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If I can, yoou can I have a mild form of cerebral palsy called right side Hemiplegia, which affects the right side of my body. Don’t feel sorry for me, just be inspired. Shortly after birth I was diagnosed (after suffering from a stroke), so I don't know any different and have learnt to adapt to day-to-day living. Growing up I was often told ‘you cant do that.’ I would later go on to prove them all wrong. The more people tell me 'I can't', the more determined that makes me. I have since gone onto learning to drive, gaining a degree and traveling the world solo, proving even more people that I COULD DO IT. After meeting so many able-bodied people that were inspired by my story, just by doing something I love, I began writing a blog to help influence and inspire other disabled people, especially those with Hemiplegia. My aim now is to continue to inspire others that yoocandoanything. If I can do it, you can. There's no such thing as can't. Never give in.

Deciding to become parents, again After years of not wanting more children, my husband, Kevin, and I decided we wanted to start planning for another baby in 2015. We had our son, Parker, when we were both young. He was 8, and I was finally in my last year of grad school so we decided to finally go for it. I went to get clearance from my doctor in October 2015. Everything was perfect. My life finally felt like the dream I had been working so hard for. We were thrown a major curveball when, that Thanksgiving, I was hospitalized for a major spinal cord hemorrhage that left me mostly paralyzed on my right side, along with many other symptoms. Thankfully, powerful steroids in the hospital helped resolve the worse of the motor problems, but I had a long road ahead to get back to walking without a cane. The hardest part of that time was not knowing what caused the bleed and if it would prevent us from finally having another baby. A baby I so desperately wanted at that point. That spring, we found out I have a cavernoma in my spinal cord which can cause bleeds. My neurosurgeon recommended waiting for another bleed to remove it, and he gave me clearance to try to for a baby. My OBGYN told me to go for it as well. I wanted it to be perfect, and she explained that pregnancies are never "perfect". She decided to have a perinatologist follow me during pregnancy just to be safe. מחליטים להפוך להורים, שוב אחרי שנים שלא רצינו יותר ילדים, בעלי קווין ואני החלטנו שאנחנו רוצים להתחיל לתכנן לתינוק נוסף ב-2015. היה לנו כבר בן, פרקר, שנולד כשהיינו צעירים. הוא היה בן שמונה, ואני הייתי בשנה האחרונה שלי לתואר, אז החלטנו סוף סוף ללכת על זה. הלכתי לקבל אישור מהרופא שלי באוקטובר 2015. הכל היה מושלם. חיי הרגישו סוף סוף כמו החלום שעבדתי כל כך קשה עבורו. כחודש לאחר מכן בחג ההודיה חטפנו מכה קשה - אושפזתי עם דימום גדול בעמוד השדרה שהשאיר אותי משותקת כמעט לחלוטין בצד ימין שלי, יחד עם תסמינים רבים אחרים. למרבה המזל, סטרואידים חזקים בבית החולים סייעו לפתור את הבעיות המוטוריות הקשות, אבל הייתה לי עוד דרך ארוכה כדי לחזור להליכה בלי מקל. החלק הקשה ביותר בתקופה הזו היה לא לדעת מה גרם לדימום ואם זה ימנע מאיתנו מלהביא סוף סוף תינוק חדש. תינוק שכל כך רציתי אז. באותו אביב, גילינו שיש לי קברנומה בעמוד השדרה שיכולה לגרום לדימומים. הנוירוכירורג שלי המליץ ​​לחכות לדימום כדי להסיר אותו ונתן לי אישור לנסות להיכנס להריון. הגינקולוגית המיילדת שלי אמרה לי ללכת על זה גם כן. רציתי שזה יהיה מושלם, והיא הסבירה כי הריונות לעולם אינם "מושלמים". היא החליטה לתת לפרינטולוג לעקוב אחריי במהלך ההריון רק כדי להיות בטוחה. The 4 Musketeers If you've seen the movie, "The Holiday" you'll understand the Musketeers reference. I was certain the addition of a baby would only further perfect our little family. It would make everything that happened the year before with my hemorrhage seem like a distant memory. Our life with an infant was really amazing. Parker, now 9, was an amazing big brother to our little girl. He was terrified of her getting hurt; his protectiveness was adorable. At first, his fear for her seemed normal. Kira would cough, he would worry. Over the first six weeks of Kira's life, his worries became bigger than anything we could have imagine. In what felt like a whirlwind 6 months, Parker, was discovered to have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, anxiety, and depression. He had always been anxious (something he gets from me), but the major life change of having a baby in the house triggered his OCD. We spent several months trying to get him set up with a therapist and psychiatrist, and several months trying to get the right mix of medications. He started doing great, and still is. He is a champ, and really took charge of gaining control of "the monster in his head". 4 המוסקטרים אם ראיתם את הסרט "החופשה" תבינו את האזכור למוסקטרים. הייתי משוכנעת שהתוספת של תינוקת תמלא עוד יותר את המשפחה הקטנה שלנו ותגרום לכל מה שקרה כשנה לפני כן עם הדימום שלי להיראות כמו זיכרון רחוק. החיים שלנו עם תינוקת היו באמת מדהימים. פרקר, שהיה בן 9, היה אח גדול מדהים לילדה הקטנה שלנו. הוא דאג שלא תיפגע; ההגנתיות שלו היתה מקסימה. בתחילה, הדאגה שלו אליה נראתה נורמלית. קירה השתעלה, הוא דאג. במשך ששת השבועות הראשונים לחייה של קירה, דאגותיו נעשו גדולות מכל מה שיכולנו לדמיין. במה שהרגיש כמו שישה חודשים סופר מהירים, פרקר אובחן כבעל הפרעה אובססיבית קומפולסיבית, חרדה ודיכאון. הוא תמיד היה מודאג (תכונה שירש ממני), אבל השינוי המשמעותי בחייו של הימצאות תינוקת בבית עורר את ההפרעה שלו. במשך כמה חודשים ניסינו לטפל בו עם מטפל ופסיכיאטר ולמצוא את תמהיל התרופות המתאים. המצב שלו השתפר מאד ועדיין משתפר. הוא אלוף ובאמת לקח שליטה על "המפלצת בראשו". Cerebral Palsy Kira was always a little behind in the gross motor skills dept. She was also really cuddly, and we all, including her pediatrician, assumed she was just lazy and carefree. She was in the NICU for 3 days after birth due to low oxygen levels, but everything seemed normal after that. As time went on, I became concerned about her motor skills. She kept her left hand fisted and her arm pulled op toward her body. I just assumed it was because she was right handed. Other people started noticing, too. At her 12 month check up her ped referred us to a neurologist. She got around by scooting on her butt. She couldn't stand or walk. He was concerned, too. My biggest concern was that she had a cavernoma in her brain. It gave me nightmares. There is a hereditary form of cavernomas, and I wasn't sure if I was a carrier. Certain cavernomas can be life-threatening, and I was so certain she had one. When she was diagnosed with Mild Cerebral Palsy, I was somewhat relieved. This wasn't life threatening. I assured myself I could handle it because she wasn't dying. "I should be grateful," I thought. I cried to myself in bed the night after, when it finally hit me that all the plans I had for my daughter might never happen. What would her life be like with a disability? Did I do something wrong? Should I have known sooner? All these thoughts I didn't want to share with anyone, not even my husband who is my closest friend and teammate on this parenting journey. I didn't want anyone to see my heartbreak and fears because I didn't want them to think of my little girl as disabled. That was the only time I cried. I decided right then to turn on momma bear mode again. If we could get Parker the help he needed for OCD then we could get Kira the help she needed. After all, we are the 4 Musketeers. שיתוק מוחין קירה תמיד הייתה קצת מאחור מבחינת כישורים מוטוריים. היא גם הייתה ממש מתרפסת וכולנו, כולל רופא הילדים שלה, הנחנו שהיא פשוט עצלה וחסרת דאגות. היא הייתה באינקובטור למשך 3 ימים לאחר הלידה בגלל רמות חמצן נמוכות, אבל הכל נראה נורמלי לאחר מכן. ככל שהזמן עבר, נעשיתי מודאגת לגבי כישוריה המוטוריים. היא שמרה את ידה השמאלית מקומצת ואת זרועה משכה אל גופה. הנחתי שזה פשוט בגלל שהיא ימנית. אנשים אחרים גם כן התחילו לשים לב. בביקורת גיל 12 חודשים שלה, הרופא הפנה אותנו לנוירולוג. היא הסתובבה על ידי טלטול הישבן שלה ולא יכלה לעמוד או ללכת. גם הוא היה מודאג. הדאגה הגדולה ביותר שלי הייתה שיש לה קברנומה במוח. זה גרם לי לסיוטים. קיימת קברנומה שהיא תורשתית ולא הייתי בטוחה אם אני נשאית. קברנומות מסוימות יכולות להיות מסכנות חיים, והייתי כל כך בטוחה שיש לה. כשהיא אובחנה עם שיתוק מוחין קל, הוקל לי קצת. זה לא היה מסכן חיים. הבטחתי לעצמי שאני יכולה להתמודד עם זה כי היא לא גוססת. "אני צריכה להיות אסירת תודה", חשבתי. בכיתי בלילה שאחרי במיטה, כשסוף-סוף הבנתי שכל התוכניות שהיו לי לבתי כנראה שלא יקרו. איך ייראו חייה עם מוגבלות? האם עשיתי משהו לא בסדר? הייתי צריכה לדעת מוקדם יותר? את כל המחשבות האלה לא רציתי לחלוק עם אף אחד, אפילו לא בעלי שהוא החבר הכי קרוב שלי ושותפי למסע ההורות הזה. לא רציתי שאף אחד יראה את שברון הלב והפחדים שלי כדי שלא יחשבו על הילדה שלי כעל בעלת מוגבלות. זו הייתה הפעם היחידה שבכיתי. החלטתי מיד להפעיל שוב את מצב האמא הנפלאה והמגוננת. אם הצלחנו לעזור לפרקר עם ההפרעה אז נוכל גם לעזור לקירה לקבל את העזרה שהיא צריכה. אחרי הכל, אנחנו ארבעת המוסקטרים. Changing my perspective Kira is doing amazing in her treatment 4 months post diagnosis. She's recently started using a reverse walker. It's the most adorable thing to watch. She has a whole team cheering her on. Parker always asks how long his sister will need braces and a walker. I hate that it isn't a question I can answer. My whole adult life I've been a planner. I've always been envious of Kevin's ability to go with the flow. I have to say the biggest adjustment I've had to make on our CP journey is learning to just live in the present, and be ok with the uncertainty of the future. There is a quote from JRR Tolkien, "deep roots are not reached by the frost", and that is my motto now. We don't need to know what is going to happen in the future, we need only know that the four of us are strong enough to tackle whatever barrier we may face. שינוי הפרספקטיבה שלי קירה מתקדמת מדהים בטיפול שלה כארבעה חודשים לאחר האבחון. היא החלה לאחרונה להשתמש בהליכון לאחור. זה הדבר שהכי מקסים לצפות בו. יש לה צוות שלם שמריע לה. פרקר תמיד שואל לכמה זמן אחותו תזדקק לפלטות והליכון. קשה לי עם כך שאין לי תשובה לתת. כל חיי הבוגרים אני מתכננת. תמיד קינאתי ביכולתו של קווין ללכת עם הזרם. אני חייבת לומר שההתאמה הגדולה ביותר שהייתי צריכה לעשות במסע שיתוק המוחין שלנו היא ללמוד פשוט לחיות בהווה ולקבל את חוסר הוודאות לגבי העתיד. ישנו ציטוט של ג'יי אר אר טולקין: "שורשים עמוקים לא מגיעים מהכפור", וזה המוטו שלי עכשיו. אנחנו לא צריכים לדעת מה הולך לקרות בעתיד, רק לדעת כי ארבעתנו חזקים מספיק כדי להתמודד עם כל מחסום שניצב בפנינו.

How I Overcame Fear My name is Dasha and I am originally from Memphis, TN, but I now reside in San Diego, CA. In 2008 while I was in college, I decided to participate in spring break activities. My life prior to this trip was super busy because I was working and studying full-time. Before 2008, I really hadn't traveled too far away from home. While traveling to Florida on spring break, the person who was driving lost control and the vehicle overturned 6 times. I was ejected out of the car & the car was completely totaled. I had to be airlifted to the hospital. Now, keep in mind, that I was away from all family and friends since my car accident happened out of town. Life After Becoming An Amputee My injuries were pretty bad, which resulted in the amputation of my right leg. I have had 9 surgeries and 6 blood transfusions since the accident. I took a hiatus from college due to depression from the wreck, but eventually I went back and finished school. I am now a two-time college graduate. Since my right leg was amputated, I had to learn not only how to walk with the use of a prosthetic, but also how to drive all over again. There were so many times when I felt alone and had no one there. I now drive with my left foot, which isn't as hard as you would think. Although it may seem like the end of the world, you have to keep fighting and progressing forward in life. Don't let your doubt and insecurities keep you pursuing what you want to do in life. Remember that no matter who you are or what you are going through, make sure to share your life with others because you never know who has gone through a similar situation.

התאונה ששיתקה אותי היי, שמי היידי ואני סטילייסטית אישית בת 39 מלונדון. לפני 4 שנים התעוררתי לאחר שהייתי בתרדמת בטיפול נמרץ לסיוט שעד מהרה הפך למציאות שלי. נפלתי במדרגות בביתי, שברתי את צווארי ונותרתי משותקת מהחזה ומטה. עד מהרה למדתי שלעולם לא אצעד שוב ונגזר עליי כיסא גלגלים למשך כל חיי, שלא לדבר על חוסר היכולת הכמעט מוחלט להזיז את ידיי. החיים שלי התהפכו. The accident that paralyzed me Hi, my name is Heidi and I’m a 39 year old personal stylist from London. Around 4 years ago, I woke up after being in a coma in intensive care to a nightmare that was soon to become my reality. I had fallen down the stairs at my home and broken my neck leaving me paralyzed from the chest down. I quickly learnt that I would never walk again and would be destined to a wheelchair for the rest of my life, not to mention the little movement in my hands. My whole life was hanging upside down on a thread. התמודדות עם העולם לאחר התאונה שלי אחרי כמעט שנה בגמילה, הגיע הזמן לצאת מהבועה ולהתמודד עם העולם שפעם הכרתי. רק אז הבנתי את סדר הגודל של הפגיעה שלי. הביטחון וההערכה העצמית שלי רוסקו לרסיסים. התמודדתי מדי יום עם הקושי של חוסר היכולת לבטא את עצמי כאישה שהייתי פעם. זה חייב אותי להתבונן על עצמי מנקודת המבט של מישהי שכבר אינה בעלת יציבה או מראה מושלמים, אבל עדיין רציתי להיראות ולהרגיש טוב. Facing the world after my accident After nearly 1 year in rehab, it was time to leave the bubble and face the world I once knew. This is where the enormity of my injury struck me. My confidence and self esteem were shot to pieces. I was faced daily with the difficulty of not being able to express myself as the woman that I once was. This forced me to examine myself from the point of view of not having the perfect posture, figure or appearance but still wanted to look and feel good. איך סטיילינג אישי עזר לי עם הביטחון העצמי החלטתי להפסיק לרחם על עצמי ולעשות משהו בעל ערך. החלטתי לעבור הסבה מקצועית לסטייליסטית אישית ולצבור ניסיון רב ערך, לעבוד עם כמה מעצבי על. זה היה אחד הדברים הטובים ביותר שעשיתי אי פעם מאחר שלא רק שזה היה פנטסטי לעזור לאחרים, אלא גם מסע של בניית ביטחון עצמי וגילוי עצמי. How personal styling helped me with self-confidence I decided to stop feeling sorry for myself and do something worthwhile. I decided to retrain as a personal stylist and gain invaluable experience, working with some of the top stylists out there. It was one of the best things I’ve ever done in the sense that it was not only fantastic helping others, but also a journey of building self-confidence and self-discovery. השבת הביטחון העצמי למרות המצוקה כיום אני יועצת סטיילינג אישי המתמחה בלעזור לאנשים לגלות את הצבעים המושלמים להם, הסגנון ואיך להתלבש בהתאם למראה הגוף שלהם. ההשראה שלי היא לאמץ אינדיבידואליות וגיוון ולהתגבר על חסמי המוגבלות, במיוחד בעולם האופנה. אני רוצה לחלוק את המסע שלי, בתקווה לעורר אחרים לשנות את האופן שבו הם רואים את עצמם ולהבין שאפשר להתגבר על כל דבר. כאשר דלת אחת נסגרת - שתיים נפתחות. Win back self confidence through adversity I now run a personal styling consultancy specializing in helping people discover their perfect colors, style and how to dress for their body type. My inspiration is to embrace individuality and diversity and push through the boundaries of disability, especially in the fashion world. I would like to share my journey, in the hope to inspire others to change how they see themselves and realize that anything is possible to overcome. When one door closes, a double door opens.

Hiring a Disability Support Worker Sometimes it’s helpful to have someone that can take some stress off your shoulders, good help starts with a good person. You might need someone to set schedules, take phone calls or help you with your finances, you may also need someone to do some housework and cook you some meals. If your needs require higher care support, you might need someone to provide personal care duties for you, for example: showering, dressing, toileting. Whatever your needs are, you definitely want to make sure you get the support person who is right for you. Below are 10 steps you should know when hiring a Disability Support Worker: Tip #1 You have decided that you need a Disability Support Worker. It is a good idea to write down what supports you need and to be specific about them. Tip #2 You will need to find out what qualifications a Disability Support Worker needs, usually they require a "Working with Children’s Check" (a card that proves the person is safe to work with children), a First Aid Certificate, Certificate III or higher in Community Services or Disability. But check the rules in your state or country. Tip #3 You will need to do research in your state of country on what the legal rights you have and that of your Support Worker. You will also need to research what the correct pay rate your Support Worker will receive from you, whether they are a Casual worker, Part-time, Full-time etc. and how much tax you should withhold from their pay. Tip #4 Once you know what your Disability Support Worker is required to have in regards to qualifications and pay, you can plan and write down a job description and responsibilities of your Support Worker, what the hourly rate you will pay, and how many hours you require someone to assist you. All the information you provide can be placed on a job advertising website. Tip #5 Research job advertising websites to place your job ad. Some job advertising websites can be expensive to be able to utilise them, other websites are free and are just as effective. You might also want to inform your prospective Support Workers, on the job ad, that you will be conducting interviews. Tip #6 Once you have received enough resumes, you can read through all of them to narrow down the ones that may be your fit. Tip #7 Contact your chosen people that you would like to interview, arrange a time with them and conduct the interview in a public place rather than your home, this is essentially to protect yourself and your privacy. Tip #8 Once you have scheduled dates for your interviews, write down some questions that you might like to ask people, it’s always good to see how the person reacts when you ask questions and you also get a feeling of what the person is like. This is optional, but, you may also want to talk about a probation period with your Support Worker, the probation period can be 1-3 months, this is just in case you and your worker are not seeing eye to eye. Tip #9 Never make up your mind at an interview, always wait until you have interviewed everyone you like, then you can make an informed decision. Once you have chosen your Support Worker/s, you can contact them again to discuss times and days you will require them to work. If you have two Support Workers, it’s always good to even both of their hours, that way it will help them both with their schedules for their free time. Tip #10 The final step is to enjoy being more independent now that you have a Disability Support Worker, but also make sure are absolutely happy with how things are working out. There are some important things to remember, you should never feel trapped in any situation. If you have an unhappy feeling every time your Disability Support Worker works with you, you must write down everything that you are unhappy with, and plan a meeting with your Support Worker, so you can discuss an opportunity for improvement. You are well within your rights have someone else with you for support during the meeting. You should also have professional boundaries when it comes to yourself and your Disability Support Worker. I have had too many issues with previous Disability Support Workers, and that is why I had to come up with this 10 step solution, which has helped me a lot when I have hired current Disability Support Workers.

Race recap #2 Almost a month ago, my mom and I paddled in the 2nd annual Bellyak race for a cause again sponsered by the Mountain Sports Festival in Asheville, NC. Throughout the week leading up to race day, Adam and I communicated regarding the weather up in NC to see if the race would've had to be cancelled due to the rain making the river water extremely high which is sometimes unsafe to paddle, luckily we were able to have the race. When I had my graduation paddle last summer, I learned that Adam liked fried pies so I convinced mom to stop by JaeMor Farms on our way up to the race and she got Adam two apple and two peach fried pies which he enjoyed both peach fried pies while his friend Bill Wunderlich enjoyed both apple fried pies. It didn't start raining until after the race had started, but it didn't really matter to us since we were already paddling on the river and getting wet anyway. When we got off the river, Adam asked me if I wanted to get off of my bellyak and back into my wheelchair, but then I asked him "don't we normally get a group picture afterwards?" like we did after last year's race and Adam responds "you know we do" haha. I think the difference between last year and this year was that I got stronger, I made improvements from last year, and realized that I need to stretch my hips out by laying down with my legs stretched out because since I'm in my wheelchair all day, my legs are used to being stiff causing them to shake when I'm laying down on my bellyak. Participants, The Grand prize, and the amount of money raised There were thirteen total bellyakers participating in the race who came from seven different states aged from eight years old to adult. The participants included a newly married couple on their honeymoon, my mom, and I, a family of five, Adam, his friend Bill Wunderlich, Bellyak's marketing MVP Natalie, and Adam's girlfriend. Just like last year, I chose not to race against the three kids. Instead of trophies as the prize like last year, this year's grand prize was a astral otter life jacket. This year we continued to raise money for Our Voice which is a non profit organization in pursuit of a sexual violence free community. The organization helps people in Buncome County, North Carolina who have been affected by either sexual assult or abuse through counseling, advocacy, and education. Last year we raised $72 for the organization and this year we raised $114 due to more people participating in the race. So the first two years of the race a total amount of almost $200 and exactly $186 has been raised for Our Voice, and I have a feeling that the amount of money raised will keep increasing as the race hopefully continues to get more popular and more people will want to paddle.

Growing up with a Limb Difference I’m Sarah I have brown hair and green eyes and I was born with one of my hands a little smaller than the other. I can do the things that I need to and want to, although sometimes it is hard, sometimes it will look a little different, and sometimes it takes creativity. It has been quite an adventure growing up with a limb difference. I went from being an exuberant outgoing toddler, to a painfully shy high schooler, and finally a confident woman. I used to use my hand, then started to hide it whenever possible, to then realize that was ridiculous and now embrace the function I have. I went from not caring about it, to hating it, to disassociating myself from it, to thinking it wasn’t so bad, and now being proud of the life it has taught me. This road has required massive insight, self-awareness, self-acceptance, self-love, and coping strategies to handle my deeply rooted insecurities. I remember sitting in groups with my peers, being too shy and insecure to contribute to the conversation. I remember seeing these confident young women and thinking “that’s who I am, that’s who I used to be” but I was battling myself and the stigma around having a difference that I was not able to break the barrier to become myself. "you might as well give them something to look at" I cried a lot and let my insecurities grow and weave elaborate webs in my head. I journaled on sheets of paper and then dramatically lit them on fire for the fear of anyone accidently reading them. I saw myself born with defects, as something to be found on a clearance rack due to “missing pieces.” I put up with friendships and relationships that would only “give” the “clearance price,” for my friendship. I never asked for more because I didn’t feel I was worth it. I am so thankful for the family, friends, and mentors in my life who did love me wholeheartedly, who tried to get me see that I was worthy of their love and friendship as well. (I did have a lot of fun as a child too, I wasn’t crying alllll the time:) A large wake up call for me was reading a book by Sarah Dessen called “The Truth about Forever.” There is a character, Kristy who was in a car accident, had scars on her face and arms and she was a very vibrant and confident teen who wore eccentric outfits. The main character said “why do you do all of this?” and she responded with “They are going to look anyway, you might as well give them something to look at.” From that point, I stopped trying to hide from everyone and begun to be something worth looking at, clearing away the webs. Today, I am proud to say that I have broken the barrier and I have made peace with my insecurities. I have re-written truths for myself: I am worthy of love and belonging, I am born with everything I need, I am worthy to be here. Myself beyond my Limb Difference I am very much a dreamer and find so many things about this world fascinating. I like to say that I have a “gypsy soul” and I enjoy following opportunities, some of them drastically changing my life in ways I could never imagine. I struggle with wanting to do everything, and be everywhere all at the same time. At 23, I desperately needed a job and found myself living on the east coast working as a flight attendant! Of course, knowing me, that can’t be it. I spent my off time volunteering at Shriner’s hospitals (I was a patient there in the 90’s) and discovered Occupational Therapy. For the past 2 years I have been working as a flight attendant in the summer/winter and going to OT school in the fall/spring. I recently took up aerial arts and now I enjoy spending my time learning new tricks on the silks, lyra, and very recently the flying trapeze. I love traveling, house plants, reading fiction, hiking, campfires, painting, drinking tea, lazy mornings, being outside, laughing with people I love, spicy food, dancing, live shows, supporting people I love doing things they love, and long conversations that speak from the soul. I am totally idealistic, a little dramatic, overly enthusiastic and incredibly welcoming. What about you? It is interesting to draft this about me and think, what are the things that would resonate and connect with the members of this community? Do people want to have these “harder conversations?” Am I too dramatic? Would people rather read about some of my fun facts? Did I say “I” too much? After re-reading it a million times, I felt this was my truth, this is what I have to offer! I am very interested in how people introduce themselves to their peers, specifically children with differences and disabilities to new peer groups like a sports team. What are the effective aspects of this conversation that maintain respect and inclusion? What have you found to be the most effective ways of introducing yourself? This is my focus for OT school, is looking into how people introduce themselves, I cannot wait to hear about you! It is nice to meet you, I look forward chatting -Sarah

Technology That Improves Lifestyle: Discover Accessibility QuadJoy is a hands free, mouth operated joystick computer mouse designed specifically for individuals with disabled hand movement. The vision for QuadJoy is a device that grants new freedom for the paralyzed and disabled who feel restricted to constantly rely on others. Its simple Sip & Puff system is easy to use, allowing for efficient device operation. QuadJoy allows you to quickly control your Windows or Mac computer and your Android mobile smartphone or tablet using Bluetooth. QuadJoy empowers the disabled and opens endless opportunities for individuals to independently control technology. The Simplicity of QuadJoy QuadJoy is amazingly simple to use out of the box. Plug in and play! Sip abruptly to left click. Puff abruptly to right click. Puff slowly to scroll. No confusing instructions to trudge through for initial setup. Efficiency QuadJoy outperforms other assistive technology such as eye gaze, or speech selection allowing you to get more done in a shorter period of time. Eye gaze is slow and cumbersome. Speech selection is inconsistent and inaccurate. QuadJoy allows for agile user control by providing the flexibility to customize settings and shortcuts called Gestures for smoother, faster operation. QuadJoy Compatibility QuadJoy is compatible with a wide selection of devices: Windows Computers (USB/Bluetooth) Mac Computers (USB/Bluetooth) Android Phones and Tablets (Bluetooth)

THIRD WORLD LIVING I was born in Laos in 1978 where people were self-sufficient and farmed their own land to feed their families and animals. My father was in the military and like most people in my country, my mother and grandparents were part of the farming culture. We took nothing for granted and were happy to live the life that we did. We didn't have much, but we were content. In the town where we lived, it wasn't uncommon to find cows, bulls, chickens, pigs, and other animals that were used to help us live. We were so used to having the animals around, that we often didn't blink an eye if one escaped from the fencing. That was until one day a runaway bull changed my life forever. THE ACCIDENT: WHEN I WAS RUN OVER There's a saying that goes,"I feel like I was hit by a bus!" In my case, I was run over by an escaped bull at the age of 3 years old. I was sitting on the ground playing with other kids in the village. All of a sudden I saw people getting up, running, and screaming. My back was turned away from the bull, so I didn't get a chance to react because it happened so fast. Throwing me up in the air like a rag doll, the bull showed no mercy. I fell to the ground and then he came back and stomped on my left hip. The pain was excruciating, and I learned that I broke my back and shattered my hip. In Laos you can't just call 9-11 and expect an ambulance to show up to take you to a high-tech hospital. Things are simple there and healthcare isn't the same as it is here in the United States. I was immediately taken to the monk's village home for a blessing. Laos is a very spiritual country where the natives believe in self-healing and miracles. The only thing that may have saved me was that village elders made me a handmade cast casing, so my back and hip would somewhat heal. There wasn't really any professional medical care given at the time. COMING TO AMERICA My family and I continued to live in Laos for a few years after my accident. My mother did her best to take care of me and even built me a standing frame. She believed that I would walk again someday and had faith that I would be healed. So, there I was in the middle of a third world country where I couldn't do much because of my condition and wasn't doing well in terms of my health due to lack of proper healthcare. Two years after my injury my parents decided it was best to pick up our family and move to the United States. They wanted me to have better access to doctors and treatments that would keep me healthy. We had a lot of difficulty leaving the country and had to fight every step of the way. My parents didn't give up though, and for that I am forever grateful. When we first arrived in the United States, we lived in North Carolina and then Illinois. As I grew older and wiser I didn't want to deal with the snow anymore. Eventually I moved to California where I currently reside. When we lived in Laos, the other kids in the village had very physical jobs and I was not able to perform them anymore. When we moved to the States I eventually became an assistant to my family helping with a lot of paperwork as well as translating. Therefore, speaking English became second nature to me and over the years I have been able to receive proper medical treatments. We had to move halfway across the world, but without doing so, I don't know where I would be in my life right now. FINDING FREEDOM THROUGH OUTDOOR ADAPTIVE SPORTS To say this changed my life forever is an understatement. I look back and I could still be living in a third world country if this didn't happen to me. In a way, I have accepted it because I have a wonderful life here in the States. I am able to get out in the world and try all these fun activities that maybe I wouldn't have been able to experience if I still lived back in Laos. Throughout my life here in America, I have found many adaptive sports that I love taking part in. I have cultivated a passion for being outdoors. Para-canoe racing is my first love, but I enjoy rowing, surfing, sailing, mountain biking, and road races as well. When I am kayaking, surfing, or sailing I feel so free in the water. My body and mind know no boundaries when I am surrounded by it. Usually on Mondays and Wednesdays you'll find me rowing in Long Beach, CA or paddling in San Diego. Saturdays are my freestyle days for hand-cycling, surfing, skiing in the winter, and socializing in the disability community of southern California. I have always tried to be active at least three times a week. I personally believe we are not meant to sit in our wheelchairs all day. Since we can sometimes be limited in certain aspects of life, we must show the world that we are capable of anything we put our minds and bodies to. THE FACE OF AMERICA RIDE TO GETTYSBURG I struggled with depression for so many years after my injury. For a long time, I wondered why the accident happened to me. I doubted that I would be able to have a social life or even date. I felt robbed of my childhood and teenage years as I was adjusting to life in America. Through the years I found my passion in adaptive sports and socializing with those who lived a similar life to my own. I found that I am most comfortable while doing outdoor activities. This led me to trying something I never thought possible: an extensive hand-cycle ride! For three days in April, I was tested both physically and mentally when I decided to take part in this 110-mile hand-cycle trip with World T.E.A.M. Sports. I had no idea it was that long when I was first introduced to the program through a staff member who follows me on social media. I figured it was maybe 20 miles at the most. Boy, was I wrong! The Face of America Ride to Gettysburg was like nothing I had ever experienced before. From an endurance point of view, I knew I was in for quite the ride. My dream of seeing the countryside and having the freedom I so badly wanted came true during those few days. It was very intimidating hand-cycling through three states. We traveled through Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. I was willing to give it my all, no matter how nervous I was. Around mile 86 I was doubting both my inner and physical strength. My hands and arms were screaming to stop, but my mind wouldn't give up. I didn't think I could do it anymore, but I was lucky enough to be with such an amazing, supportive, and encouraging group of athletes. At times they would help me when I was struggling uphill. This event wasn't focused on just solo hand-cycling, but also teamwork. In the back of my mind I kept telling myself that it was awareness for a great cause. We were fundraising for disabled veterans and I couldn't give up on them. Somehow, I cranked to the finish line and I was so proud of what I accomplished. My advice to readers who are thinking of taking part in The Face of America Ride to Gettysburg or other road races like it, would be to take baby steps and know your limits, because the only way to break through those limits is to know what they are.

Ultramarathon Cycling For years Ultra-marathon Cycling was my passion. I competed in up to five 24-hour races a year and had a life goal of competing in the Race Across America. In 2011 during a race I somehow got a Staph infection internally so I went to the Doctor and was given Antibiotics. Little did I know that this medication would change my life forever. Spinal Cord Injury Surgery My medication got rid of my infection, but I was one of the unfortunate many who had an adverse affect. The medication attacked the Myelin lining of my spinal cord and caused it to swell, leading to a full compression from C4 to T1. By June 2012 I was paralyzed from the chest down with minimal arm and hand function. My local healthcare providers were stumped so I made arrangements to be seen by Johns Hopkins. In minutes they knew the cause and put me in immediately for surgery. I had surgery in August 2012 to release the pressure and fuse C5 to C7. In October I had a second surgery to fuse C4 to T1 and wrap the entire area in a Titanium shield. Navigating Life with a Spinal Cord Injury After the second surgery I began intense therapy at Kennedy Krieger Institute and within weeks I was able to stand and walk with a walker. My sensation returned slowly and over the coarse of the next 18 months I learned to walk and use my hands again. I fought through the Clonus, hypersensitivity, muscle atrophy and the shut down of my Adrenal system. I fought back through a divorce, loss of my job, medical bills, and daily pain. Slowly I began to get my life back, although it was a much different life than I knew before. New Goals With Spinal Cord Injury I have continued to improve to this day, and earlier this year I was finally able to begin cycling again. I will never be able to get to the level I was at before, but I am making steady improvements. I have most of the feeling back and control of most muscle function, although I still have balance and speed issues. I continue to push myself every day, and I hope to be able to walk without a cane by year's end. My old goal was to compete in Race Across America. My new goal is to be able to one day compete in a 24-hour race. I hope to be able to complete at least 120 miles, much lower than the 300 to 400 of the past. But I will be more than happy to get back to that, regardless of the distance I am able to achieve. I also have a goal to help others with life changing injuries and diseases. I want to help with my Instagram page, a future YouTube Channel, and by becoming a Certified Physical Trainer, specializing in helping those with disabilities. I hope that my story can help or inspire others, as much as others' stories have helped and inspired me. I will end by saying to always remember that every step is a good step. Every improvement is a gift and to never give up. You can do anything.

Graduation: A Reflection on why my disability doesn't make me different I want to say it was a success. It was, but it wasn’t. You see I am a dancer, but a dancer alone is not at all who I am. Through my dancing experience, I became an advocate. It’s not about overcoming my disability; it’s far from that. I never saw my disability as a reason why choreographers wouldn’t choose me or why I shouldn’t take technique classes. I thought if I worked hard enough then I would be selected to be in multiple pieces. I thought I would have an equal opportunity as other dancers. Free Your Mind From Rejection: Keep Creating I came to this school expecting choreographers and teachers to see me as an asset as a way to create something no one has ever seen before. I’ve always dreamt of dancing beyond my own imagination. I was able to get a small dosage of that. As I move forward, I want my community to know that you can become an artist. You can be a dancer but know it’s hard because our hearts long to be free. Free from all the worries and what if's. Free from the fear of total rejection. Free from facing the cruel reality of all the injustices you will face. Free from the possibility no one will see your perspective. I will say go for it anyway because beyond all that we can create a better and more accessible pathway for future generations. We can change people to see us from a different angle. Even if you change one person, know that is like changing the world because you changed someone’s entire world. Keep creating, keep going.

השוני הוא יופי עם תסמונת דאון שמי סלואה. אני צרפתיה ומרוקאית. נולדתי ב-1998 עם כרומוזום נוסף. בנוסף לתסמונת הדאון שלי התפתחה לוקמיה במהלך הדרך, בה נאבקתי וניצחתי בקרב, אך איבדתי את שיערי שמאז לא חזר לצמוח. זה לא מנע ממני למלא את חיי בחלומות. אני אחת ממכורות האופנה הגדולות וכשאני קונה עם אחותי או עם חברים, כולם מביטים בי. זה לא בגלל שאני אישה צעירה ויפה, אלא כי אין לי שיער. אנשים מביטים בי מבטים חטופים מלאי חמלה ואפילו פחד לפעמים. מפתיע? ובכן, מוגבלויות בקושי מיוצגות! Difference is beauty with Down Syndrome My name is Salwa. I am French and Moroccan. I was born in 1998 with an additional chromosome. My Down syndrome chose to pick a Leucemia along the way, but I was against it. Of course, my additional chromosome was more than enough. Thus, I won the battle against Leucemia but the rascal gifted me with a poisoned chalice, and I lost my hair. After this battle, my hair never grew back. That did not prevent me to fill my live with dreams. I am one of the biggest fashion addicts and when I am shopping with my sister or friends, everybody looks at me. It's not because I am a beautiful & young women, but because I have NO HAIR. People give me the side eye looking at me with pity and even fear sometimes. Is that shocking? Well, disabilities are scarcely represented! להציב את תסמונת הדאון בחזית ראיתן פעם אדם עם תסמונת דאון שהוא הפנים של מותג מפורסם או מופיע על העמוד הראשי של מגזינים בצרפת? בדיוק. לכן אין זה מפתיע שאנשים מגיבים בצורה כזו בכל פעם שהם רואים אותי. זה הטבע האנושי; אנחנו לא יודעים, לא רואים, אז מסתכלים בשיפוטיות. "ילדה מסכנה, יש לה תסמונת דאון והיא קירחת". על ידי שיתוף תמונות בחשבון האינסטגרם שלי, המטרה היא לאתגר את הייצוג החברתי ולשים פנים עם תסמונת דאון בחזית. אני מכור לאופנה! אופנה היא ביטוי של אישיות. כשאני מרגישה אופנתית, יש לי אנרגיה טובה ואני בטוחה יותר. לבגדים יש את היכולת להביע עמדות וערכים וזו צורת הביטוי שלי. לעולם אל תשכחו שהתפיסה שיש לנו לגבי אנשים עם מוגבלות משתנה בהתאם למקום שבו היא נמצאת במבנה החברתי שלנו. אז בואו נהיה בחזית של הייצוג האוניברסלי. putting faces of Down syndrome on the forefront Have you ever seen a person with Down syndrome being the face of a famous brand or being on the cover of magazines in France? Exactly. That may justify why people react in such a manner whenever they see me. It's human nature; we do not know, we do not see, so we judge and look with insistence. "Poor girl. She has Down syndrome and she is bald." By sharing pictures on my Instagram account, my purpose is to challenge social representation and put faces of Down syndrome on the forefront. I am a fashion addict! Fashion is an expression of personality. When I feel fashion, I have good energy and feel more confident. Clothing has the ability to express attitude and fashion values and that's my fashion expression. Never forget that the perception we have of disabled people varies according to the place it has in our social structure. So, let's be at the forefront of universal inclusion.