In the year and a half that we’ve been together, I’m managed to keep this part of me hidden from my love. It wasn’t a conscious decision for me to hide it from him it just turned out that way. He just happened to catch me in mostly good spell. And while I had occasional flare ups outside of his company, I had never showed signs of my movement disorder, dystonia, in front of him. That’s not to say … [Read more...]
Last Tuesday night, I was filled with the kind of bubbling anxiety that reminded me of the night before a big trip. I preferred thinking about it that way, as if I was heading off to a distant and unknown land and I needed to be prepared for the long journey ahead. I went to make the next day’s lunch and put together my breakfast so that all I would need to do was add almond milk and water to … [Read more...]
In January of 2010, I met dystonia head-on for the first time. I was going to teach at a primary school, and I remember feeling a little out of sorts when I left the house the morning—sort of as if I had a migraine aura, but amplified. As I walking into the building, I remember a parent calling out to me, “Are you okay?” Her voice was less concerned and more accusatory. I think I waved her off … [Read more...]
by Renée Canada Yesterday was such a gorgeous day. The air was no longer swampy and wet, the sun not scorching and unbearable to be in its path. I opened the bedroom window and deeply breathed in that fresh air, enjoying every breath. Part of the joy I was feeling on Wednesday was that it marked four days since I had last experienced a crippling involuntary muscle movement. I was afraid to write … [Read more...]