Tag Archives: Differently-abled

Day 2995: To the people who believe differently-abled people should be left to die

Ignorance is alive and well in the 21^st century– that’s what I keep realizing

It’s 11: 53 AM on day 2995 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray, read a Bible verse and do some work

Yesterday I read a tweet which suggested that a parent of a differently-abled child with health issues should LET THE CHILD DIE I was SHOCKED and heartbroken to be reminded that in the 21^st century there still exists people in the world who believe people like me don’t deserve to live simply because our lives are hard. To the people who believe differently-abled people should be left to die: My life is difficult but IT’S MINE please don’t infringe ON MY RIGHT TO LIFE!

Day 2960: My Fight To Change Perceptions Continues

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The world needs to move from self-centeredness to altruism – that’s my message to the world

It’s 11 : 38 AM on day 2960 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray, , read a Bible verse and do some work

Recently I wondered what would happen if I stopped caring about how differently-abled people are perceived and I realized that I can’t stop caring because although I have opportunities to thrive in this life the opportunities that future generations of differently-abled people are presented with will depend on whether they are presumed competent or not and so for them my fight to change perceptions continues

Day 2885: Name the Condition

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Name the condition differently-abled aren’t that fragile – that’s my message to the world

It’s 11 : 29 AM on day 2885 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray, read a Bible verse, spend time outside and do some work.

This morning I was thinking about how most people don’t use the term Cerebral Palsy in my presence instead they refer to it as my “situation” or “circumstance” I know people want to spare my feelings and I truly appreciate it but I won’t break if people name my condition it’s not an insult to me it’s just a fact I’m unashamed of: I have Cerebral Palsy .

Day 2869: Love Me As I Am

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People just want to know you love them for who and what they are not who or what they could possibly become – that’s what I’ve realized

It’s 12 : 02 PM on day 2869 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray, read a Bible verse and do some work.

Recently I had an interesting conversation with mom in which I told despite her hopes and prayers I would never walk because that was not God’s plan for me and in that moment I realized that all I wanted was for people to love me as I was not for who or what I could possibly become

Day 2781: The Story the World Likes to Tell

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The world likes to tell the story of the differently-abled person who is downtrodden and helpless – that’s what I’ve realized.

It’s 1 : 37 PM on day 2781 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray, read Psalm 118:6, have breakfast and promote my 50 New Feet Campaign benefiting MiracleFeet – raised $14 409 only $4 341 more to raise by June 17, 2018 to reach my new goal of helping 75 kids with Clubfoot by June 17, 2018.

Today I noticed something that made me realize that the world likes to tell the story of the differently-abled person who is downtrodden and helpless I say this because I always see stories of people helping differently-abled people but I seldom hear stories of differently-abled people helping themselves and others (I have an uphill battle ahead of me as I look to rebrand being differently-abled)

Day 2690: Children and Me

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They are different ways of getting everything I want – that’s what I’ve realized

It’s 12 : 11 PM on day 2690 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray, read Ephesians 3:16 and promote my 50 New Feet Campaign benefiting MiracleFeet – raised $6 926 only $5 574 more to raise by June 17, 2018 to help 50 kids with clubfoot (thanks so much to everyone who has helped out so far).

This morning as I looked at a picture of my niece (cousin’s daughter) and I, I realized that I could still love children and be a part of children’s lives without ever having children or adopting them (I don’t know if that will ever be enough for me but it could be).

Day 2430: No Skydiving For Me Ever

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Be flexible in your method but stay committed to your purpose – that’s what I keep realizing.

It’s 11 : 35 AM on day 2430 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray, have breakfast, read Proverbs 31: 10 and learn a new word – Definitions for sophistry
1. a subtle, tricky, superficially plausible, but generally fallacious method of reasoning.
2. a false argument; sophism.

Today my Orthopaedic Surgeon’s office called back answering the question I asked them about whether it would be safe for me to skydive and sadly the answer is no, under no circumstances needless to say I’m super-bummed about it but my goal in life is to make a difference and change perceptions about the differently-abled while having fun I can do that without jumping out of a plane I can do that by writing books, travelling, telling my story everywhere….I can do that just by being myself.

Day 2360: An Open Letter to Moms of Differently-Abled Kids

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When doors don’t open that’s life telling you that you should build your own – that’s my message to the world.

It’s 12 : 00 PM on day 2360 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray, have breakfast, read Titus 2:11, work on a very special future blog post (can’t say much yet but it will be awesome) and learn a new word –Sartorial [sar·to·ri·al] adj. Of or relating to tailoring, clothes, or style of dress. “Sartorial taste; “Sartorial elegance.”

Recently I wrote an open letter to moms of differently-abled kids and I’ve been trying to get websites with that target market to publish it but nobody seems keen so I’m just going to publish it myself. Read An Open Letter To Moms of Differently-Abled Kids below:

An Open Letter to Moms of Differently-Abled Kids

Dear mom-of-an-extra-special-child,

My name is Nisha Varghese (you may not know I even exist but I’ve seen you around). I’ve always wanted to introduce myself but I never knew what to say that wouldn’t sound awkward or weird so I’m writing you this letter.

I see you with your child and I so admire how you just let your child be – you don’t try to make your child act any particular way in order to “fit in” because you know it would be unfair of you to ask that of your child. I apologize for the people who are cruel out of genuine ignorance please know it’s got nothing to do with you or your child and everything to do with them. I know that it’s not easy being a mom to a child with extra needs (I hate the term “special needs”) and I also know there are days you mourn the person your child could have been and the family you could have been I know this because I see it in my mother’s eyes sometimes (it’s okay mom I know you still love me).

You are not alone there are families on every corner of this Earth fighting the good fight and celebrating every inchstone because we know how hard-won those are. Thanks for all you are and all you do because of you and my mother people like your child and I have a fighting chance at this life. You’re an AMAZING mother.

Yours sincerely,

Nisha Varghese

Day 2282: Differently-abled by association?

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When one member of a family is differently-abled the whole family is differently-abled by association– that’s what I’ve realized.

It’s 11: 02 AM on day 2282 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray and work on my 25 Smiles Campaign –raised $9 261.04 only $3 238.96 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 ).

A while ago I realized that when one member of a family is differently-abled the whole family is differently-abled by association because I’m in a wheelchair when my family is with me they’re limited in the places they can go and the things they can do my head knows it’s not my fault because I didn’t ask to have Cerebral Palsy but my heart often feels guilty about it because I know that they didn’t ask to have a family member with Cerebral Palsy either.

Day 2075: Changing the narrative about differently-abled people

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Sometimes if you want the narrative to change you have to change the narrative – that’s what I’ve realized.

It’s 12 : 48 PM on day 2075 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray, read Mathew 25: 25-34, have breakfast, learn one new thing – The five toes on a raccoon’s front paws are extremely dexterous, functioning essentially as five little fingers which allow it to grasp and manipulate food it finds in the wild as well as a variety of other objects, including doorknobs, jars, and latches.– and work on my 25 Smiles Campaign – A chechi who I think would prefer to remain anonymous donated $25 (thanks so much chechi 🙂 ) which brings the total raised to $5 774 only $476 more to raise before Jan 10 2017 (SO SO SO GRATEFUL to everyone who has supported this campaign so far 🙂).

Yesterday I recorded a message to the media because I wanted to do my part to change the story being told about differently-abled people. Watch “My message to the media about the differently-abled” below: