I was born, I guess, with a disability. It’s a common one, I was born with a unilateral clubfoot. A run of the mill disability or illness is the best to have if one has to have one because there are more tested and tried treatments. I was four or five in the photo above, and the conservative treatment had obviously worked. I still had to wear a brace at night until I was a bout ten and I’ve been wearing orthopedic insoles all my life; my right leg is ever so slightly shorter and thinner but I have to point it out for people to notice (I normally don’t).

I remember that my primary school sports teacher kept asking me before every gymnastic exercise whether I would be able to do that. I was always puzzled why she asked me and not anyone else. I never felt disabled and thought I was just special – I looked forward to my half yearly visits to the orthopedic surgeon, Dr Wess was such a kind and jocular man.

FOWC with Fandango: Disability

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