The Observation that Changed Everything

(continued from "Warning Signs")

There is an interesting phenomenon that takes place in life. Often people who see you every day are too close to notice small, incremental changes in you. This happens a lot with people who are losing weight. Their closest family members do not always notice the loss, except maybe once there are other physical signs like pants falling off or shirts appearing baggy. But to people who only see you from time to time the change can be more apparent. This was the case with my Great Aunt Ruth and Uncle Dick, who we visited only twice per year.

During the summer of ’92 or ’93 – I can’t quite remember which – we were up visiting them in Weaverville, CA. No one celebrates the 4th of July like they do in Weaverville! Pancake breakfast that the whole town attends, an anvil firing (you’d just have to see it), small-town parade w/ ice cream social, fairgrounds with only a few games (my favorite being the dime toss!), fireman’s muster and more. We arrived, ready to celebrate. Somewhere during the week of festivities my Great Aunt and Uncle would ask my parents,

“What’s going on with Alicia?”

At the time I had so many doctors. I had a lung doctor who had diagnosed me with asthma, a doctor for my allergies, a foot doctor for my club foot and other physical therapy needs, a heart doctor for my heart murmur, and a back doctor for my scoliosis. My doctors were all in the bay area, so my mother would schedule multiple visits on one day to avoid frequent commuting and to ensure that I didn’t miss too many days of school. But all of these doctors in all of the visits failed to notice a very obvious and dramatic change in my body. During my last growth spurt (and I use that term loosely, because I still stand at only 4ft2in) my spine had twisted to a life-threatening 85 degrees.

My family’s simple observation would set in motion some of the most influential events of my life. Of course I had been feeling my body’s changes for some time. At this point I would feel a sharp pain every time I took in a breath. I could no longer ride my bike without feeling extremely winded. I limited my running. But this, like the chest pains mentioned in my last blog, had become normal to me.

I was too busy being a kid to worry about random aches and pains.

(to be continued)