The lives of people who have “disabilities” and that of their families don’t revolve around “disability”– that’s what I wish people would understand 🙂

It’s 6 : 57 PM on day 942 of my journey towards independence and I’ve managed to brush my teeth, try to clean myself in the bathroom, feed myself All Bran Flakes for breakfast, pray,   read Leviticus 22, publish my Disability of the Day feature, practice typing with both hands, work, practice sitting up straight to strengthen my core muscles,  stretch my hamstrings, take off my dirty t-shirt and  turtleneck and put a clean t-shirt on and hoodie – it took me about two hours to do but  because I didn’t quit I got it done 🙂 –  and go to physiotherapy – my physiotherapist said my legs weren’t that stiff which coming from her is like a standing ovation.

Two days ago Donna Thomson of The Caregivers’ Living Room commented on one of my blog posts, Who I Am, saying in part  It’s funny, Nick is not the volunteer-holic that you and I are, but when he was small, I canvassed door to door for cancer with him in his small wheelchair. I explained to folks that I was simply teaching my son about philanthropy! (they all seemed surprised that we weren’t canvassing for CP!) it’s true when you or your family member has a “disability” people assume that everything you do revolves around that “disability” which is why I’m going to share with you some things about me that have nothing to do with the fact that I have Cerebral Palsy. Take a look:

Things that you may not know about me that have nothing to do with the fact that I have Cerebral Palsy

• My favourite colour is blue
• I hate mayonnaise
• I speak three languages English, Xhosa and Malayalam
• I never wear makeup (I figure if people like me they’ll like me with or without makeup and if they hate me they’ll hate me with or without makeup because with or without makeup I am the same person underneath)
• I choose not have a cell phone (shocking I know, but cell phones are expensive and besides I don’t need one I have permission to use the landline whenever I please)
• I will do anything in my power to help people
• I believe there’s a hero in every one of us just waiting to come out
• I believe Jesus died for my sins
• Besides independence what I want more than anything else in life is to know that I made a difference in the world
• I love reading my favourite book is  A New Earth: Create A Better Life  by Eckhart Tolle  it taught me that underneath our labels we are all just human beings
• I love watching Dr. Oz, Dr Phil, Days of our Lives, American Idol and X Factor USA
• I love listening to  Girl at Home by Taylor Swift
• My favorite movie is Letters to God
• My favourite quote is “By being yourself, you put something wonderful in the world that was not there before.” – Edwin Elliot
• I admire my mom, Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu, Nick Vujicic,  Galen Gregory, Ariane Zurcher, Ellen Seidman and Angelina Jolie
• I’d most like to meet Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu, Nick Vujicic,  Oprah and Angelina Jolie to thank them for all they have done/are doing for humanity
• I want to go to Paris someday
• I am more than a little hypochondriacal

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