Joy In The Gutter

6/6/97

Joy In The Gutter

When it rains, gutters in the streets carry the water to a point where it drains. When one street crosses another, these gutters become a low spot or "dip" in the road. The technical term is "valley gutters". There is a valley gutter in front of my house that I paid little attention to until a few months ago.

I live at a T-intersection on a road that dead-ends into the playground of an elementary school. Early morning traffic is usually just local with the occasional parent taking a short-cut through our quiet little neighborhood; after-school traffic is lighter yet

One afternoon at a little past 3:00, I noticed what I later discovered to be a ritual. A large yellow school bus full of kids was heading down my street and proceeding up the street where the valley gutter was located without slowing appreciably. It didn't hit me until later that most of the kids sat towards the rear of the bus. When the bus hit the valley gutter, the kids toward the rear were propelled out of their set like miniature rockets and seemed to bounce off the roof of the bus. I was shocked and wondered about the safety of those children till the next time I saw it happen. Then, I realized it was a conspiracy to be silly with the bus driver for every day around that time, the bus would come around the corner, the kids would be propelled out of their seats and scream with glee. The term "jumping for joy" took on a brand new meaning.

At the time I noticed this, my life with PD was nearly unbearable. I was scheduled for an upcoming pallidotomy but had almost given up on life. Watching this ritual between the bus-driver and the kids gave me a distraction to my PD-misery as I shuffled back and forth or moved in dyskinetic discomfort.

Since my pallidotomy in mid-April, my life has taken on a new meaning and purpose. I sleep better, have much less tremor, no dyskinesia, and generally feel great. My stride is confident, my handwriting is back, and I can play music again.

It's like I'm on that bus 'cause every time I take my meds, I feel like I bounce out of my seat banging my head on the roof while grinning like a madman at the driver. It's THAT good.



		6/6/97 Joy In The Gutter When it rains, gutters in the streets carry the water to a point where it drains. When one street crosses another, these gutters become a low spot or "dip" in the road. The technical term is "valley gutters". There is a valley gutter in front of my house that I paid little attention to until a few months ago. I live at a T-intersection on a road that dead-ends into the playground of an elementary school. Early morning traffic is usually just local with the occasional parent taking a short-cut through our quiet little neighborhood; after-school traffic is lighter yet One afternoon at a little past 3:00, I noticed what I later discovered to be a ritual. A large yellow school bus full of kids was heading down my street and proceeding up the street where the valley gutter was located without slowing appreciably. It didn't hit me until later that most of the kids sat towards the rear of the bus. When the bus hit the valley gutter, the kids toward the rear were propelled out of their set like miniature rockets and seemed to bounce off the roof of the bus. I was shocked and wondered about the safety of those children till the next time I saw it happen. Then, I realized it was a conspiracy to be silly with the bus driver for every day around that time, the bus would come around the corner, the kids would be propelled out of their seats and scream with glee. The term "jumping for joy" took on a brand new meaning. At the time I noticed this, my life with PD was nearly unbearable. I was scheduled for an upcoming pallidotomy but had almost given up on life. Watching this ritual between the bus-driver and the kids gave me a distraction to my PD-misery as I shuffled back and forth or moved in dyskinetic discomfort. Since my pallidotomy in mid-April, my life has taken on a new meaning and purpose. I sleep better, have much less tremor, no dyskinesia, and generally feel great. My stride is confident, my handwriting is back, and I can play music again. It's like I'm on that bus 'cause every time I take my meds, I feel like I bounce out of my seat banging my head on the roof while grinning like a madman at the driver. It's THAT good.