Search

Zion Is Our Warrior Child Despite Having Special Needs My son, Zion, was diagnosed with special needs when he was 2 1/2 years old. He was a good baby and loved to stare at lights. My husband is visually impaired, so we were concerned for my son's eyes. After proper testing, we discovered he was. When Zee turned 7 years old, we discovered he also has Epilepsy. He loves people and music and going to church. I work full time to support our family. I would encourage everybody to reach out for help and do something for yourself to be a better caregiver, such as exercise and eat with nutrition in mind. I have an online fitness business, which allows me to work outside of the home and workout at home. Please contact me if you're interested in more information: Instagram: @denise.summers summd12@gmail.com

Battling Through life with Cerebral Palsy Hi, I'm Caitlyn. From a first glance if I were sitting down, you would think I was your average teenager. However, if you were to survey my entire body you would notice a moon boot (soon-to-be AFO ) and then you may also notice my touching fingers. If I were walking, I'd be easily noticed. Despite having Cerebral Palsy, I still give everything a go. Running Cross Country with Cerebral Palsy I might take longer than the average person, but I eventually complete tasks. For example, in year 9 cross country (running), I started with the year 9's who started first before the other groups up until year 13. I may have been crossing the finishing line with the wrong year because I took longer, but I did it! Are you saying you cant do something because you can't or are you saying you can't do because it would take longer?

Rare Disease: GNE Myopathy (HIBM) At age 20 I set out to complete a Bachelors of Fine Arts majoring in Industrial design. At the same time I began experiencing mysterious physical symptoms, symptoms that would lead me to an unimaginable future. I went from kicking soccer balls, running and leading an active life to making use of leg braces, canes and today a full-time wheelchair. After a tumultuous 5 years of searching for a name for this uninvited stumbling block, I would learn I had an extremely rare genetic muscle deterioration condition called GNE Myopathy (aka HIBM) which could take my once active body to quadriplegic state. I Document the Milestones of My Disability In Drawings This rare condition affects one to three thousand people worldwide. My condition is known to the medical world as an “orphan disease” which is ironic since I was born an orphan in South Korea. All my doctors told me there was no hope. I was too rare to ever meet another patient like myself and I should quit college and lead a less ambitious life. According to their medical textbooks my future looked bleak. After completing my Bachelors I flew to California and found a design job. I also found a non-profit for my rare condition helping to propel advocacy and research science for GNEM. I was no longer alone and the medical world was wrong. My world had opened up and I began advocacy to help spread awareness about my condition. I offered my design services and fundraised but I soon realized it’s hard for people to empathize with medical textbook definitions so I began blogging about my personal experiences with GNE Myopathy. I soon realized some people respond to stories visually so I taught myself illustration and began drawing out my experiences to raise awareness. I hoped my simple drawings would not only educate the viewer about GNEM but also the viewer would see themselves in my drawings and relate it to their own struggles. “Ultimately we know deeply that the other side of fear is freedom.” – Marilyn Ferguson HIBM changed my whole world HIBM came along when I was 20 and changed my whole world. Life felt both surreal and confusing. I was never one to fear death (except a painful one), but I never imagined becoming disabled—that was something that could happen to others but never to me, I thought. 18 years later I am wheelchair bound but live life even larger than when I was able bodied. I’m constantly traveling and participating in daredevil stunts like skydiving, parasailing and scuba diving. I have a deep unquenchable thirst for life and hold a philosophy of trying anything at least once. I realized I could give up on the rest of my dreams by succumbing to fear, or face the challenge head on. I chose the latter. Life feels short and nothing has made me more aware of that than my severely debilitating disability and chronic condition. Sharing My Drawings I tend to follow the lines of Twain’s “Write what you know.” I also draw what I know in an array of stories about my life that will hopefully resonate with many — the things that sometimes hurt us, challenge us, frighten us, make us laugh, make us brave or weak and make us cry. My upper body has begun weakening and one day could be immobile, unable to draw but for now I'm incredibly grateful I can somewhat share the inner space of my mind with others and visually document this journey. You live, you draw Through this process I realized you don't need a rare disease to understand my depicted emotions, and most can relate to loss. So many of us grieve in our corners in silence aching to be understood and I hope my drawings can put an explanation to the unexplainable and shed light on those who feel alone. What do you do when you find out your future will be different than you thought? You live, you draw. You do all the things you've ever wanted to do because through the struggle you understand what time really means.

סיפור התגברות על שיתוק מוחין אני באיחור של כמה ימים מיום המודעות לשיתוק מוחין (28 במרץ), אבל סוף סוף הגעתי לנקודה בחיי שבה אני מרגישה גאה במי שאני. כל שנה אני לובשת ירוק בחודש מרץ כדי לתמוך באחרים שיש להם שיתוק מוחין. רוב החברים והמשפחה שלי יודעים את הסיפור שלי, אבל רק השנה לאחר קריאת סיפורי השראה של אנשים אחרים מ-YOOCAN החלטתי לחלוק אותו. Cerebral Palsy Overcomer Story I'm a few days late on CP Awareness Day (March 28th) but I finally reached a point in my life where I feel like I am proud of who I am. Every year I wear green in the month of March to support others who have Cerebral Palsy. Most of my friends and family know my story, but it wasn't until this year and reading the inspiring stories of other individuals from @yoocandoanything that I thought to share my own. אני מתגברת לאלו מכם שלא יודעים, שיתוק מוחין משפיע בעיקר על תנועת הגוף והקואורדינציה בשרירים. כל מקרה שיתוק מוחין הוא שונה והסימנים יכולים להשתנות מאדם לאדם. במקרה הספציפי שלי בורכתי כי נולדתי עם שיתוק מוחין קל יחסית שמשפיע בעיקר על הרגליים שלי. בכנות, יש ימים שבהם אני נאבקת במיוחד עם משימות יומיומיות רגילות כמו הליכה ארוכה או להחליף מספר זוגות נעליים בכל חודש. אבל למרות כל זאת אני מתגברת. I am an overcomer For those who may not know, CP primarily affects body movement and muscle coordination. Every person's CP case is different and the signs can vary from person to person. For my case specifically, I was blessed because I was born with a mild form of spastic diplegia which mainly affects my legs. If I was honest, there are still days I struggle especially with normal everyday tasks like walking for long periods of time or going through multiple pairs of shoes each month. But despite all of this I've had to remember I am an overcomer. תודה ל-YOOCAN המאבקים שלי רק מחשלים אותי ולכן, אני יודעת שבסופו של דבר זה לא הסיפור שלי, אלא כיצד אלוהים בחר שאהיה. אחד הדברים האהובים עלי לעשות עם המשפחה שלי הוא לטייל למקומות חדשים. השנה אני באמת דוחפת את עצמי כדי ללמוד פעילויות חדשות מחוץ לאזור הנוחות שלי כמו שחייה וסקייטבורד. שוב תודה ל-YOOCAN על יצירת קהילה של אנשים כה מעוררי השראה. ולמרות שמרץ נגמר, קחו את הזמן והעריכו את הרגליים שלכם היום. 💚 Thanks @yoocandoanything Whatever struggles I have it will only make me stronger. And because of that, I know ultimately it's not my story, but what God has done through me. One of my favorite things to do with my family is hiking to new places. This year I've been really pushing myself to learn new activities out of my comfort zone, things I'm trying to teach myself right now are swimming and skateboarding. But again thanks to @yoocandoanything for creating a community of people who are so inspiring. And although March is over, take the time to appreciate your legs today. 💚 Follow my journey on Instagram @_chelsters

In the Beginning with Osteogenesis Imperfecta I’m 37 years of age, single & disabled. I was born & raised in Chicago with a bone condition called Osteogenesis Imperfecta, otherwise referred to as Brittle Bones disorder. Simply put, it’s a disease that effects the collagen in the bones making it easy to result in a fracture or break, often times with little to no trauma at all. Regardless, I’ve lived a rather normal life, whatever “normal” means in this generation. I’ve gone to college, graduated with 2 degrees; one a B.A. in Management & the other a Certificate in Paralegal Studies. I had finally reached my dream of obtaining a career in the legal field. proving yourself worthy Working as a Contract Paralegal wasn’t easy for me. While I was an excellent worker, I experienced a great deal of fears from my coworkers. I noticed how, just like in college during group projects, no one was reluctant to work with me. I began forcing myself on others just to gain respect, aggressively engaging myself into conversations only to often become "silenced" by the group leader. With hand gestures in all...I had to show them that I deserved to be here just as well as my counterparts. That, alone with living life in general was a daunting task. While you live with an “I don’t care what anyone thinks about me” attitude, there’s still times when you subconsciously struggle to prove yourself worthy, that you can do it too! My Normal with with Osteogenesis Imperfecta Earlier on, I mentioned how I live a rather "normal" life. Normal for me is getting dressed in as less as legally allowed (Haha!!) & going out club hopping with my crew to scope out which guys I can get to buy us drinks. Normal for me is cruising the streets with my crew on a hot summer night. Normal for me is heading to the beach for a dip in Lake Michigan, the park for a family barbecue & a little retail therapy. After all, every girl deserves to look & feel her very best. As you can tell, I utilze the term "normal" the same way the general population uses it. Living life as a single mom with a disability Motherhood was a whirlwind. It came & went for me. I carried my only child for 7 1/2 months. Being a small woman in a wheelchair with a large belly definitely came with looks & stares. I was alone, left by her father who wanted nothing to do with me or a child that was going to have lifelong health problems. In the short time she was here, he refused to see her “like this.” I decided a long time ago that NO MAN stops a show. I made up my mind that I would do this alone & I did. With no regrets & no hesitation I moved on in life as a single mom with a disability. Many felt pity for me. I don’t like pity, it’s a poor attempt at temporary love. She spent 6 months in the NICU & has been in & out of the hospital; PICU being her second home. In spite of, I loved her the way she was; Perfectly Imperfect. My Haley Jean earned her wings March 18, 2015 from cardiac & neurological complications. To experience motherhood in its rawness is a blessing that I will eternally be grateful for. Dating with a disability Dating has turned out to be a disaster! I decided to try online dating...Even worse. In my experience, most men that are online are only interested in fulfilling their fantasies of being with a woman with a disability. Especially one who’s a little person, not to mention if I can feel anything down there & if the wheelchair can join us in the bedroom. I’m a beautiful woman & I say that humbly. I love to dress, fashion is my life & it shows when I go out with my crew. I post photos of me in my wheelchair, yet I receive very unflattering messages. Then there are times we hit the clubs...I will get at least 3 guys to buy us drinks all night, yet not ONE of them will ask for my number. They’re most definitely interested in my sister though. If only they weren’t so afraid of the chair. I truly believe people fear what they don’t understand. I would love the opportunity to date again, to party & do a one night stand!!! To meet at least a few guys to date on platonic levels & see where it leads. Giving birth with Osteogenesis Imperfecta The disorder I have comes with many prerequisites, one being empathy, which I believe to be the reason I was able to care for & advocate for my daughter in such intimate & nurturing ways. I’m an intensivist so I’ve been told. I operate on such an intense level, I give my all until I’m all tapped out. The night before I gave birth via cesarean, I wasn’t nervous. Excited yes... But not nervous. I saw it as just another surgery, only this time it would result in the presence of a baby. My giving birth was nothing short of uncommon.

אסירת תודה על שאיבדתי את הרגל בלבד אני חזקה, אנרגטית, אמיצה, אינטליגנטית, משיגת מטרות, חסרת אנוכיות ובעלת חוסן נפשי. בדיוק לפני 12 שנה (19/4/2006) יצאתי לטיול מצפון ניגריה למערב ניגריה להשתתף בטקס נישואין של חבר קרוב. בשובי הייתי מעורבת בתאונת דרכים בגלל נהיגה פזיזה של הנהג שלנו. תודה לאל, התאונה גבתה ממני את רגלי אבל לא את חיי. עברתי שני ניתוחים גדולים. בהתחלה הייתי מרירה, מלאת צער, כאובה ובוכיה. יום אחרי יום, דמיינתי נס שיחזיר לי את רגלי היפה, אבל זה מעולם לא קרה. ב-90 הימים שביליתי במיטה בבית החולים בתנאים נוראיים, המשפחה והחברים שלי היו צריכים לספק לי את כל הדברים הדרושים. באותו הזמן ייחלתי שהמדינה הייתה טובה יותר בטיפול ברווחת אזרחיה. אני לא יכולה לתאר את החוויה הנוראית. השתגעתי לגמרי. השנה הראשונה הייתה קשה מאוד להסתגלות. עומס על רגלי, דחייה, אכזבה ופרוטזה היו דברים שלמדתי להתמודד איתם. היום אני מה שאלוהים ייעד אותי להיות. אני אסירת תודה לאלוהים על המסע עד כה. למרות שאני עדיין עובדת קשה מאוד כדי להשיג את המטרות שלי ולהיות אדם טוב יותר. Grateful for only Losing My Lower Limb I am strong, energetic, brave, intelligent, goal-getter, selfless and resilient. Exactly 12 years ago (19/4/2006) I embarked on a trip from northern Nigeria to Western Nigeria to attend a marriage ceremony of a close friend. On my return, I was involved in a road traffic accident due to reckless driving by our personal driver. Thanks to God, the accident claimed my lower limb but not my life. After undergoing 2 major surgeries and traction to reset my broken tie. In the beginning I was bitter, full of sorrow, pained and tearful. Day after day, I imagined an instant miracle that would restore my beautiful leg, but that never happened in the 90 days I spent in the hospital bed under terrible conditions as my family and friends had to provide all the necessary things for my comfort. At that time I wished for a better country that care for the well-being of its citizens. I can’t describe the horrible experience on the day of my fitting. I went completely mad. I can tell you the first year was not palatable as I got to adjust and face what life offers me. Abuse of my leg, rejection, disappointment and bad prosthetic were things I learn to cope with. Today I am what God has called me to be. I am grateful to God for the journey so far. Although I’m still working very hard to reach my goals and become a better person.

I've Always Known From an early age, I always knew I wouldn't have children... I wasn't diagnosed with epilepsy until age 25, so there was no known logical reason for me to think that children wouldn't be in my future. I remember drawing a particular picture of myself at a one day... kneeling down beside a gravesite, with the name "Lily" written on the headstone. A bit morbid for a 14 year old, but who knows, maybe I had a child die in a past life or something. (Your guess is as good as mine.) Unable to Relate Other girls my age, talked about how they couldn't wait to be a mom someday, they had names picked out and somehow had this image in their heads of what their children would look like - All planning on having the nuclear family model of 2.5 kids. I never felt these feelings of longing or made plans of my future children. I just knew somewhere deep down, that it wasn't going to be a part of my life. Building a Wall Once I was out of highschool and entering adulthood, I began telling myself and others things like,"I don't like kids." "Ew, kids... no thanks!" "Why would I ever want kids!?" "Kids are too expensive." You get the idea... The truth was that I was terrified of brining children into this world and into an uncertain future. A Diagnosis At age 25, I was diagnosed with Juvenile Myoclonic Epilepsy with generalized seizures. Having children was no longer an option in my eyes. Not only may my child(ren) have epilepsy, but it would only put a burden on my husband to care for multiple people with epilepsy and more of a burden on my body & health. It seemed too risky. Since I have more seizures when my hormones are elevated (Catamenial Epilepsy), I just couldn't see how carrying a child for 9 months was safe - nor did I want to be on medication while carrying a child. Fast Forward I'm now 35 (36 in two weeks), and all my body wants is a child. I can no longer lie to myself, my body, or those around me. Just like most things, kids are great sometimes - sometimes not so great - but that doesn't mean I don't like or want kids. Choosing not to have children, is one of the most difficult decisions, I've ever made, but I know it's the best decision for me. I admire other women with epilepsy (and those without illnesses/disorders) that they are able to have children, without thinking about the risks or carrying on despite hardships. I'm not that person. I absolutely will not risk my health or the health of my child to fullfill some type of social expectation or want. Acceptance My grandmother has always told me,"Your wants won't hurt you." Meaning, you can want something for an eternity, and it will never physically hurt you. It's mind over matter. In my mind, I'm choosing to accept my decision to live my best & healthiest life, without children. Owning my decision is so empowering, because it's the right decision for me. Your decision and path may be different and that's OK, but always stand in and speak your truth. We are all unique and have different gifts to offer to this world. I may not be a mother, but I'm a leader. I may not be a mother, but I'm an artist. I may not be a mother, but I'm courageous. I may not be a mother, but I have accepted and am at peace with it.

Nimbo Walker We have used two Nimbo walkers that Inspired by Drive sold us. This product is great quality. It's easy to fold and store. I love that you have wheels that you can lock. This helped a lot when my son started to learn how to walk. We were able to control it until he was strong enough to handle the wheels unlocked. It's very light weight and easy for children to use. This product is top notch. I also enjoyed the attachments that you are able to get with it. My son's second walker had the fold down seat, which came in handy when he needed to take a break.

מהו שיתוק מוחין וכיצד הוא משפיע עליי שיתוק מוחין נגרם על ידי נזק מוחי טרם, במהלך או מיד לאחר הלידה. שיתוק מוחין משפיע על תנועות הגוף, שליטה, קוארדינציה ומתח בשרירים, רפלקסים, יציבה ואיזון. קיבלתי שיתוק מוחין כי נולדתי שלושה חודשים מוקדם מדי. אני חיה עם שיתוק מוחין ספסטי. זה בעיקר משפיע על הזרוע, היד והרגל השמאליות שלי, וקצת על רגל ימין. יש לי סד מעל הברך ברגלי השמאלית ומדרס בנעל ימין. אני לוקחת תרופות מדי יום כדי לעזור עם מתח השרירים וכל שלושה חודשים, (עוד על כך בפוסט מאוחר יותר) הולכת לנוירולוג ומקבלת בוטוקס בזרועי ורגלי השמאליות. אני רואה אורתופד בשביל הסד שלי, נוירולוג ורופאי משפחה. שיתוק מוחין יכול להיות קשה מאוד ומתסכל לפעמים. קשה לקבל גוף שלא תמיד עושה את הדברים שאת מבקשת ממנו או שיש לך שרירים הדוקים שמתכווצים או ליפול כשאת בסה"כ מנסה ללכת בקמפוס. What is Cerebral Palsy and how it effects me Cerebral Palsy is caused by brain damage before, durning or immediately after birth. Cerebral Palsy effects body movements, muscle control, muscle coordination, muscle tone, reflex, posture and balance. I got Cerebral Palsy because I was born three months early. I live with Spastic Triplegic Cerebral Palsy. Primarily, this effects my left arm, hand and leg. It effects my right leg a little bit. I wear a leg brace that straps above my knee on my left leg, and an insert in my right shoe. I take medication daily to help with tone and every three months, (more on this in a later post) I go to a neurologist and get botox in my left arm and leg. I see an orthotist for my braces, a neurologist and primary care doctors. Cerebral Palsy can be very difficult and frustrating, at times. It’s hard to have a body that doesn’t always do the things you ask it to or to have tight muscles that cramp or to fall when you’re just trying to walk across campus. טיפ מס' 1: התערבות מוקדמת בשל העובדה שהרופאים היו מוכנים לכך שאמא שלי תלד מוקדם, הם התכוננו לאפשרות לאבחן אותי עם סוג של שיתוק מוחין. בשל פעולות מהירות שלהם, הייתי יכולה לקבל טיפול מוקדם מאוד. ככל שהטיפול יחל מוקדם יותר - כן ייטב. Tip #1: Early intervention Due to the fact that doctors were prepared for my Mom to deliver early, they were prepared for the possibility of diagnosing me with a form of CP. Due to their quick actions, I was able to get treatment very early. I was able to have/continue to have treatment. The earlier you can get treatment for yourself/your child, the better. טיפ מס' 2: לערב את עצמך / הילד שלך בקבוצות / מועדונים / ארגונים שבהם יש אחרים בעלי מוגבלויות דומות בילדותי הייתי במחנות קיץ עם עוד ילדים עם שיתוק מוחין. זה איפשר לנו להתחבר מיד והזכיר לנו שאנחנו לא לבד. זו הייתה השפעה חיובית בילדות שלי ואני עדיין שומרת על קשר עם כמה מהחברים האלה עד היום. Tip #2: involve yourself/your child in groups/clubs/organizations where there are others who have the same/similar disabilities. I grew up going to summer camps that had kids from all around with CP. This gave us a way to instantly connect and remind us that we aren't alone. This made a positive impact in my childhood and I still keep in contact with some of those friends today. טיפ מס' 3: האמינו במה שההורים שלכן אומרים / הגוף של הילד שלכן אומר כל מי שיש לו שיתוק מוחין מושפע ממנו בצורה אחרת. אחרי שראיתי את אותה הנוירולוגית כל חיי, היא עברה למדינה אחרת. הרופא הראשון שהיה לי לאחר מכן לא היה מתאים. שאלתי את אחד הפיזיותרפיסטים שלי מהילדות ומצאתי רופא שהתאים. אם רופא, מטפל או גישה לא מרגישים מועילים לכן, נסו משהו אחר. אתן מכירות הכי טוב את עצמכן / את הגוף של הילד שלכן ולמה הוא זקוק. Tip #3: Trust what your parent gut says/your child's body is saying Everyone who has CP is effected by it differently. After seeing one neurologist for my entire life, she moved to another state. The first doctor that I had after her, wasn't the right fit. I asked one of my childhood pt's and found a doctor that fits. If a doctor, therapist or approach doesn't feel beneficial to you, trust that and ask to try something else. You know yourself/your child's body and what it needs best.

הסיפור הקטן שלי על עצמי באוניברסיטה למדתי עיתונאות. עכשיו אני כותבת מאמרים ושירה כשיש לי מצב רוח לכך. במשך שנים רבות אני עובדת כרכזת של התוכנית החברתית "בנק הזמן". התחביב שלי הוא סריגה ואני אוהבת לסרוג צעצועים. בנוסף אני סורגת בובות בתלבושות הלאומיות של אנשים מכל רחבי העולם. יצירתיות עושה אותי מאושרת. אשמח להכיר את המשתתפים בקהילה זו ממקומות שונים בעולם. בכל ליבי אני מאחלת לכן רק טוב. My little story about me & having Osteogenesis Imperfecta My name is Olga Popova and I'm from Russia. I am 33 years old. I was born in an ancient Russian city called Nizhny Novgorod. I have a disability called Osteogenesis imperfecta. At the university I studied journalism. Now I write essays and poetry when I'm in the mood. For many years I have been working as a coordinator of the social program "Time Bank." My hobby is knitting and I love to make knitted toys. Also I make knitted dolls in the national costumes of the people from all over the world. Creativity makes me happy. I will be glad to get acquainted with the participants of this community from different places of Earth. With all my heart I wish you the best of everything.

26 years young and stubborn as ever with a Spinal Tumor My name is Anna Page. I am from Australia and I am 26 years old. At the tender age of 10 I was diagnosed with what seemed to be a benign tumor on my sacrum (base of the spine). I had one major surgery and surgeons were confident it would not grow back. 5 years later after complaining of back pain, I had a routine MRI scan which revealed the tumor had returned bigger than ever. I had another long surgery, but again surgeons were confident they removed it all. 1 year later, it grew back. This time it was an aggressive cancer known as Neuroblastoma. At 17 years old I was thrown into 6 months of intensive chemotherapy (which nearly killed me) and then a third surgery. This surgery was the most aggressive. I had the best team of neurosurgeons and again, they were confident they removed it all. I try not to let this spinal injury get me down After a long recovery, I had another routine MRI scan only to be told, the tumor had (you guessed it) returned. Since 2009 oncologists and surgeons have decided to keep an eye on it. It has essentially been stable for the past 9 years, but unfortunately I still have a tumor. The damage from all my surgeries has left me in chronic pain every day. I have permanent nerve damage to my left leg, which I have very little feeling in- only ants crawling up it sensation. I have nerve damage to my bladder and bowel. And a lot of my major organs are stuck together due to scar tissue which causes most of my pain. I am a positive and happy person- people call me a pocket rocket because I am so little but try not to let this spinal injury get me down and can be stubborn. But about 18 months ago I was diagnosed with severe depression as it started to affect my relationships, both friends and romantic relationships. The reality of day to day life can be tough to wrap your head around sometimes. Soak up the good days Naturally, I cannot work full time. I was in my final year of university, studying teaching but have had to defer that for now as the placement became too brutal and exhausting on my small body. I would love to go back to teaching, but at the moment I am studying an online Psychology course with hopes of being able to help young people with cancer- nothing beats lived experience. I am also very passionate about writing and would love to publish a book one day but brain fog from my medication can take over at times. I have amazing friends and family but I find it hard being 26 years, looking perfectly healthy and having people question my disability. I have been abused when pulling into disabled parks with the classic comments "you don't look disabled." I love walking- especially bush walks. It distracts me and takes my mind off my pain. Some days are better than others and the bad days makes me realize the importance of soaking up the good days. Cancer and spinal injury isn't all doom and gloom I feel so unbelievably lucky to be here, experiencing this crazy thing we call life. I am proud of the scars on my body as they remind me how blessed I am. Cancer and spinal injury isn't all doom and gloom. My perspectives have changed and so have my priorities. I have big dreams of getting married one day and hopefully having children. I owe my life to the medical professions who saved my life.

What we think, we become There is a quote by Margaret Thatcher that I always recall before I speak to the audience. “Watch your thoughts, for they become words. Watch your words, for they become actions. Watch your actions for they become habits. Watch your habits, for they become your character. And watch your character, for it becomes your destiny. What we think, we become.” I have been telling myself that I need to think deeply to control my destiny. In recent years, I have been giving nearly two hundred talks a year, but I used to find it so hard to speak in front of the audience. When I gave a lecture for the first time, I was so nervous that my mind went blank and I went over my time slot. Ever since then, I have many times felt worried and anxious before lectures. When I was feeling really low, however, I told myself “I have come down this low. There is no other way but only to get better!” If I could look at my anxiety and a lack of confidence from a more objective point of view, I would be able to change my thinking habits and the results of my actions. It is easy to give up when we are facing difficulties, but if we can control our way of thinking and speak positively, we receive encouraging feedbacks from those around us. That is how we can gain control over our own destiny, I believe. We are happy because we smile “Make yourself smile!” I start my lecture this way, and everyone lifts the corners of their mouth. When we smile, the muscle in our eyes and cheeks move and our brain senses it. Even when we are deliberately lifting the corners of our mouth, our brain sends out the signal that we are happy. We are happy because we smile. After that exercise, I ask them. “Please turn around and look at the person next to you.” A wave of laughter fills the room, and the atmosphere changes instantly. If we smile at someone, they also smile back. Smile can toss out sad feelings from ourselves as well as others. Come to think of it, smile kept me who I was when I was hospitalized. I kept smiling, because I didn’t want others to worry about me. Gradually, people started gathering around me. “You give me energy.” “I want to see your smiles.” With these positive words, I managed to overcome despair. Smile is like a magic, for we can cheer ourselves up. When I see others smile, I feel very happy.