SAN DIEGO — Kathy GREEN has hardly been able to sleep the last few weeks. Her big day is almost here.
She's filled with anticipation for the Friday launch of "The X-Files: I Want to Believe," the new big-screen adaptation of the Fox TV drama series about the unexplainable and mysterious.
"All I've been able to think about is walking into the theater to see this movie," said the 51-year-old San Diegan, who plans to catch the film twice on opening day.
Although it's only a brief stroll from the cineplex parking lot to the theater entrance, the walk will be among the longest of her life.
Green was born with arthrogryposis, a rare neurological disorder that causes joint contractions and is marked by muscle weakness. The congenital disease forces her to spend most of her days in bed.
Taking just a few steps is an extremely painful ordeal, even with the aid of crutches. While she could use her wheelchair, that's not how Green wants to enter her "X-Files" experience.
To Green, walking into the theater, slowly but surely, will be her way of paying tribute to the show that helped rescue her from despair. She credits actress Gillian Anderson and her portrayal of no-nonsense FBI Agent Dana Scully with giving her life-affirming courage.
"This walk will be the culmination of where I've been headed the last few years," said Green, relaxing by the pool of her apartment near Qualcomm Stadium. "Gillian's short like me, but she's so strong, and the way she plays Scully gave me the inspiration to get out of bed and live life. I was isolated and frightened, and she pulled me up."
As she talks about her affection for "The X Files," her mood is upbeat. Without a trace of self-pity, she reflects on coping with a disease that has robbed her body of movement and flexibility.
Simple motion has always been difficult for Green, whose joints and bones didn't develop properly. The 4-foot-6 Green gets around in a wheelchair, but the bulk of each day is spent in a specially equipped hospital bed at home. The painful condition has been compounded too by a multitude of other health problems, including those that afflict her back and spine.
While always striving to stay positive, Green's spirit sank a few years ago when, dazed by medication, she fell out of bed. The fall caused severe damage to her bones and legs. Bedridden, and consumed by pain and boredom, she became badly depressed: "I didn't want company, I didn't want to do anything, I couldn't do anything."
