Adelaide Bits Of Life...

These are little pieces not long enough for a blog entire, yet still funny and interesting (I hope) to share...🐎💫

In my blog piece, "To See A Doctor," I told the amazing story how Dr. Kopits, renown orthopaedic surgeon for Little People became my doctor.  What I didn't tell in the piece was how I nearly injured him...

Many of my doctors often ask me to press my hand 

or foot against their hands to determine how much strength or neurological movement I have as all my surgeons did prior to seeing Dr. Kopits.  

So Dr. Kopits and I were seated in chairs close together directly across from each other.

"Now Adelaide, press your foot against my hands as hard as you can."

"Uh, Dr. Kopits, shouldn't we do this with me on the table pressing down on your hands?"

"Don't worry this way is fine.  Give it all you've got."

"Okaaay..."

Immediately Dr. Kopits came to the conclusion that 

with me being both a horse person and doing a very physically demanding job for decades I was far stronger than many of his patients he was used to seeing.  For when he insisted I show him how much strength I had in my right leg I gave it all I had as requested. 

Again keep in mind we were seated very close directly across from one another...

Let's just say had he not reacted as fast as he did my foot came extremely close to making contact with a region of his male anatomy.  

Very highly unintended on my part I must say.😳

For a very brief moment Dr. Kopits, his nurse, and I were at a loss for words.  However if you've been reading this blog for awhile you will not be surprised by what happened next.   Yours truly burst into laughter.  They burst into laughter.  All three of us dissolved into uncontrollable laughter with tears streaming down our faces.

"Dr. Kopits, you did tell me to give it all I had!"😂

I know I was born with the soul of a horse because I never remember seeing my first one, yet from as early as I can remember I have had a passion for horses far too deep for words.  And my deepest passion has always been for wild horses running free, living free, born free.  

From the time I could hold a crayon I began drawing them.  Never halters, bridles, or fences 

are ever in my equine art.  I am quite sure there must be some deep symbolism here, for though my soaring spirit has seldom been defined by being a Little Person I still am trapped in this painful broken body which constantly gets ridiculed as happens to all Little People.  

My most successful, longest selling print is entitled, "Breaking Free."  The drawing says it all because this is what I have always done:  lived a very soaring, daring, loving, and a hell of a fun journey too regardless of how I came packaged.🐎😃🐎

My first claim to fame as an artist was at age ten.  Each year in the fall was The Fire Prevention Poster Contest sponsored by the local fire department.  The prize was a Stingray Bicycle for a boy and girl, and a feature in the local newspaper with the winners and their posters.  By the way, I had been riding bikes since age six so to have a brand new cool one would have been really something.  However, my parents in typical fashion took one look at my poster and said it was terrible.  I was so crushed I almost didn't even try to submit it after working so hard on it.  Apparently the judges really liked it though because I won!  My poster was a very colorful matchstick with arms, legs, and a face which was in flames.  I had it seated on a pile of trash and he was holding up one hand in a warning with the words, "I'm burning up because YOU didn't put me out!"  The newspaper had a photo of me sitting on the bike holding up the winning poster I came very close to not submitting because it was so "terrible."🙂

Years ago when I was working at a huge performing arts center complex The Ringling Brothers And Barnum And Bailey Circus came for three sold out shows.  They arrived two days before to set up.  The arts center complex also contained shops and restaurants.  One day backstage I nearly ran into a Little Lady who was a clown.  As I approached her with my hand extended to meet her  she bolted away.  One of the average size clown ladies told me the Little Person had already been aware of me but felt embarrassed because she was "only" a circus clown.  Apparently some Little People told her she was demeaning herself and all Little People by being a clown like her parents and grandparents had done.  I asked if her friend would give her a message for me.

"Yeah, sure honey, I'll be glad to!"

We went to a nearby coffee shop and as we had a cup of coffee, I briefly shared my journey as the lady jotted things down on napkins.

"But most of all tell your friend this...she has nothing to ever feel ashamed about.  She is not defined by her dwarfism or being a clown.  That if she is happy doing this (which she was actually), she has already attained far more than many in life do.  Tell her never to let others have the power to take away her happiness or make her feel less than what she is."

The next day the Little Person and I saw each other briefly as she was dressed as a clown rushing to do a performance, but she went out of her way to show me a very happy face and heart sign.  Then she gave me a very enthusiastic thumbs up I returned back to her with a huge smile and heart sign.😃👍💫