--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have degenerative bone disease and I…" description: "\"I have degenerative bone disease and I walk with a cane. And when I wrote Six of Crows,' I went out on tour, and I met a lot of readers who would say, ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b1/leigh-bardugo-252_books_i-have-degenerative-bone-disease-and-i-w_3187527.png" --- # I have degenerative bone disease and I walk with a cane… ![“I have degenerative bone disease and I walk with a cane. And when I wrote Six of Crows,' I went out on tour, and I met a lot of readers who would say, 'Oh, I don't know why, but I pictured Kaz as being an old man at first.' And I thought, of course you did, because the only people we see with…” quote by Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b1/leigh-bardugo-252_books_i-have-degenerative-bone-disease-and-i-w_3187527.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b1/leigh-bardugo-252_books_i-have-degenerative-bone-disease-and-i-w_3187527.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b1/leigh-bardugo-252_books_i-have-degenerative-bone-disease-and-i-w_3187527.png) > “I have degenerative bone disease and I walk with a cane. And when I wrote Six of Crows,' I went out on tour, and I met a lot of readers who would say, 'Oh, I don't know why, but I pictured Kaz as being an old man at first.' And I thought, of course you did, because the only people we see with mobility aids in media and in culture are old.” [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author notes that readers assume characters with mobility aids are elderly, reflecting limited representation of disabled people in media. **In simple terms:** Readers link can aids to old age because of media stereotypes. Key Takeaway Challenge stereotypes by portraying diverse ages with disabilities. Themes representation disability media stereotypes Mood reflective hopeful Type analytical inspirational When to use this quote - book signings - writing workshops - media analysis - casting decisions Key Concepts visibility ageism inclusive storytelling Questions to Reflect On - What impact does diverse representation have on readers? - How can creators broaden disability portrayals? A Different Perspective Changing perceptions requires broader cultural shifts beyond individual stories. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) [Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man/) [Media](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/media/) [Old man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-man/) ## Related quotes > [I am keenly aware of how many people the Six of Crows stories' brought into the Grishaverse, and to me, the story of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/i-am-keenly-aware-of-how-many-people-the-six-of-crows-stories-brought/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [The characters in Six of Crows' aren't kings or queens; they don't have grand destinies. They're just six kids desperate enough to attempt the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/the-characters-in-six-of-crows-aren-t-kings-or-queens-they-don-t-have/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [If you were to just slap together Six of Crows' and Shadow and Bone,' it really wouldn't work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/if-you-were-to-just-slap-together-six-of-crows-and-shadow-and-bone-it/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [When I did the zero draft for Six of Crows,' it was a very organic process.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/when-i-did-the-zero-draft-for-six-of-crows-it-was-a-very-organic/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [Mrs. Zuppa was coming in from bingo just as I was leaving the building. "Looks like you're going to work," she said, leaning heavily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/mrs-zuppa-was-coming-in-from-bingo-just-as-i-was-leaving-the-building/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) > [“I wanted my children to grow up where I grew up, to have proper roots in a culture as old and magnificent as Britain’s;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling/i-wanted-my-children-to-grow-up-where-i-grew-up-to-have-proper-roots/) [J.K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling/) > [Canada has, at times, represented itself as a country in a valiant struggle against powerful and menacing agents that are indifferent to its special…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miriam-toews/canada-has-at-times-represented-itself-as-a-country-in-a-valiant/) [Miriam Toews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miriam-toews/) > [Culture is for old people. When you’re young you have your body, and that’s all you need,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-currin/culture-is-for-old-people-when-you-re-young-you-have-your-body-and/) [John Currin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-currin/) > [That's why we sail. So our children can grow up and be proud of whom they are. We are healing our souls by reconnecting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nainoa-thompson/that-s-why-we-sail-so-our-children-can-grow-up-and-be-proud-of-whom/) [Nainoa Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nainoa-thompson/) > [Now the culture is made of old things, it's a collage. Art made out of art is not art. You're supposed to make art…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/now-the-culture-is-made-of-old-things-it-s-a-collage-art-made-out-of/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) ## More by Leigh Bardugo > [“Aleksander." His eyes fluttered shut. "Don't let me be alone," he murmured. And then he was gone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/aleksander-his-eyes-fluttered-shut-don-t-let-me-be-alone-he-murmured/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“I don't care if you danced naked on the roof of the Little Palace with him. I love you, Alina, even the part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/i-don-t-care-if-you-danced-naked-on-the-roof-of-the-little-palace/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“Inej frowned. “I thought you and Nina chose four outbreak sites on the Staves.” Kaz straightened his cuffs. “I also had her stop at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/inej-frowned-i-thought-you-and-nina-chose-four-outbreak-sites-on-the/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“I rolled my eyes. "For defending my honor, you dullard." He yanked me beneath a shadowed awning. I had a moment's panic when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/i-rolled-my-eyes-for-defending-my-honor-you-dullard-he-yanked-me/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“I've been waiting for you a long time, Alina" He said. "You and I are going to change the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/i-ve-been-waiting-for-you-a-long-time-alina-he-said-you-and-i-are/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“They're all crazy, Oncat. Invisible armies, monster princes. Let's go set fire to something.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/they-re-all-crazy-oncat-invisible-armies-monster-princes-let-s-go-set/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“Saints!" I swore. "I forgot how often I want to stab you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/saints-i-swore-i-forgot-how-often-i-want-to-stab-you/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“Inej knew the moment Kaz entered the Slat. His presence reverberated through the cramped rooms and crooked hallways as every thug, thief, dealer, con…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/inej-knew-the-moment-kaz-entered-the-slat-his-presence-reverberated/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“I've risked my life for you. I've walked half the length of Ravka for you, and I'd do it again and again and again…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/i-ve-risked-my-life-for-you-i-ve-walked-half-the-length-of-ravka-for/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“You never know," said Nikolai. "I've been busy. I might have some surprises in store for the Darkling yet." "Please tell me you plan…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/you-never-know-said-nikolai-i-ve-been-busy-i-might-have-some/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“Sure we do," said Theo, swatting at a branch. "We get to the spring, Alia gets cured. We argue over the best choice for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/sure-we-do-said-theo-swatting-at-a-branch-we-get-to-the-spring-alia/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“But I pushed down my confused tears and did as she asked, still hoping that whatever I’d broken might be repaired.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/but-i-pushed-down-my-confused-tears-and-did-as-she-asked-still-hoping/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“There, she wrote fantastical tales that charmed children, and under another name, she penned rather more lurid works that kept her in nougat and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/there-she-wrote-fantastical-tales-that-charmed-children-and-under/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“Short on friends, your highness?" "And long on enemies," replied Nikolai.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/short-on-friends-your-highness-and-long-on-enemies-replied-nikolai/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“Jesper knocked his head against the hull and cast his eyes heavenward. “Fine. But if Pekka Rollins kills us all, I’m going to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/jesper-knocked-his-head-against-the-hull-and-cast-his-eyes-heavenward/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) [Explore all 782 Leigh Bardugo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) ## More Books quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) > [My sentences got sharper and my stories more efficient, and I gradually learned to imagine the reader more clearly and to empathize with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/my-sentences-got-sharper-and-my-stories-more-efficient-and-i/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [“Within the pages of books, I've journeyed to Mandalay, the Milky Way and Santa Fe, without once having to leave my armchair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-ansbro/within-the-pages-of-books-i-ve-journeyed-to-mandalay-the-milky-way/) [Kevin Ansbro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-ansbro/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“Tacitus did not write a most dangerous book. His readers made it so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-k-krebs/tacitus-did-not-write-a-most-dangerous-book-his-readers-made-it-so/) Christopher K. Krebs > [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“Be careful about reading health books. Some fine day you'll die of a misprint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-herz/be-careful-about-reading-health-books-some-fine-day-you-ll-die-of-a/) Markus Herz > [But editors are still the world's readers. And thus the eyes of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/but-editors-are-still-the-world-s-readers-and-thus-the-eyes-of-the/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) [Browse all 59,485 Books quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I have degenerative bone disease and I walk with a cane. And when I wrote Six of Crows,' I went out on tour, and I met a lot of readers who would say, 'Oh, I don't know why, but I pictured Kaz as being an old man at first.' And I thought, of course you did, because the only people we see with mobility aids in media and in culture are old.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Leigh Bardugo" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/i-have-degenerative-bone-disease-and-i-walk-with-a-cane-and-when-i/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Books" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/i-have-degenerative-bone-disease-and-i-walk-with-a-cane-and-when-i/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b1/leigh-bardugo-252_books_i-have-degenerative-bone-disease-and-i-w_3187527.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b1/leigh-bardugo-252_books_i-have-degenerative-bone-disease-and-i-w_3187527.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b1/leigh-bardugo-252_books_i-have-degenerative-bone-disease-and-i-w_3187527.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I have degenerative bone disease and I walk with a cane. And when I wrote Six of Crows,' I went out on tour…” — Leigh Bardugo", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Leigh Bardugo", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I have degenerative bone disease and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/i-have-degenerative-bone-disease-and-i-walk-with-a-cane-and-when-i/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/i-have-degenerative-bone-disease-and-i-walk-with-a-cane-and-when-i/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```