The clock was ticking...
Another countless hospital trip, another messy foray into the place between drug induced confusion and the real thing. A therapist instructed “Name as many animals as you can in the next 60 seconds…” 30 ticks of the second hand. A mind blank … until lips blurted “Platypus!”
Why Platypus?
I honestly have no idea. I didn't think I knew what one was and had never seen one. Since then, I’ve learned a few things about our friend the platypus. You can here.
Platypus on the Move
I have a condition known as DRD, or Dopa-Responsive Dystonia. More on dystonia here, and the Dopa-Responsive type here. After 33 years, and a long medical journey best understood by fellow chronic health condition veterans --- meet Cinderella. Having a diagnosis of DRD is a bit like having a magic wand for disability. In this case, the magic wand is a drug called levodopa that hides my disability from view and frees me from the cage of movement disorder. Set free to explore and find a new path, I wonder what’s next.
I look to the platypus that came to mind during a difficult hour. Misunderstood. Defiant of convention.
I hope you’ll join me on this blog as I seek to celebrate the unique experience of moving and being a bit of a platypus. Sometimes elegant, sometimes awkward - the platypus inspires me to embrace moving differently. My goal is to celebrate moving in as many ways as I can, sharing my experience when I can be an advocate and benefiting some great organizations along the way.
