Jumping Frenchmen of Maine

Did you know there’s a disease called Jumping Frenchmen of Maine?  Swear.  Click the link.

I saw a car today that had a ribbon magnet for a fairly rare disorder on it—rare enough that the name of the disorder had to be printed right on the ribbon, because you wouldn’t know what it stood for otherwise.  That gave me the idea for a satirical post rolling out some rare disease’s awareness campaign, and when you Google “rare diseases,” it doesn’t take you long to get to Jumping Frenchmen of Maine.

Well, hell.  That’s gold.  Given my purpose in said searching, I couldn’t have possibly hoped for more.  I mean, to go looking for a disease to try to be funny about, and be presented with Jumping Frenchmen of Maine?

But, I pulled up.

I started writing it, and it didn’t take me long to cringe.  It occurred to me that even though there aren’t very many people who have it, there are some who do.  And I’d bet most readers of the post in a future Google results list would be sufferers, or friends/family of same—perhaps even recently diagnosed and looking for comfort.  Last thing in the world that person needs is some smartass announcing a periwinkle ribbon awareness campaign.

Conscience reigns.

I hope you have a good weekend.

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