Four weeks ago at around 4:00 p.m., my health mythology about my ongoing involuntary muscle spasms blew up. A co-occurring disaster, the massive, multiple fires in LA County blew up almost simultaneously. Going forward for me as an individual would never be the same, There’ll assuredly be plenty of hurt, and I haven’t yet found hope. I connect with the wear and woebegone feelings of those who’ve lost their memory-and-belongings-filled homes. Figuratively, my life is on fire.

A mere seven days into 2025, many southern Californians longed to return it because it didn’t meet implicit New Year’s promises, including my.

There was a haunting, visceral quality to the ongoing fire threat in Southern California, a feeling that my own body was scorched. I’ve never ascribed to victimhood, but it’s an accessible paradigm now. My preliminary diagnosis – to be confirmed by the results of more tests – is Stiff Person’s Syndrome. Yes, like Celine Dion. She was diagnosed with Stiff Person Syndrome (STS), a rare autoimmune neurological disorder in 2022.

I’m one in a million, for that’s the incidence of STS. I’ve always aimed to be unique, but holy crap!

My husband and I have re-bonded to get through this calamitous health challenge. While privately, we’re frightened, our publicly shared narrative is resolute. The alternative, the fetal position, is not our style.

We are stalwart. https://www.pjcolando.com/stalwart/

As some of you may/may not know, being the message board to deliver your news to family and friends is difficult and trying. Almost universally they question me, the patient, with an essence of disbelief and blame. Then, they latch onto Celine’s success at the Paris Olympics, when she sang in her compelling siren voice once again.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smKqMiGXxl4

Yeah, but she’s Canadian, where socialized medicine rules, and has abundant cash to employ the best practices in massive amounts. My husband and I have already spent about $10,000/year to get me through the past four years – and I can’t fathom the cost of what lies ahead.

The hope and help to move forward resides in the hearts of a dozen dear friends. Wanna enlist?

https://www.pjcolando.com/life-as-a-miracle-five-guys/