I'm Not Here to Preach

So you're cooking in the kitchen. You grab the pan and reach to turn on the burner. You get on the stool, climb on the counter, grab the garlic powder, chives, olive oil and strain your back for the basil. Okay, is your foot above the stool? Shit, it slipped. Ow, your leg popped out of the socket again. No matter, it'll go back in a little bit. Go get the eggs, put them on the counter. Crap, forgot the chili powder. Reach a gain, hit your head on the cabinet. Okay, Crack the eggs, mix the spices, shoot, the phone is ringing, kick the stool over in time to pick it up before the last ring...

Wow, okay so all you wanted was to make some eggs before you went to work this morning. That's a lot of work for one little task. But that's my every day life. I can't do simple things like make food, wash clothes, clean dishes, or brush my teeth without assistance from a stool in my own home. Don't even start with the outside world. Reaching straws for deinks, ordering food without being over looked, and washing my hands in a public restroom. These are all things that I have to plan out before I go anywhere outside my own home. The crippling anxiety it causes is just one side effect of achondroplasia.

Achondroplasia is when you are born with a genetic defect that influences the develop the of your cartilage in the womb; among other things. If you payed attention in 10th grade bio, you know that cartilage is what turns into bone. As a result, fast forward to now. I have the average torso of a petite 22 year old female. I have dyed red hair and blue eyes. I'm 95 lbs and I stand 4ft tall.  But when u put my hands to my side, my finger tips barely reach my buttocks. You ask me to straighten my arms? I can't. I have big thighs and a well endowed "bedonk". I can't do anything about this. I can run for about 15 minutes before my knees feel like they'll rip off my body, and I can do 20 push ups on a good day. Picking up my 6 year old niece is the biggest work out I've ever managed.

I hope that as you've been reading this, you've noticed how much time, effort, and thought I must put into every move. This blog will elaborate on every day life, activities, and experiences I face living in a world 3 sizes too big. Stay tuned my friends!

Peace, love, and otters,

Laura