Narcolepsy

So I've moved into this house occupied by eight other people. I had assumed that it was more of a dormitory-style building because I was told that there will be 18 people living here starting Dec 1. But, it's just a house and 18 people will be a serious squeeze. I'll be leaving before Dec 1, however, and will blissfully avoid the sardine can/disease breeding ground these quarters will become. The house is run by an exchange program out of Vancouver, so it's quite international. I'm the only American, and there are people from Germany, Denmark, Japan, South Korea, Sweden, and of course, Australia. It's a pretty fun crowd so my time here should be entertaining.

Last night we were playing cards and got onto the topic of narcolepsy. I remembered a clip I'd seen on the internet a while ago. It involves a narcoleptic dachshund, so it's worth watching.

The next clip is of a breed of goat that suffers from the disorder Myotonia Congenita.

"Myotonia congenita is an inherited neuromuscular disorder characterized by the inability of muscles to quickly relax after a voluntary contraction. The condition begins in early childhood, but symptoms can be mild. Most children will be 2 or 3 years old when parents first notice signs of muscle stiffness, particularly in the legs, often provoked by sudden activity after rest. The disease doesn’t cause muscle wasting; in fact, it may cause muscle enlargement as muscle strength is increased. There are two forms of the disorder: Becker-type, which is the most common form; and Thomsen’s disease, which is a rare and milder form. The disorder is caused by mutations in a gene responsible for shutting off electrical excitation in the muscles. Source."

So they've got that going for them, which is nice.