I Should Have Made That Left Turn In Albuquerque. Or Was It A Right?

Knowing directions in the spectrum of dyslexia

“Turn right.” “Which right?” U.S. Highway 60 west of Socorro, NM. Photo by author.

Introduction

Yesterday, I took my meds in the morning and night, as always. I have one of those pill cases that clearly marks AM and PM.

I have meds that make me sleepy in the evening and meds that wake me up in the morning. (They’re all prescribed!)

However, every once in a while, I transpose the AM ones with the PM ones. I look at the words carefully, and my mind will tell me the opposite of what I should do. I don’t know why. I know what each one stands for! It’s something you shouldn’t have to think about.

Last night, I took my AM meds in the PM, which meant I didn’t get any sleep. I tried taking a sleepy pill, but it wasn’t enough to overpower the wakey pill.

So I don’t know which end is up, and it’s time to go to work!

A Primer on Dyslexia

It’s more common than you think but not as common as people pretend it is when trying to make excuses for their mistakes.

Or is it?

More than 40 million, or 15–20% of the population, have dyslexia, though only about two million receive a diagnosis and proper treatment.