 Short Stories: January 23, 2019 Issue [#9335] |
This week: Secrets and Lies Edited by: Shannon  
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1. About this Newsletter
2. A Word from our Sponsor
3. Letter from the Editor
4. Editor's Picks
5. A Word from Writing.Com
6. Ask & Answer
7. Removal instructions
Welcome to the Short Stories Newsletter. I am Shannon and I'm your editor this week.
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"I wonder if it's ever really possible to know the truth about someone else, or if the best we can do is just stumble into each other, heads down, hoping to avoid collision." ~ Lauren Oliver
Everyone has secrets. Some things are too personal, too taboo for public consumption, but every once in a while someone steps forward to reveal their deepest, darkest desires.
"Body Integrity Identity Disorder (BIID) is a rare, infrequently studied and highly secretive condition in which there is a mismatch between the mental body image and the physical body. Subjects suffering from BIID have an intense desire to amputate a major limb or sever the spinal cord in order to become paralyzed." ~ Body Integrity Identity Disorder
When I first heard about BIID I was appalled. Why the hell would an able-bodied person want to sever her spinal cord? When I'm appalled I get curious, and when I'm curious I want to know more. I researched. I discovered individuals suffering from BIID have gone so far as to blind themselves with drain cleaner, cut off their own hands with power saws, and travel to foreign lands where doctors are willing to amputate perfectly functional limbs (for a hefty fee, of course). Like transgender persons who feel they were born the wrong sex, BIID sufferers believe they should have been born blind, paralyzed, or with fewer than four functioning limbs and refer to themselves as "transabled."
Some people (the disabled and amputees, in particular) feel very strongly about BIID:
"For those who call themselves 'trans-abled' I would just like to say a big: *uck you."
~ Adelle Higley (see link #2 below in the "Further Reading" section).
Similarly, the transgender population vehemently disagrees with BIID being lumped into the same category as Gender Dysphoria (formerly called Gender Identity Disorder, or GID):
"I nonetheless have a knee-jerk negative reaction, my tranny sense tingling, my warning klaxons blaring, and every fiber of my being screaming no no no, they’re DIFFERENT!!!"
~ Natalie (see link # 9 below in the "Further Reading" section).
When the terminology changed from Gender Identity Disorder to Gender Dysphoria, the "disorder" part was dropped completely. Will Body Integrity Identity Disorder be changed to "Body Dysphoria", thus no longer considered a disorder? Will the affliction be recognized in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Gender Identity Disorder was added to the DSM-III in 1980 and changed to Gender Dysphoria in 2013 with the publication of DSM-5) and thus medically/surgically treatable? Will physicians in America offer amputations of perfectly healthy limbs? Will they purposely blind and paralyze able-bodied patients?
However taboo and repugnant this sounds upon first hearing, BIID is not a twenty-first-century phenomenon.
"The first documented case of BIID dates back to a medical textbook published in 1785, by the French surgeon and anatomist Jean-Joseph Sue, who described the case of an Englishman who fell in love with a one-legged woman, and wanted to become an amputee himself so that he could win her heart. He offered a surgeon 100 guineas to amputate his leg and, when the surgeon refused, forced him to perform the operation at gunpoint." ~ The Science and Ethics of Voluntary Amputation
I question whether or not this counts as a case of BIID since the man only wanted his leg amputated because he was interested in a one-legged woman; most BIID sufferers report being afflicted since childhood. As a nurse, I struggle with the idea of amputating healthy limbs, purposely severing spinal cords, and applying caustic chemicals to someone's eyeballs. It seems unethical and wrong to me. On the other hand, it's someone else's body and one should be allowed to do with it what one wishes as long as it doesn't hurt another human being. The Hippocratic Oath and "First do no harm" comes to mind, but one could argue not helping BIID sufferers does more harm than good.
I swear by Apollo Physician, by Asclepius, by Hygieia, by Panacea, and by all the gods and goddesses, making them my witnesses, that I will carry out, according to my ability and judgment, this oath and this indenture.
To hold my teacher in this art equal to my own parents; to make him partner in my livelihood; when he is in need of money to share mine with him; to consider his family as my own brothers, and to teach them this art, if they want to learn it, without fee or indenture; to impart precept, oral instruction, and all other instruction to my own sons, the sons of my teacher, and to indentured pupils who have taken the physician’s oath, but to nobody else.
I will use treatment to help the sick according to my ability and judgment, but never with a view to injury and wrong-doing. Neither will I administer a poison to anybody when asked to do so, nor will I suggest such a course. Similarly, I will not give to a woman a pessary to cause abortion. But I will keep pure and holy both my life and my art. I will not use the knife, not even, verily, on sufferers from stone, but I will give place to such as are craftsmen therein.
Into whatsoever houses I enter, I will enter to help the sick, and I will abstain from all intentional wrong-doing and harm, especially from abusing the bodies of man or woman, bond or free. And whatsoever I shall see or hear in the course of my profession, as well as outside my profession in my intercourse with men, if it be what should not be published abroad, I will never divulge, holding such things to be holy secrets.
Now if I carry out this oath, and break it not, may I gain forever reputation among all men for my life and for my art; but if I break it and forswear myself, may the opposite befall me. ~ Hippocratic Oath
Needless to say, I couldn't find any WDC stories about BIID so I had to stick with topics loosely associated, and in some cases not associated at all (see "Editor's Picks" below). This is an amazing opportunity to write a short story about a topic few have dared tackle before.
Like real people, our characters have secrets and tell lies about who they are. Do you know someone afflicted with BIID? Does your protagonist fantasize about amputating a limb, paralyzing or blinding himself? Did he follow through? Share your thoughts, ideas, comments, and/or creations about this week's topic and I will include them in my next Short Stories newsletter.
Thank you for reading.
P.S. Every registered author who shares their ideas and/or creative endeavors relating to or inspired by this week's topic will receive an exclusive trinket. I will retire this month's limited-edition trinket at 11:59 p.m. WDC time on Tuesday, February 19, 2019, when my next short stories newsletter goes live.
Further Reading (both sides of the argument are represented):
1. 14 Transabled People Who Actually Gave Themselves a Disability
2. Being Trans-Abled Is Not A Thing
3. Becoming disabled by choice, not chance: 'Transabled' people feel like impostors in their fully working bodies
4. Transabled Women Lost In Translation?
5. The Next Great Frontier in Human Rights: 'Transabled' People
6. Out On a Limb
7. Body Identity Dysphoria
8. Woman Demands Doctors Sever Her Spinal Cord To Align Body To Mind, "Same As A Transsexual Man"
9. The Comparison of BIID and GID
10. Body integrity identity disorder and Gender Dysphoria: A pilot study to investigate similarities and differences |
I hope you enjoy this week's featured selections (I struggled to find stories related to this week's topic). I occasionally feature static items by members who are no longer with us; some have passed away while others simply aren't active members. Their absence doesn't render their work any less relevant, and if it fits the week's topic I will include it.
Thank you, and have a great week!
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The following is in response to "Making Memories" :
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Lilli 🧿 ☕  writes: I love this newsletter! This is the first newsletter that has made my eyes well up. Thank you for sharing your memories with us. Reading this newsletter has inspired me to write something about a Christmas memory I have with my granddaughters!
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Jenstrying  writes: My Mom and I were talking about this the other day. With my grandparents gone it has never really been Christmas. Me working retail for the past 15 years hasn't helped. But the holidays were always a family time. Now that family is gone. And despite our best intentions we can't get it back. New traditions fall short. It becomes easier to stay apart than together. Sadly.
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BIG BAD WOLF Feeling Thankful  writes: Can't get your loved one that big expensive toy, get them socks - if nothing else, their feet will appreciate the gift.
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charitykountz writes: I am submitting my short story, which won the Writer's Cramp contest on 12/25/18 in response to your newsletter. I think this fits great with what you're looking for in the next newsletter. :) I'm surprisingly proud of this little story. Thanks for the great newsletter!
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Princess Megan Snow Rose  writes: I remember Christmas at my grandparents house. I lived with them more then my parents because my father was in the Air Force. Grandma made a good turkey dinner and we always had gifts. My aunt lived next door and baked goodies. Christmas with my parents was nice when Dad wasn't in Viet Nam and he was home. We had friends over but my grandparents house was always home. My grandparents came to spend Christmas with my parents and I in Arkansas and bought their cat who I loved dearly. As an adult, my husband and I have Christmas with my parents. His parents are deceased. My son and his wife live in Minnesota so Christmas can be lonely but we do have a good time when we see each other. One Christmas, my son, his wife, my daughter-in-law's mother, my mother and I danced to Johnny Cash music.
When my son was little, my boyfriend dressed up like Santa and came over. My son was only three and so happy to see Santa.
I enjoyed your newsletter and thought of all my Christmas memories. A three story house says Christmas. Wow. Thanks for sharing.
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Dartagnan writes" When I was growing up, our Christmas's were just our family. We didn't visit family because we lived so far away from them. Mom and dad always made Christmas a very special time of year. My most memorable Christmas was 1970. I was 11 years old. My brother's and I got our first bicycles. We were thrilled. Dad worked for the farm where we lived so, we had lots of space to ride. I will never forget those days. Now that I have kids and grand-kids we do visit and spend our Christmas’s together. It’s a very special time of year.
Great Newsletter.
Ricky
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LadyGreen writes: My dad and I try our hardest to make every Christmas special because we were able to spend so few together when I was growing up. One of the main traditions so far has been buying each other a special ornament for the tree. It's been a lot of fun and every year we go through them and remember that year's Christmas.
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Jeff  writes: The Christmas memory that's had the most impact on me so far was from many years back... my parents have an open floor plan house with the dining room and living room essentially as one big space. They have a large dining table with extensions that can be added for extra seats... and even then, sometimes for big holidays we would have to set up a card table at the far end to fit everyone. There were always a handful of family members who couldn't make it for one reason or another, so the setup worked for the dozen or so people who showed up. One year, though, we miraculously had almost everyone on both sides of the family show up... 26 people in all! It took the entire dining table (with extensions), two card tables, and a huge thick sheet of plywood from the garage spanning the dining table and one of the card tables to fit everyone. The table went clear across the entire great room diagonally, but we managed to fit all 26 family members at the same long table and had an amazing meal together. 
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LittleJohn writes: My favorite memory was when my dad retired from the Air Force back in 1974 we moved to Illinois. He got a job with Rock Island Rail Road. Working on signal lights and circuit boards. Then he got laid off because of going bankrupt. Then he got a job with CTA and he did the same there. But that year we had to go over to Wabash for Christmas and stayed with our Aunt Carol and Larry they had a big house we stayed there on Christmas eve and went to KY for Christmas. We stayed with Grandma and Grandpa Woodcox in Riverside. They made us feel at home. But on my mom's side Grandma and Grandpa Brunn never did. We got what we asked for we went to a party with the Brunn's so we all one time got $10.00 from the Brunns. that is my best memory
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Dominique writes: My memories of the holiday's that will last forever are of my mother when she was alive. She died when I was 17 and for about ten years Christmas died for me. I lost all my holiday spirit. It took for me to have a child of my own to be able to get back into the holiday spirit and begin truly celebrating again. I started all the same traditions with my little one as my mother did with me. Although at 13 months old, he's too young still to realize, each year that passes he'll understand more. I remember each Christmas Eve before bed, my parents would read 'Twas the Night Before Christmas to us and set out cookies for Santa. This year, my dad bought the book for my baby as a Christmas present and although it ended up being his third copy of the book, that didn't matter.. it meant a lot to me to be able to bring Christmas to life again. Thank you so much for sharing! Your story brought tears to my eyes. 
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Elfin Dragon-finally published  writes: I'm a Navy Brat and have spent many Christmas' with different family members over the years. The only tradition is that we all celebrate the birth of Christ. But the one thing that I seem to remember fondest is the Christmas story I wrote for a contest here at WDC. What would happen if Santa was out for the count, | | | Invalid Item
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Elfin Dragon
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dragonwoman writes: Yes I did write something on going home for Christmas I'll have to see if I can find it in the mire of my computer files. It was so long ago I'm not even sure of the title. My most long lasting memory (probably because it goes on today in a slightly different form) is the mini Christmas concert we always did for grandparents on Boxing Day.Carol singing, repeat performances of anything we might have done for our school concerts and as a finale, a re-enactment of Jesus birth complete with angels shepherds and a naked baby doll. Later, new babies in the family got to be the baby Jesus and the soon to be newest family member was the donkey that carried Mary. It was a right of passage for male fiances.
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Quick-Quill  writes: I grew up in Los Angeles (for 14 years)and my grandparents lived in Portland,OR. We didn't have much money so there were any real celebrations or traditions. When I married, my MIL was British. I established their traditions. We had English Dressing in our turkey, Lemon curd and mince tarts as well as an abundance of other cookies. On Christmas Eve we usually have "Big Ole's (shave ham sandwich with Western Dressing you can only get in the Midwest. Other traditions we established on our own. My children (45&35, single) love to come home for Christmas. This year my cousin on my mother's side came for Christmas with his wife (Vietnamese) and 3 of their girls (in their 20's). They loved our traditions and went home promising to come again.
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Walker writes: Christmas was hard this time around for my Mom and I. Of course, it's hard without getting to visit with our Grandma (great Grandma for me). She's been gone for two years now and it still hurts dearly. We have acquired dog care status of her dog Boo-Boo (a dachshund) who lives with us now. Since moving Boo up to our place we all finally figured out she's partially blind (if not completely blind). She manages though through sound and smell.
This brings me to the other part of the hard Christmas for us. We already owned an old doggie named Spook that we had since he was 5 weeks old when we took Boo in. He was 3/4 Scottish Terrier and 1/4 Dachshund. We lost him about six months prior to Christmas. It is still hard for us (what you can't see is me crying as I type this). Every year at Christmas since we've had Spook we always had a stocking out for him too along with ours....filled with treats and toys. Even up to his last Christmas in his old, slow-moving age he always perked up and was so excited to see what was in his stocking and prance around happy with his new toy or laying there chewing on a favorite treat. Boo never really grew up like Spook had with stuff like that and never really played with toys so she doesn't understand/get as spirited. She loves her treats too, don't get me wrong. We just had a really rough time without Spook's Christmas excitement and miss it so. That kind of left me in a grinchy mood this recent Christmas and not filled with much season Spirit. With time I'm sure it will become more bearable though.
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Goblin Slayer writes: I liked the article and how it shows the progression of family, sadly, that is not me. but even still I have found my ways to be happy on Christmas and love the holiday. I think you will all love this story, I tied for first place in only my second contest ever! I love this site! LOL so here it is.
I hope that worked lol
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