Play dates come and go for Ella, just as for any other 8-year-old. She usually has her friends come over to our house because of her wheelchair. The kids play on the first floor for a while, then they want to go upstairs…
We’ve all had some cruddy parking experiences. But when you have a disability, it’s usually a little more complicated. The difficulties typically occur due to other people parking. Sometimes, the problem is the parking spot. My current van is a side-entry model with a manual fold-down ramp. It’s similar…
A few weeks ago, reality television host Dr. Phil sparked a major controversy with his statements about interabled relationships. Much like Ken Jennings’s infamous 2014 tweet, a single statement from America’s favorite psychologist led to a social media movement for people with disabilities.
I’ve been meaning to update my website for years, so I sat down in January with the intent of revisiting my online presence. It just so happened that my sitting down coincided with my career change, turning a website overhaul into…
If it’s all right with you, I’m going to use this week’s column to vent about something that happened over the weekend. To most, it was nothing that would have stood out. In fact, I’m pretty sure my cousins who were with me at the time weren’t even…
My nearly three-year streak of good health came to a screeching halt at the beginning of March. I guess you could say March Madness came a little early for me. I came down with a nasty virus that quickly turned into pneumonia. While IÂ had pneumonia on roughly…
The weather is starting to turn here in Chicago. Rain falls slowly, covering the grass, streets, and sidewalks. Warmer winds are blowing leaves left over from last fall. Spring has arrived. Our accessible van had a rough winter. In the frigid weather,…
People often assume that disability prevents someone from being physically able to express themselves. Especially in the form of body modifications. They would be wrong. One of my favorite forms of artistic expression is body modifications, specifically tattoos. They’re my favorite! I started dyeing my hair in sixth grade. Since…
From the time I was in kindergarten to when I graduated high school, I had a full-time aide accompany me to all of my classes. This person helped me with my books, took notes for me, set up my lunch, and kept me in line so…
I’ve thought about starting an antidepressant medication several times over the years. As a sophomore in college, fresh off the realization that my anxiety and depression weren’t just character flaws but in…