Running for his life (june issue pg 36-43)

This article is about a boy named Ryan who was dignosed with a rare condition similar to Parkison's disease known as dystonia when he was just seven. His dystonia was so severe which affected his left leg, hands and even his face. The only option left for him was to inject a painkiller into his spine so he wont feel any pain but he will lose the use of his leg and forever be confined to a wheelchair. Ryan didnt want to be crippled and refused to inject the painkiller. In the end, he found his talent in running and now sixteen, is one of Britian's top ten sprinter for his age group.

After reading this article, I am totally in awed with Ryan's determination. Even after he was dignosed with dystonia, he did not give himself up to depression and his illness. He even wrote a complain letter to his doctor that he is not a bin that he could anyhow shove pills into.

Even though i am in impressed with Ryan's fighting spirit, i would also think that he is actually escaping from reality and refusing to accept the fact that he might never walk ever again. i believed that was the reason he refused to install a stairlift in his house to help him to move around. In actual fact. I found it normal for him to behave this way. Any normal person would not be able to accept the fact suddenly that he/she would not be able to walk forever. To lose the abililty to walk when you have experienced the fun of walking and running is extremel painful, especially so for Ryan since he was dignosed at such a young age. I would think that it is his stubborness to not believe that he is ill that make him found his talent for running. And after that his determination to continue running and to tolerate the tedious traning.

I also think that unlike most people, he really treasure his own life and time. I believed it must be due to his illness, that made him realised the limited time we have before we die, the limited time we have to do many things.

Many of us gave up easily and alwasy think of dying when we scored low marks for our exams, or when things do not go our way. Hence, i wished that after they have read this article, they would treasure their life more.