The Power of the Mind: Luca Lazylegz Patuelli

Previously published in Examiner

Many times mental health and physical health overlap. For centuries psychologist had debated whether biological health and mental health functioned independently or were connected to produce over all general health and mental health. Today, we know that the aspects of our biological make-up are connected and essential to our overall health. In fact, they are work in unison.

It is documented that depressed people get sick and it is documented that people who are sick get depressed. Can we reverse that phenomena to have people with diseases actually improve their situation and limitations by having a positive attitude? Yes we can, several major studies have pointed to cancer patients with positive attitudes and how many survive their disease or live longer even when in the terminal stage.

The mind is all-powerful; our thoughts and convictions can limit us or push us forward in any situation. These thoughts will affect the way we recover from a serious disease. It will also affect how we cope with severe diseases that limit range and mobility.

Montreal born Luca "Lazylegz" Patuelli shows us how severe physical limitations do not have to squash our dreams and limit our goals.

Lazylegz - Part 1 - Early Years

Montreal born Luca Patuelli is a homespun icon and the aspiration for everyone who refuses to let their sickness or disease define them and dictate the way they will live their life. Luca Patuelli was born with a rare disease called arthrogryposis also known as arthrogryposis multiplex congenita (AMC). The cause of this disease points to fetal akinesia, which is a reduced ability to move the limbs. This condition is brought on by abnormalities within muscles and connective tissues. This limitation in movement will cause muscle weakness making the probability of normal movement even harder to achieve. The disease does encompass several diseases under the same general category of arthrogryposis, but in Patuelli case, his deformity was limited to his legs and s