What Was His Name?
This is an interesting post on Facebook by a friend of a friend of mine. The author's name is Dany Holmes. I apologize if any of you are offended by her use of language, but I can't say I disagree with her sentiment. A man with a disability went into McDonald's and...
Step by Step…
When a caregiver first suggested it last fall, I thought he might be a tad bit crazy. We were having a conversation about creative ways that I might be able to get some exercise since my options to do so are somewhat limited. On a whim, he got my tape measure out of...
What A Semicolon Means…
Most of the time I can keep you at bay, just underneath the surface. Most people don’t know your depth, strength or intensity. If I can ask them how they are, you get deflected. I’ve become an expert at keeping you hidden. A smile. A laugh. Remembering a funny...
The “R” Word–Really, Ann Coulter?
There have been numerous occasions in my life when someone I am with chooses not to understand my "disability quirks." Sometimes my cerebral palsy means that my body goes into spasm or I laugh at inappropriate times. If that is not embarrassing enough, more often...
Use Your Power!
When I decided to enter the Ms. Wheelchair Kansas pageant in 2007, part of the application process was to come up with a platform. If I was crowned, what did I want my message to be? What did I want people to take away from our interactions during that year?...
Moving On…
One of the reasons it hit me so hard was because it was so unexpected. Last Sunday started out like most others. One of my caregivers came in the morning. I took a shower, she helped me get dressed, and we headed off to church. Once we were there, we were getting...
Ms. Wheelchair America 2016
This is a spectacular article about the Ms. Wheelchair America pageant and the goals and dreams of the organization and its participants. I was honored to be crowned Ms. Wheelchair Kansas 2007. All the women involved are indeed "roll" models. And the journey...
Silver Linings!
I felt like I had been kicked in the gut. As the air escaped from my lungs, my mind was reeling from what I had just heard. Since I was considering a particular degree program for graduate school, I was a little unsure of myself, trying to navigate my way into a...
Sometimes You Just Have to Laugh!
"Danielle Perez, Come. On. Down! You are the next contestant on the Price is Right." It is the phrase that everyone in the studio yearns to hear, and Ms. Perez was no different. When her bid on an item was the closest to what it actually cost, she confidently...
Three Wonderful Years!
Midsummer of 1990 was a transitional time for me. I had just lost a job that didn’t work out, moved home with my parents for a while and was getting ready to start a Master’s degree program a few months later. I was restless. Knowing my interests but not quite what...