Weird

Today's prompt for #NHBPM is, "Write about the weirdest thing about your health."

I laughed at this one. I can't really find the "weirdest" thing, because my health is just plain weird, no matter how you slice it. You know it's bad when your emotional counselor hears you tell of yet another strange thing in your medical history and asks, "Is that normal, or just because you are special like in all the other areas?"

I guess one weird (the weirdest? maybe not) symptom that is freshest on my mind is how even one year after my strokes, I still am not swallowing well. Today I tried to take a drink of tea, then ended up spewing it all over the living room, terrifying our kids, and gasping for any air to the point of having to press our alarm panic button. A partially paralyzed trap door to close off the breathing tube when trying to swallow food or liquid is indeed a strange symptom to learn to live with!

I was breathing and able to talk a bit by the time the alarm company asked if I needed a paramedic, but it was horrid to see the fright in the eyes of my children. This was the worst distress I have physically encountered in the 4 1/2 months they have been back home (though I still "choke" less severely a few times per week).

I will be documenting more of my whole weird health history in a future book, working title, Given Me a Thorn. I would love to have you share any weird things about your health too, either on that blog or this one!