The trouble with dyslexia.......

I started life in a half- ass way... Jaundice, half blind, left handed and dyslexic. I was born with yellow jaundice. My mother had kidney problems. The other three were discovered before I was five.

I learned to read when I was four and hence came the half blind and dyslexia. The half blind was discovered by my dad. Remember when taxis used to have mini billboards attached to the trunk of their cars? If you don't remember then you are too young and this story is definitely anecdotal. Anyhoo, my dad and I were in the car one nice day and since I had learned to read he was always ready to test my new skill. He asked what the sign on the back of the taxi said. Are you kidding, I could barely see the sign much less what was written on it! Off to the eye doctor who pronounced that I could not see, probably had been unable to see since birth and coke bottle bottoms were in order.

The diagnosis of dyslexia came when I started school and was expected to learn how to write at least my name. Mirror writing, anyone? plus I was left handed, much to my teacher's chagrin.

We shall see about this left handed stuff, Rachael much be switched at once! " Over my dead body," pronounce my mother. Words flew, my mother won. However, the mirror writing had to stop.

I remember going to my pediatrician , Dr. Sam (I have no clue as to what is last name was) who patiently explained why I could not write from right to left and had to switch it around so the rest of the world could read my attempt at prose (maybe poetry, though I doubt it).

All my life I have struggled with dyslexia and thank the Lord for the brains to be able to interpret most every written word. However, I have always had difficulty explaining myself verbally. I was never one to answer questions in a classroom. When asked if I had in questions about this or that I could and can never find a question to formulate. It has been rough. How I managed to get through 16 years of schooling is beyond me. Not to brag too loudly, intelligence must factor in.

I have managed. Some folks have not been so lucky. There are those that are so dyslexic that they cannot read and have to rely on pictures when doing such mundane tasks as grocery shopping.

Last week I finally heard a decent explanation as to what dyslexia is. The explanation came from Henry, The Fonz, Winkler. He said that dyslexics are very intelligent and can always think of what they want to say, however, they have no way of getting the thought out so that others can understand.

Whew! at last, an explanation that makes sense! Now this jaundiced, blind as a bat, left handed dyslexic can breath a bit easier. Please don't ask me to explain myself!