WE MOVE
204 West 84th Street
New York, NY 10024
E-mail: wemove@wemove.org
wemove.org • mdvu.org
My life with writer's cramp
I spent a long time not accepting the problem. But, I learned that it’s better to live with it.
– Divanicio Pessoa
I have writer’s cramp since when I was child. I write with both hands and I have had difficulties to write since when I began to study at school. I didn't know this problem. Always I feel as a timid person because of this difficulty. Because of this I developed social phobia. Despite everything, I studied and today I have a profession. Before I thought I would never be able to enter a University owing to the problem. I am a psychologist. I found that had writer’s cramp in 2000 when I went to a neurologist. He ordered Artane that did not effect and then he ordered akneton, but I used for a short time, because I didn’t want to be dependent. Then, I take wine at meals. Helped a little, but did not wish to continue with fear of becoming a dependent. I went to the another neurologist, indicated by him, in the city of João Pessoa, Paraíba state, Brazil. She suggested the introduction of botulinum toxin. I did not want because I was afraid and because it was expensive. The botulinum toxin costed $ 1.300.00 at the time and application was $ 250.00. I needed to make each application of botulinum toxin every 5 months. In 2008, I spoke to the first neurologist and did the first application of botulinum toxin, in June. The SUS - Public Health System in Brazil - provides medication which costs around $ 2,400.00. The second application was in late November. In 2008, December I did a consult with another neurologist in a hospital in Brasilia. A reference centre for neurologist problems. In January and February 2009 I did a few examinations there: blood, magnetic resonance. And return to the doctor and a meeting of pedagogy and physiotherapy. In April, I found an Orkut community, which gave me a lot of joy, because I met people who suffer the same problem. In May, I did another workshop of pedagogy. I learned to write with the left hand. In July, I will make my 3rd application of botox. Well, I had this problem since literacy. I'm left and my mother taught me how to write with the right. In this way, my life became hell. I wrote it slowly and without way to pick up the pencil and all my colleagues were knocking me. I have suffered much until then: it is a great anxiety. This problem was one of center of my obsessive neurotics process. I made it very fragile person. The school was very difficult life ... I thought would never be able to finish their studies. I did swimming, yoga and Tai Chi chuan. All this helped me a lot. Today, after 40 years the disease began to evolve and I felt my hand harsh and rigid. I can't type as before. Writing and typing became bad things and boring. I am making use of botulinum toxin, use a rubber thick pen and a ringpen which helped a little. But are adaptive intelligent interfaces and palliatives. I have noticed that the botulinum toxin improves posture when writing, the firmness in writing and a better footprint in pencil. About the slowness and lack of agility to write has nothing improves. Well, today I am 43 years and I realized that 3 years to here the disease is worse. I can't type with the right hand and have a difficulty to use the mouse. I need to use a lot of computer and write because my profession. So, I have suffering too much with this limitation. But we must move forward. You know, I spent a long time not accepting the problem. But, I learned that it’s better to live with it.
