Tag Archives: Challenges

Day 2584: International Day of the Girl Child

“Courage, sacrifice, determination, commitment, toughness, heart, talent, guts. That’s what little girls are made of.” – Bethany Hamilton

It’s 11: 45 AM on day 2584 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray, read Zechariah 7:9-10 and promote my 50 New Feet Campaign benefiting MiracleFeet – A HUGE thanks to Maya Papu who donated $250 which brings the total raised to $4 287 only $8 213 more to raise by June 17, 2018 to help 50 kids with clubfoot.

Today is the International Day of the Girl Child and while admittedly there are challenges to being a girl in this day and age it’s also a period of time in which girls have more opportunities than they’ve ever had before and for those who don’t it is our duty as humanity to create and unlock those opportunities.

Day 2264: The Multifaceted Challenges of Cerebral Palsy

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Every condition has more effects then people are aware of – that’s what I’d like the world to know.

it’s 1: 12 PM on day 2264 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray, have breakfast, read Psalm 7:17 and work on my 25 Smiles Campaign –raised $9 161.04 only $3 338.96 more to raise to reach my second goal of raising $12 500 for Smile Train before Jan 10 2017 (SO SO SO GRATEFUL to everyone who has supported this campaign so far ).

Today I would like to share the different challenges of a life with Cerebral Palsy people see the wheelchair and assume that my challenges are just physical when in reality that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Take a look:

The Multifaceted Challenges of Cerebral Palsy

Physical: Because I am less mobile than the average person my hamstrings are tight, my muscles are stiff, I have poor circulation to my lower extremities and it takes longer for food to pass through my digestive system
Social: Growing up as a child and even in my teenage years I did not have many friends (outside my family) I always felt like people got stuck on the shell that is my body which made me instinctively just shut down thankfully things are better know because of the work I do people see that there’s more to me then my body which also makes me wonder if I didn’t do what I do and if I wasn’t who I am would most of these people still be around?
Mental: I think I have more than a little health anxiety I’m always worried something’s wrong with me physically (and in my situation honestly I don’t even blame me – I bump my foot and the next think I know I’m on antibiotics for an infection)
Emotional: Over the years people have said some of the most hurtful things about me and to me and as a result I’m a very guarded human I never let anyone see me cry out of emotional pain I won’t give them that satisfaction (I can take the cruelty of others I’m a big girl but seeing my mother cry over the ignorant things people say about me just destroys me my mother’s tears are like drops of acid on my heart)
Accessibility: Before we go anywhere we have to research whether the transportation to the place and the accommodation at the place is wheelchair-accessible and sometimes even after we do the proper research and make the proper arrangements we get there and things are not as we thought they would be (it’s the most annoying thing known to man)
Attitudes of the general population: Most people are presumed competent until they prove otherwise, whereas the differently-abled people are presumed incompetent until they prove otherwise (I’ve used being underestimated to my advantage – if people decide to feel sorry for me they will pay dearly for it ( and the beneficiary of their pity will always be a good cause LOL 🙂 )

Day 2226: God Thinks I’m Pretty Badass

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God thinks I’m pretty badass – that’s what I’ve realized.

It’s 11 : 14 AM on day 2225 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray, have breakfast, go to the doctor (I’ll be fine in about 5 days), have breakfast, read Psalm 42:11 and work on my 25 Smiles Campaign –raised $8 011.04 only $4 488.96 more to raise to reach my second goal of raising $12 500 for Smile Train before Jan 10 2017 (SO SO SO GRATEFUL to everyone who has supported this campaign so far ).

Today I realized God thinks I’m pretty badass otherwise He wouldn’t give me all this stuff to handle (thanks God I accept the compliment)

Day 2123: Thankful to my Challenges

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We should all be thankful to our challenges for it is those challenges that have made us who we are today – that’s what I’ve realized.

It’s 12 : 33 PM on day 2123 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray, read Acts 18: 9-10, have breakfast, learn one new thing – Sharks have eyelids, but they do not blink because the surrounding water cleans their eyes. To protect their eyes some species have nictitating membranes. This membrane covers the eyes while hunting and when the shark is being attacked. -and work on my 25 Smiles Campaign – Teresa donated $50 (thanks so much Teresa appreciate your support 🙂 ) which brings the total raised to $6 595 only $5 905 more to raise to reach my second goal of raising $12 500 for Smile Train before Jan 10 2017 (SO SO SO GRATEFUL to everyone who has supported this campaign so far 🙂 ).

Today I can’t help feeling unbelievably thankful to my challenges because every one of those challenges were the making of me.

Day 2109: Defining Your Challenges

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Unless you make a conscious decision to define your challenges your challenges will end up defining you– that’s my message to the world.

It’s 12 : 11 PM on day 2109 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray, read Ephesians 5: 25, have breakfast, learn one new thing – As we get older, the pigment cells in our hair follicles gradually die. When there are fewer pigment cells in a hair follicle, that strand of hair will no longer contain as much melanin and will become a more transparent color — like grey, silver, or white — as it grows.-and work on my 25 Smiles Campaign – raised $5 910 only $340 more to raise before Jan 10 2017 (SO SO SO GRATEFUL to everyone who has supported this campaign so far 🙂 ).

Yesterday I decided to do something out-of-the-box I had our housekeeper write down $340 To Raise For Smile Train on a piece of paper after which I asked my brother to stick it on the side of my wheelchair and take a picture of it (to post on social media) and in so doing I sort of took what was supposed to be my biggest stumbling block and turned it into a stepping stone.

Day 1496: Are you blessed with an extraordinary life?

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A challenged life and an extraordinary life are often one and the same – that’s what I realized today.

It’s 1 : 14 PM on day 1496 of my journey towards independence and I’ve managed to brush my teeth, pray, read Ecclesiastes 3, publish my Disability of the Day feature, feed myself scrambled egg with bread and a banana for breakfast promote my Educate Generations campaign – my friend, Stan Faryna, made a donation of $20 today (thanks Stan you’re awesome! 🙂 ) which brings my total raised to $405 only $2095 more to raise 🙂

Today it dawned on me again that I’ve been blessed with an extraordinary life in one part of my life I am a daughter, sister and music lover while in the other I try to be a change maker doing my best to get around the challenges that come with having Cerebral Palsy. Are you blessed with an extraordinary life?

Day 1408: Does the world define you by your challenges because you do?

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The world will stop defining you by your challenges when you do – that’s what I realized this morning.

It’s 12 : 20 PM on day 1408 of my journey towards independence and I’ve managed to pray, brush my teeth, read Psalm 95, publish my Disability of the Day feature, feed myself oats with banana for breakfast, stretch my hamstrings, practice sitting up straight to strengthen my core muscles and do research for my upcoming campaign – did you know that 66 million girls are out of school globally that’s shocking can you imagine what would happen if all those girls had an education they could and would break the cycle of poverty.

This morning I realized the world will stop defining you by your challenges when you do there was a time in my life when I would introduce myself on social media by saying I’m Nisha – a twenty-two-year-old with Cerebral Palsy looking back on those days I cringe now I don’t mention that I have Cerebral Palsy unless somebody asks me about it not because I’m ashamed of it but because it doesn’t define who I am as a person. Does the world define you by your challenges because you do?

Day 1188: Visibly different people deal with the same challenges as others?

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People who are visibly different have to deal with things that others don’t – that’s what I’m trying to deal with.

It’s 4 : 08 PM on day 1188 of my journey towards independence and I’ve managed to brush my teeth, pray, feed myself boiled egg for breakfast, read 1 Chronicles 21, publish my Disability of the Day feature and go to the mall with my family.

Today I was at the mall with my family and this woman sort of stepped in front of me and opened and closed her hand in front of my face and then later a woman from our church kissed my hand and told me she remembered my beautiful smile usually people coming up to talk to me doesn’t bother me but today I just wanted to be a “normal” twenty-two-year-old at the mall with my family I’m trying to deal with the fact that people who are visibly different have to deal with things that others don’t.