Guest Blogger From Australia!

I love meeting new people and it's also really fun when we have that connection of misdiagnosis and discovering a whole new life to do one tiny pill.   Meet Kathy Baquie, one of those new friends.  She also happens to be  my latest guest blogger.   Thanks for opening up and sharing your experiences with us!  

Where does my story start?? I guess before I was born. Something happened in the development of me before I was born. Hence I was born with Dopa Responsive Dystonia. Except in 1959 no knew what that was. I grew as much as I could being a normal kid. I fell over an awful lot, told I was just clumsy. Went to sleep very early as I was tired out. I didnt do very well in school, my handwriting was terrible as my hand shook and my fine motor skills were not what they should be. As I went into teenage years and because of my family situation I was told all my syntoms were put on for attention because they werent always visible. My mum did try to get some help for me but no knew what was wrong. I made up excuses for why I had trouble walking around. I would make up lies to stay home from school so I could sleep all day. I had some physio treatments but to no avail. At 18 I had had enough of being told that there was nothing wrong with me and it was all in my head. I got a referral from my local doctor and went through a whole lot of tests. I finally got a diagnosis of Familial Spastic Paraparesis. I felt so euphoric!!! At last someone believed me. Still there was those in my close family that didnt believe that there was anything wrong with me and it definitely didnt come from their side of the family. Anyway I went on to do some travelling overseas, kept working in a full time job and eventually got married. I two of the best daughters ever. But by the time I had reach around 30 I was having a great deal of trouble keeping up with life. I arranged meeting with my then Neuro Specialist. His diagnosis and prediction for my future was to sell my beautiful home in the Hills, no more children, no stress and wait to end up with a walking frame by 45 and wheelchair by 50. I cried for a solid 2 hours. I changed to my father's Neuro Specialist, ( I was so pleased my father was now on my side) who put me on some new medication that helped a great deal but not as good as my current medication. I have stayed with this specialist for 26 years. After being with Professor King for about 9 years he suggested I particpate in a medical trial about rare neurological disorders. It was because of this trial that I finally got the correct diagnosis of Dopa Responsive Dystonia, along with the correct medication. Within a week or so all my syntoms had disappeared and the chains I felt had restricted my body for nearly 40 years were gone. I had never felt more alive. Within a few months I had gone from barely being able to walk to walking about 6 – 7 kilometres a day and the best thrill of all was skiing down the slopes of Mt Buller (snow fields in Victoria Australia). I have continued to take what I now call my happy pills on a regular basis. I just been through Menapause which has played up with my DRD. I dont sleep well with menapause which makes it hard to cope with my DRD. I do the best I can. I hope my story helps others. 


Thanks,
Kathy Baquie 
Melbourne Victoria Australia.

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