Its 2.20a.m Nigerian time and I’m nodding my head to the awesome tunes of Luther Vandross, Cyndi Lauper, Patti Labelle, and Frank Sinatra…yea you heard right…am an old school freak going way back into the Sinatrasque era, I’m sipping my 3rd cup of ORGANOGOLD gourmet latte while updating my blog. Just got some amazing blogging tips from a great friend who’s a seasoned blogger herself…so I've been up all night 'pimping' my blog...check out the new features...take the latest poll, listen to my kinda music, just generally enjoy what i enjoy on a daily basis...if you love old school music like me, then do a search for this song on YouTube and just sit, tap your foot, and nod your head...Me and Mrs. Jones...(we got a thing goin' on)...by Billy Paul...damn! its pretty old but its crazy mehn! every time I listen to it I get goosebumps!
Anyways I’m yawning already so this is gonna be a really quick one (yea right! I always say that then end up writing an epistle, hehehe!) I talk too much I know, na only God fit save me..now back to the issue at hand, the thing is I can’t believe I haven’t mentioned what my disability is so far on this blog. Damn! Talk about old age…I totally forgot! Well thanks to 2 of my commentators abi na commenters (Elcy and Olori) who reminded me abourrit I’m pleased to announce that yours truly is a POLIO SURVIVOR. I suffered polio at age 3 and struggled with it through a couple of successful and unsuccessful surgeries and here I am today, still standing strong in spirit, though not so strong physically (a feather could lift me off my feet) but don’t be deceived, am physically strong in some other sturvs o *wink* (ok, hope y'all recognize that 'sturvs' is a joke...when I say it I'm akshuali mimicking our youthful youth of today who murder grammar both with spellings and pronunciations)
By way of educating y’all (which is the main purpose of this blog) here’s a simple definition of polio. Poliomyelitis is a communicable infectious disease caused by the polio virus of the genus Enterovirus. It causes inflammation of motor neurons of the spinal cord and brainstem, leading to paralysis, muscular atrophy, and often disability and deformity. It is also called polio. Childhood vaccinations are given to prevent infection.
Note to the ignorant: For those who use the words ‘disabled’ and ‘deformed’ interchangeably, listen up!... they are NOT the same! So the next MUMU that refers to me as a deformed woman will have my palm imprinted permanently on their ignorant faces! That's not to say that persons with deformities deserve to be addressed in a rude manner either...its just absolutely important that people educate themselves on appropriate ways of addressing people to ensure stigma reduction.
My 'disability': To be honest, I was reliably informed that I was vaccinated against polio so even I am baffled as to how I gorrit, well e don happen, e don happen wetin pesin go do? My parents were educated, my mom was a nurse, all my brothers and sisters were vaccinated so how come the brightest, beautifulest, charmingest and of course sexiest one is the one that got polio?? I sense some winshry but no wahala sha. God dey!
Anyway, so polio affected my left membrum inferios leading to weakness in the femur, tibia, patella and fibula…the gluteal region also is affected. Oh dear, pardon me pls.. I forgot not everyone is as prolific as I am at using big words…lol! In simple English, the polio affected my left leg and resulted in little or no muscular control. I hope I have succeeded in confusing y’all.
Additional information: Obviously every disability has its attendant complications, in my own case, little or no muscular control meant less movement which led to sedentary lifestyle and which led to weight gain bordering on morbid obesity (I imagine people taking another look at my profile photo, hehehe...forget the seemingly slim facial shots, it spreads out as you go lower, lol) culminating in impaired mobility. Due to this mobility impairment, I have used mobility aids ranging from wheelchair to a cane most of my childhood and adult life
Nevertheless in spite of everything, i have a sound mind and excellent spirit which even some 'able-bodied' persons can only dream about. So in essence...when I am asked 'what is your disability?' my polio-related response tells you why I walk with a limp, but the truth of the matter is that I am not disabled...I am 'diffferently-abled' lets face it...some of the stuff I can do, y'all can't do it...hehehe...
There..that was short and simple abi?? Now I’m off to bed abeg…when I no be bat abi vampire!
There..that was short and simple abi?? Now I’m off to bed abeg…when I no be bat abi vampire!
On a very serious note, thanks to all of you for reading me, giving me feedback and even telling pple about this blog…I have some serious gist for y’all in my next update (I don’t even know when that will be) but stay tuned sha..
Ciao…
