Dystonia: A Story of Resilience

Current mood.

September is Dystonia Awareness Month. I’m supposed to share my story. I’m supposed to do this, because (and I’m quoting from a dystonia-related email):

People remember personal stories and you have a powerful opportunity to increase awareness of dystonia with someone in your community, your hairdresser, neighbor, favorite store clerk or co-worker. If you share your story, they will remember what dystonia is.

I’ll gladly share my story.

Once upon a time, I had a stroke, even though I didn’t have any of the risk factors for stroke. I recovered from the stroke or I thought I had. But five or six months later, my left hand began moving involuntarily into uncomfortable and, eventually, painful positions. The toes of my left foot also curled in constantly, making it difficult to walk.

That started in 2005 and it hasn’t stopped since. That was also the year the publisher that had signed me as an author went out of business.

At that point, I’d written two novels. Somehow or other, I managed to write two standalones while I looked for an agent, because I was bound and determined to find a publisher.

In 2009, I self-published my first novel, then wrote two more, which were also self-published. Then, I published the first book I’d written as the fourth Sam McRae novel.