Cushing's patients are zebras* in so many ways.  My pretty little zebra is a reminder of those who suffer from this zebra disease.  More than that, it is a symbol of our commonality and friendship.  Phil, who had Cushing's, and his wife, Rachel, made a very large, loving detour to meet me for dinner while on a trip from New Jersey.  They brought me this zebra.  Phil and I have a bond from our common journey.  So do so many of us who suffer from this disease and/or it's after-effects.  This zebra symbolizes that bond and the love so many of us have come to share.  So, with the bad comes the good.  And I sure can appreciate the goodness.

*In med school, potential doctors are told "When you hear hoofbeats, think horses, not zebras".  We are zebras. Cushing's patients also often get striae due to the high cortisol.