Tag Archives: independence

Day 854

I can’t let Cerebral Palsy take over my life– that’s what I learned today 🙂

It’s 4 : 28 PM on day 854 of my journey towards independence and I’ve managed to take my t-shirt and jacket off and put a new t-shirt on, stretch my hamstrings, brush my teeth, practice sitting up straight to strengthen my core muscles, read a couple of chapters of The Bible, feed myself bread and baked beans for breakfast, publish my Disability of the Day feature, listen to music, practice typing with both hands and watch TV.

This morning my dad woke up at like 5 AM which woke me up since I was awake anyway I decided to change out my old clothes and put a new t-shirt on to my surprise I had undressed and redressed myself in a short period of time which made me realize if I slept early and woke up early I would have time to do the things I had to do (therapies) and the things I wanted to do (read, write, listen to music and spend time outside) it’s important to me to live a balanced life decades (hopefully) from now when I’m gone I want my obituary to read Nisha Varghese (1991-whatever year it is) daughter, sister, friend and aspiring philanthropist who tried every day to make a difference and be the best that she could be while having a lot of fun. When you do something is it all or nothing?

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Day 853

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You can’t complain that people don’t see you when you don’t show them – that’s what I keep learning 🙂

It’s 3 : 23 PM on day 853 of my journey towards independence and I’ve managed to read a couple of chapters of The Bible, publish my Disability of the Day feature, publish my Kid of the Week feature, brush my teeth, feed myself Appam and baked beans for breakfast, listen to music, entertain visitors and practice typing with both hands.

Last night it occurred to me that I always complain that people don’t see me while going out of my way to hide this blog from my community this blog good, bad or indifferent is who I am behind the wheelchair so today I took a leap of faith and shared yesterday’s post on my personal Facebook account whether people read it or not it’s up to them but tonight I will go to bed knowing I had the courage to show the people in my life all of me. Do you complain that you’re invisible while intentionally hiding yourself?

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Day 852

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Kids are nothing if not honest– that’s what I keep learning 🙂

It’s 6 : 00 PM on day 852 of my journey towards independence and I’ve managed to take off my top, brush my teeth, feed myself Appam and baked beans for breakfast, publish my Disability of the Day feature, continued reading Worth the Scandal: Worth It by Karen Erickson, go shopping and feed myself a pepper-steak pie for lunch.

Today while shopping with my sister I caught this little girl staring at me so I greeted her moments later she turned to my sister and asked what’s wrong with her to which my sister answered rather nonchalantly nothing she just can’t walk after which I looked at her and said with a genuine smile on my face trying to make her understand I can’t walk but I’m just like you I honestly feel honoured to be in a position to show people that we are more alike than we are different. Do you find the honesty of children refreshing?

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Day 851

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It’s never too late to keep a promise that you made to yourself– that’s what I keep learning 🙂

It’s 6 : 16 PM on day 851 of my journey towards independence and I’ve managed to stretch my hamstrings, brush my teeth, take off and put on a top, feed myself vegetable stew for breakfast,practice typing with both hands, publish my Disability of the Day feature, feed myself rice and curry for lunch, go shopping, go to physiotherapy and watch TV.

At the beginning of last year I vowed that I would read one chapter of The Bible a day long story short I did it for about three months then life came up but this year I have decided to pick up where I left off and start reading one chapter of The Bible a day hopefully I’ll finish reading it by the end of the year. Have all your New Year’s resolutions become nothing more than broken promises?

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Day 850

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Reading enables you to see life through another person’s eyes – that’s what I keep learning 🙂

It’s 4 : 37 PM on day 850 of my journey towards independence and I’ve managed to take off and put on a t-shirt, brush my teeth, feed myself sweet potatoes and yoghurt for breakfast, publish my Disability of the Day feature, practice typing with both hands,practice sitting up straight to strengthen my core muscles, stretch my hamstrings and watch TV

Last night I finished reading Tuesdays With Morrie by Mitch Albom – the book consists of life lessons Morrie (a terminally ill former professor) passes on to Mitch (his former student) – and I would like to share with you some of the lessons I learned from this book. Take a look:

Greatest lessons I’ve learned from Tuesdays With Morrie

Devote yourself to loving others, your community and things that give your life meaning and purpose.
Most of us don’t live life to the fullest because we don’t believe that we are going to die.
If today’s culture of consumerism isn’t working for you don’t buy into it create your own culture.
In the end money and power don’t mean a thing.
Growing older is a good thing because the realization that we will one day die causes us to live better.
Be present in every moment.
Forgive yourself for what you did or didn’t do and forgive others for what they did or didn’t do.
We live on in the hearts of those whose lives we’ve touched.

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Day 849

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More often than not extraordinary people are not rich or famous they are just people like you and me who make the best of what they’ve got – that’s what I keep learning 🙂

It’s 2 : 11 PM on day 849 of my journey towards independence and I’ve managed to take my t-shirt off, stretch my hamstrings, put a top on – the top had slits near the sleeve so today I did need help getting my left hand in its sleeve – brush my teeth, feed myself Batura and baked beans for breakfast, publish my Disability of the Day feature, practice typing with both hands, watch TV and practice sitting up straight to strengthen my core muscles.

Today I watched Wright’s Law – a documentary about Jeffery Wright (a teacher, husband and father of two, one who has Joubert Syndrome) – on Love That Max what struck me most about Jeffrey is that he chose to see his son’s “disability” in a positive light and use it to help his students. Watch this extraordinary man’s story:

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Day 848

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Keep your eyes on the prize– that’s what I learned today 🙂

It’s 1 : 22 PM on day 848 of my journey towards independence and I’ve managed to stretch my hamstrings, brush my teeth, take off my shirt my old shirt and put on a new t-shirt – today I didn’t even need help finding the left sleeve while trying to put a new t-shirt on I did it all by myself I am SO proud of me 🙂 – try to help myself in the bathroom, publish my Disability of the Day feature and watch TV.

This morning my mom and my sister were arguing back and forth about who should clean me meanwhile I was in the bathroom cleaning and changing myself moral of the story ignore the background noise and keep your eyes on the prize. Do you keep your eyes on the prize or focus on things that don’t matter?

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Day 847

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There’s room for improvement in everything you do– that’s what I learned today 🙂

It’s 3 : 09 PM on day 847 of my journey towards independence and I’ve managed to stretch my hamstrings, take off my shirt my old shirt and put on a new shirt, brush my teeth, publish my Disability of the Day feature, feed myself a baked bean sandwich for breakfast, practice typing with both hands and practice sitting up straight to strengthen my core muscles.

Today while putting on a clean t-shirt I realized it was hard for me to put my left hand through its sleeve because my right hand didn’t work properly (I use my left hand to pull my right hand through its sleeve) so I am going to work on getting my right hand more functional. Do you always look to improve in everything you do?

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Day 846

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Life itself takes monumental effort– that’s what I learned today 🙂

It’s 6 : 16 PM on day 846 of my journey towards independence and I’ve managed to take off my shirt my old shirt and put on a new shirt – for the first time ever I was able to take off a shirt which has buttons which is very difficult when you have Cerebral Palsy because you lack fine motor skills – brush my teeth, feed myself an egg sandwich for breakfast, publish my Disability of the Day feature, publish my Kid of the Week feature, go visiting, feed myself rice and curry for lunch and entertain visitors.

This morning I was perspiring just trying to take off my shirt that’s how much effort it takes for me to do everyday things but it was what it was complaining about it wasn’t going to make things any easier so I sucked it up and worked at it until I was able to take off my shirt my point is when you’re in a situation you cannot change know that life itself takes monumental effort and do what needs to be done. Do you get through the day with a smile on your face even though it takes a monumental effort?

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Day 845

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Change is neither good nor bad it just is what it is – that’s what I keep learning 🙂

It’s 6 : 37 PM on day 845 of my journey towards independence and I’ve managed to brush my teeth, go shopping for clothes for my sister to take to university – it was confirmed yesterday that my sister has been accepted into the University of Cape Town for medicine we are all SO proud of her 🙂 – prepare and publish my Disability of the Day feature, feed myself rice and curry for lunch and try to help myself in the bathroom – I keep trying to help myself in the bathroom and my mom keeps getting in the way I don’t think she gets that by “helping” me she’s helping me right into helplessness I tried to explain that to her on numerous occasions I don’t know what to do anymore if things keep going the way they are going when i’m older i’ll either be put in a home or I’ll be living with my siblings which is my worst nightmare I want to travel the world (I most want to go to Paris), help people and live a full life 🙂

Today as we were shopping for clothes for my sister to take to university it dawned on me that she was leaving I still think of her as the little girl who spat up yoghurt on my cousins I suppose that’s what happens if you’re lucky you grow up and you move away. Do you resist change?

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