Hershey Park in Pennsylvania
river rafting in Tennessee
grad nite 2001
Paris, France
Versailles
21st birthday
21st birthday
21st birthday
Venice, Italy
Venice, Italy
Tuscany Italy
Tennessee
in our flying suits
I'm flyingHigh School was pretty much the same as middle school, but a full day was very tiring. My school was good at accomodating me. My lesson plan included time for me to lie down to relax my back and neck, which often were sore and to take a quick nap so I could finish the whole day at school. I also had shortened homework assignments. In high school I had even fewer friends, I had a few friends in a some of my classes. But most of the kids wouldn't talk to me. Most of my friends were the teachers and a group of the ESE/SLD kids. Some people said senior year would be the best year it wasn't. The only thing that kept me going is the promise that my parents would take me to France after gradution. When I went for my Senior class pictures, I thought it was so funny that the photographer complimented me on my beautiful hair, because I was still wearing a hairpiece. I should have told him he could have the same great hair for $24.95 at Sally's Beauty Supply.
Maybe I still can't ride a 2 wheeler, but I have reliable wheels to get me everywhere I want to go, they have been with me coast to coast in the US. I love Las Vegas, and went there for my 21st birthday with my Mom & Dad, grandmother, Aunts and Uncles, my cousin Jess, and my friend Colleen. My wheels have also taken me to Canada and Paris and Italy, and I plan for them to see more of the world yet.
I realize that I am very lucky compared to some of the other kids with AT, because even though we have the same disease, we can have different degrees of symptoms. I"m very thankful that I haven't had any serious illnessness and can still get around to do things.
In September 2001 we went to France. We flew into Paris then we took a train to Nice for a few days. When we arrived at the train station in Nice my mom dumped me off the curb.The first night we went down by the water for dinner, and we tried to walk back hotel after dinner and we got lost in this neighborhood that looked like the ghettos.The hotel we stayed at in Paris was built in the 1500s so the elevator was so small me and my mom had to go up first then my dad and the wheelchair. The hotel hall was in a U shape so by the time we got to 2nd corner I was crawling. My favorite part of was going to Versailles even though we could only see half cause to other half was not handicap accessible. We did go up to the Eiffel Tower the elevator couldn't go up to the very top so we went to the next level and the view was great.
When we were coming home from Paris the pilot said we have to make an emergency stop in Newfoundland, so everyone started calling their relatives and they said 2 planes crashed into the World Trade Towers. To make a long story short after the plane landed we sat on the plane for 12 hours then we stayed in a college in Newfoundland for 3 days. We were sleeping on old army cots and I was scared of falling off so I had to sleep between my mom and a wall. Since we couldn't take anything off the plane they gave me a wire wheelchair, so one day we were sitting in a little courtyard and there's a little slope down to leave and my mother dumps me out of the chair right in front of the disability coordinator we just walked away laughing.
For my 21st birthday my parents took me to Las Vegas. Colleen, my cousin Jessica, and I took a gondola ride, and the gondolier sang happy birthday to me in Italian. My mom, Jessica, Colleen and I stayedat the Venetain Hotel,while my dad,Uncle Richard, Aunt Sharon, Grandma and Uncle Jim stayed at the Paris hotel. One night we all went to the Bellagio and saw Cirque du Soleil. The last day we were there, Colleen and I walked down the strip and saw all the hotels, and at night us girls my parents and Grandma went to the Rio hotel and the Palms Hotel. `
After high school I went to this job training program for a few years but they said they couldnt find me a job.
Because of my obession with Italy my parents and I went to Venice and Florence in September of 2005. I loved Venice but it was kind of hard gettting around because of all the bridges and some of them had stairs. Florence was nice but there were no street signs and most of the roads were one way.
Now most of my friends are married and having kids or away at school. I'm thankful for the computer/internet it's the only way I can really have a life outside of my parents.
Maybe I still can't ride a 2 wheeler, but I have reliable wheels to get me everywhere I want to go, they have been with me coast to coast in the US. I love Las Vegas, and went there for my 21st birthday with my Mom & Dad, grandmother, Aunts and Uncles, my cousin Jess, and my friend Colleen. My wheels have also taken me to Canada and Paris and Italy, and I plan for them to see more of the world yet.
I realize that I am very lucky compared to some of the other kids with AT, because even though we have the same disease, we can have different degrees of symptoms. I"m very thankful that I haven't had any serious illnessness and can still get around to do things.
In September 2001 we went to France. We flew into Paris then we took a train to Nice for a few days. When we arrived at the train station in Nice my mom dumped me off the curb.The first night we went down by the water for dinner, and we tried to walk back hotel after dinner and we got lost in this neighborhood that looked like the ghettos.The hotel we stayed at in Paris was built in the 1500s so the elevator was so small me and my mom had to go up first then my dad and the wheelchair. The hotel hall was in a U shape so by the time we got to 2nd corner I was crawling. My favorite part of was going to Versailles even though we could only see half cause to other half was not handicap accessible. We did go up to the Eiffel Tower the elevator couldn't go up to the very top so we went to the next level and the view was great.
When we were coming home from Paris the pilot said we have to make an emergency stop in Newfoundland, so everyone started calling their relatives and they said 2 planes crashed into the World Trade Towers. To make a long story short after the plane landed we sat on the plane for 12 hours then we stayed in a college in Newfoundland for 3 days. We were sleeping on old army cots and I was scared of falling off so I had to sleep between my mom and a wall. Since we couldn't take anything off the plane they gave me a wire wheelchair, so one day we were sitting in a little courtyard and there's a little slope down to leave and my mother dumps me out of the chair right in front of the disability coordinator we just walked away laughing.
For my 21st birthday my parents took me to Las Vegas. Colleen, my cousin Jessica, and I took a gondola ride, and the gondolier sang happy birthday to me in Italian. My mom, Jessica, Colleen and I stayedat the Venetain Hotel,while my dad,Uncle Richard, Aunt Sharon, Grandma and Uncle Jim stayed at the Paris hotel. One night we all went to the Bellagio and saw Cirque du Soleil. The last day we were there, Colleen and I walked down the strip and saw all the hotels, and at night us girls my parents and Grandma went to the Rio hotel and the Palms Hotel. `
After high school I went to this job training program for a few years but they said they couldnt find me a job.
Because of my obession with Italy my parents and I went to Venice and Florence in September of 2005. I loved Venice but it was kind of hard gettting around because of all the bridges and some of them had stairs. Florence was nice but there were no street signs and most of the roads were one way.
Now most of my friends are married and having kids or away at school. I'm thankful for the computer/internet it's the only way I can really have a life outside of my parents.
What alot of people don't see (when they look at me) is a girl with hopes and dreams like most girls my age (dreams like boyfriends, marriage and kids) they just see a girl in a wheelchair. And if you tell me I can't or I won't do something I'll try to prove you wrong.
If I could give advise to parents of kids with special needs make them feel smart, important, good about themself, and proud of themself whenever you can.
I think it was back in high school I started having thoughts of suicide. I still have them but not as often. Prozac helped alot with that. I have my good days and bad days.
After high school I had foot surgery to help me plant my foot on the floor, that worked for about a year. Now that I can't plant my foot at all anymore I need leg braces. Even though I hate them they do help.
These days for fun I like to go shopping, listen to music, go to the movies, play on the computer and travel. Sometimes I might be writing a song or two, writing lyrics in hopes one day they'll become songs. Im finding writting to help me with all feeling and frustrations.
This past October my parents & I invited Jen to Tennessee. We rented a cabin as usual Jen got a kick out of the electric fireplace. My favorite part was Flyaway (indoor skydiving). I told my parents they better watchout because I'll be here every weekend when we move there.
If I could give advise to parents of kids with special needs make them feel smart, important, good about themself, and proud of themself whenever you can.
I think it was back in high school I started having thoughts of suicide. I still have them but not as often. Prozac helped alot with that. I have my good days and bad days.
After high school I had foot surgery to help me plant my foot on the floor, that worked for about a year. Now that I can't plant my foot at all anymore I need leg braces. Even though I hate them they do help.
These days for fun I like to go shopping, listen to music, go to the movies, play on the computer and travel. Sometimes I might be writing a song or two, writing lyrics in hopes one day they'll become songs. Im finding writting to help me with all feeling and frustrations.
This past October my parents & I invited Jen to Tennessee. We rented a cabin as usual Jen got a kick out of the electric fireplace. My favorite part was Flyaway (indoor skydiving). I told my parents they better watchout because I'll be here every weekend when we move there.
No comments:
Post a Comment