Funny Situations with Dystonia – MULTIPLICITY
French
English
To be able to laugh at oneself is always a sign of good health. Since it is
my opinion that everything that is healthy is welcome in dealing with
Dystonia, I am going to tell you about funny situations brought about by
Dystonia.
The year 2007 was particularly fruitful in funny situations. That year, I
experienced a progression of my Dystonia symptoms. 2007 was the year of my
moving into a new home. I have been particularly worn out and every effort
seemed to be too much. This is why I called Dystonia the “DISEASE OF THE
EFFORT” and it was that long before the move.
Let me explain. I am suffering from Meige’s Syndrome (Blepharospasm and
Oromandibular Dystonia). It’s a post-traumatic Dystonia, the result of a car
accident nine years ago in which my head was hurt. That year, Blepharospasm
increased its disabling effect.
I used to say that I “flashed” just like headlights do. Walking across the
road to get my mail was quite an undertaking, my road being a busy one with
speedy traffic. I had to look attentively on both sides before crossing,
uneasy with ocular spasms.
I would look on one side and by the time I would open my eyes sufficiently,
I had to look again at the other side because too many seconds had passed
by. Looking at the other side with ocular spasms was also taking a lot of
time until I could open my eyes. In brief, I would cross the road to the
sound more than by sight, as a blind person would.
Once, I happened to cross that road on the garbage collection day. We have
enormous garbage containers on wheels. In fact, they are almost as high as
my shoulders. Once on the other side, with my eyes closed behind my
sunglasses, I stretched out my hand holding my mail key a little lower that
my shoulder, where I knew my postal compartment was. When I finally managed
to open my eyes, I realized that I was trying to unlock my neighbour’s
garbage container. Poor him! If he saw me through his window, he must have
wondered what his new neighbour was trying to do with his garbage!
Also in that memorable year, I remember one evening, I was preparing supper
with my son, bustling about, trying to do a thousand things at the same
time. Obviously, ocular spasms occurred and soon, it was impossible to keep
my eyes opened. I decided to sit in my rocking chair to allow for the spasms
to stop. I stretched my left hand to grasp the left arm of the chair. With
my eyes closed, and very sure of myself, I sat…on the floor. It was not the
left arm of the rocking chair I had reached, it was the right one.
Bang! I was laughing and crying at the same time. It was a foolish situation
giving me the exact knowledge of my pitiful state: ridiculous enough,
self-assured, on the ground.
Since MULTIPLICITY always amplifies Dystonia symptoms, especially as tired
out as I was in 2007, this type of situation would occur over and over. I
finally understood that I had to learn to deal with MULTIPLICITY. Next time,
I will tell you how.
Line Bellavance lives and laughs in Canada,
where she is able to enjoy the lovely vistas of the enchanting town
of La Pocatière.
Translation to English : Louise Cantin
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