we think, to know what we know.

In Pictures

Please Note: Some photos may contain partial nudity or depictions of medical procedures. Though I am in many of these photos, my reason for sharing these personal photos is to promote awareness, understanding, and advocacy for people with TM and other rare diseases.
To play the slide show, click the big play button in the center of the screen, then the small one in the bottom left corner. Click here for more advanced viewing instructions, and select "Help."

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