Reclaiming the disabled narrative.
The Family Bible As a kid, there were few things I enjoyed more than flipping through my parents' wedding album. The squat brown portfolio sat on our bookshelf, tucked between James Patterson hardbacks and a giant family bible we stored important papers in. The album's cover was a soft brown leather with a gold cross… Continue reading Rolling Down the Aisle: Surrendering My Dream Wedding Led to Something Better
Author's note: This article contains descriptions of suicidal ideation. Depression Expert, Video Game Novice Content to watch my brother from the sidelines. In life and in Mario Kart. I had never heard of Animal Crossing before the day my husband excitedly told me how much I would love it. A new title in the series… Continue reading Animal Crossing Delivered Me from Depression Twice
I was thoroughly burrowed in my bed when a familiar ache started creeping up the backs of my thighs. I had spent the day stretching out my contracted muscles, and they were pissed. If I didn’t take something soon, I would be awake in a few hours with pain too excruciating to fall back asleep.… Continue reading Red Tape, Duct Tape: The Unexpected Saga of Getting and Keeping My Wheelchair
Being disabled ain't cheap. Between insurance costs, doctor's visits, medications, medical equipment/mobility aides, and adapted vehicles, we're spending a lot of our incomes on the bare necessities we need to just keep moving. Occasionally, a luxury item just for us will make it to market. I've seen workout devices that attach to wheelchairs, robot hands,… Continue reading 5 Cheap Products That Have Improved My Disabled Life
Oh, hey there. It's been a while. I took a bit of a break from releasing any new pieces. I've been working on a few here and there, but the last full piece I wrote was an expansive and anxiety-riddled trip that drained me of that creative spark. It was almost like my origin story, and… Continue reading Why I’ve Been Gone and When I’m Coming Back
*Some names in this memoir have been changed to protect privacy. Morrison Mock was an elementary school split in two. One half was a standard K-5th grade school, while the other half served students with severe physical and mental disabilities. The administration made sure that the two halves were inclusive, that the standard K-5 side… Continue reading What a Long, Strange Trip it Was: My Life as the Only Disabled Kid in School
A few weekends ago, my husband convinced me to go with him to a Pokèmon Go community day event (yes, some of us are still playing). We roamed our old college campus in a never-ending quest to catch 'em all on an Indiana day so hot and sticky it was like living in the Devil's… Continue reading I’m 28 Years Old and Just Bought Shorts for the First Time
My phone buzzed on my desk at 5:30 on Friday evening. I didn't recognize the number and bet my coworkers that it was one of the many spam calls we all get on a daily basis. I fought my natural instinct and picked up. It was my neurologist. The results of my genetic test were… Continue reading After Years of Battle, A Monster Unveiled
Part 1 I've gone through innumerable pairs of leg braces in my life. Every year or two, throughout my childhood and adolescence, I had an appointment with an orthotist who would wrap my legs in cellophane and plaster, creating perfect replicas of my atrophied legs. It was like getting a fresh pair of shoes for… Continue reading The Year I Walked Away from My Wheelchair
Yesterday was quite a day! My guest blog for LUS Brands went live, and the response was overwhelming and wonderful. It also had the added benefit of distracting me and calming my nerves before my afternoon surgical consult. I've needed surgery to correct my right foot for years now, and as part of my personal… Continue reading My Right Foot: A Quick Update