Since I lived only 4 hours away from our nation’s capital, my parents were able to drive me there. I was so excited about going and counting down the days till Friday, when I would arrive. I was going to share a room with Nathasha, Claudia, and Tess. I’d talked …
Hurts More Than A Broken Bone
Profoundly hurtful words can sear through you and unconsciously lower your self-worth over time. Some even argue that it is just as painful as being beaten. I must admit that this is a difficult topic to discuss being a verbal abuse victim myself. Verbal abuse doesn’t get as much attention …
The Trip I Took to the East Coast to Speak for Our People
For the last three years, I have traveled to the east coast, on my own expense, to speak on behalf of the disabled community and discrimination, at Kean University. ach department phone Previously, I had spoken in history classrooms with up and coming students. However, this time, I spoke to …
What We May Not Know as People with Special Needs
Despite most myths and misinformation, getting an electric wheelchair isn’t that difficult providing your physician can document the need. Clearly have them state that you need a manual, electric or even an electric chair with tilt features–it’s almost straight forward, but people make some simple mistakes. (1) You can’t walk …
Tank, Meet My Tank
Since I had my heart attack in my police cruiser in 1990, I have learned that it’s not the world I thought it was. If you receive benefits from your village, city, township, parish, county, state or even federal services, you best plan on getting in line and then plan …
If I Can, You Can!
Many, many years ago, when I was only 5 months old, I became paralyzed due to a DPT shot and a doctor who refused to listen to a wise woman, whom I called mama. Over night, I fell into a deep, deep sleep, and did not wake for 10 days. …
Charting Your Life
I was diagnosed with Multiple Scleroses in 1990, but my symptoms began after a pick-up truck hit collided with me in 1967. Crossing the street on the way to the park, riding my red bike, looking both ways, next thing I saw was a painter’s truck slam to a stop …
A Broken Heart Exposed
I have been trying to get a certain emotion out of my system, and I guess tonight is as good a time as any. This emotion is called grief, and perhaps for some people this would seem somewhat over exaggerated, but to me it is still a very real thing. …
Whatever Tomorrow Brings–I’ll Be There
On what began as a typical rainy February afternoon with temperatures hovering near the freezing level, I was driving alone in my girlfriend’s car down the country roads of Oregon where we lived, and was on my way into town. Our house was at fifteen-hundred feet of elevation making us …