Tag Archives: Cerebral Palsy

Day 1997: Down for the count

Sometimes it’s okay to admit that you’re down for the count and rest– that’s what I realized this morning.

It’s 12 : 25 PM on day 1997 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray, read Hebrews 8, learn one new thing – It is not true, as is commonly believed, that bulls have horns and cows do not: the presence of horns depends on the breed, or in horned breeds on whether the horns have been disbudded (conversely, in many breeds of sheep it is indeed only the males which have horns). – have breakfast 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 $3 212 only $3 038 more to raise by 10 Jan 2017 (SO SO SO GRATEFUL to everyone who has supported this campaign so far ).

This morning after a horrible night’s sleep (I think something was biting me so I spent most of the night trying to scratch myself) I decided to lay in bed an extra hour I always tell myself the show must go on but I have realized that sometimes it’s okay to admit that you’re down for the count and rest.

Day 1996: Vernon Bernard’s on The Voice South Africa

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The only disability in life is a bad attitude – that’s what I keep realizing.

It’s 12 : 17 PM on day 1996 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray, read Hebrews 7, learn one new thing – Only 3% of the lands water is fresh and out of that fresh water 68.7% is locked in our ice caps and glaciers – have breakfast and work on my 25 Smiles Campaign – uncle Abraham Matthew donated $25 (thanks so much uncle ) which brings the total raised to $3 187 only $3 063 more to raise by 10 Jan 2017 (SO SO SO GRATEFUL to everyone who has supported this campaign so far ).

Recently I watched Vernon Bernard’s rendition of “Story of my Life” on The Voice South Africa what’s unique about Vernon is that despite his blindness – he was born with glaucoma and lost his sight completely by age 6 – he lives fully and what I love about this audition is that the judges picked him purely based on talent not because he was blind (I always used to wonder (and sometimes still do) are people helping me because they truly believe in what I’m doing or because they feel sorry for me I am learning not to project my insecurities on others but even if I’m not imagining things and some people do pity me if that pity causes them to do some good then the world is better because I have Cerebral Palsy). Watch Vernon Bernard’s audition on The Voice South Africa below:

Day 1995: How to be okay when things are not okay

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Pray when you don’t feel like it and be grateful when you don’t feel like it– that’s the secret to being okay even when things are not okay.

It’s 10 : 46 AM on day 1995 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray, read Hebrews 6, have breakfast, learn one new thing – The man who solved the elevator safety problem, making skyscrapers possible, was Elisha Otis, who is generally known as the inventor of the modern elevator. In 1852, Otis came up with a design that had a safety “brake.” – and work on my 25 Smiles Campaign – raised $3 162 only $3 088 more to raise by 10 Jan 2017 (SO SO SO GRATEFUL to everyone who has supported this campaign so far ).

Today I realized that the secret to being okay even when things are not okay is to pray when you don’t feel like it and be grateful when you don’t feel like it.

Day 1994: Big Risk, Embarrassment and Big Reward

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With big risk comes big reward or embarrassment – that’s what I’ve realized.

It’s 12 : 00 PM on day 1994 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray, read Hebrews 5, learn one new thing – All of the planets, except for Earth, were named after Greek and Roman gods and godesses. The name Earth is an English/German name which simply means the ground. It comes from the Old English words ‘eor(th)e’ and ‘ertha’. In German it is ‘erde’. – have breakfast and work on my 25 Smiles Campaign – yesterday Susanchechi donated $25, Reshma Jacob donated $50 and another chechi (who I think would prefer to remain anonymous) donated $50 (thanks so much you guys your support means the world to me ) which brings the total raised to $3 162 only $3 088 more to raise by 10 Jan 2017 (SO SO SO GRATEFUL to everyone who has supported this campaign so far ).

Today I realized that with big risk comes big reward or embarrassment I tend to put myself out there and ask people for things that other people would be too embarrassed to ask for and sometimes it works out really well while other times I’m left red-faced either way I carry on secure in the knowledge that regardless of how the world responds I will survive and I will thrive.

Day 1993: Because it’s hard

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Because it’s hard that’s why I have to do everything – that’s what I realized yesterday.

It’s 12 : 47 PM on day 1993 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray, read Hebrews 4, learn one new thing –Dry ice is frozen carbon dioxide. A block of dry ice has a surface temperature of -109.3 degrees Fahrenheit (-78.5 degrees C). Dry ice also has the very nice feature of sublimation — as it breaks down, it turns directly into carbon dioxide gas rather than a liquid. – go to church, hang with family, have breakfast and work on my 25 Smiles Campaign – Meg Guegan donated $25 (thanks Meg for your ongoing support it means the world to me 🙂 ) which brings the total raised to $3 037 only $3 213 more to raise by 10 Jan 2017 (SO SO SO GRATEFUL to everyone who has supported this campaign so far ).

Yesterday I went to the CANSA Shavathon (it had ended by the time we go there but that’s besides the point) I made up my mind to go precisely because it was so much effort I figured if people saw me there they would understand that even though they’re struggling and imperfect they can show up and be of service to humanity.

Day 1992: Giving up Impatience for Lent

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“Lent comes providentially to reawaken us, to shake us from our lethargy.” – Pope Francis

It’s 12 : 47 PM on day 1992 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray, read Hebrews 3, learn one new thing –With an area of 12 million square kilometers (5 million square miles), the Arctic Ocean is the smallest ocean – more than five times smaller than the Indian and Atlantic oceans. –have breakfast and work on my 25 Smiles Campaign – Kevin (not my brother Kevin) donated $15 on behalf of Lesley for her birthday (thanks Kevin and happy birthday Lesley which brings the total raised to $3 012 only $3 238 more to raise by 10 Jan 2017 (SO SO SO GRATEFUL to everyone who has supported this campaign so far ).

Recently after reading A World Filled With Happiness – a blog post by Gaynor Young – I decided that instead of giving up certain foods for Lent (which my doctor has forbidden me from doing) I would give up impatience admittedly I still have my moments of impatience but whenever I am able to observe myself being impatient I remind myself that I’ve given up impatience for Lent surprisingly it really does help.

Day 1991: “Collide” by Howie Day

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Even the best fall down sometimes

Even the wrong words seem to rhyme

Out of the doubt that fills your mind

I somehow find

You and I collide

– Howie Day, “Collide”

It’s 12 : 10 PM on day 1991 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray, read Hebrews 2, learn one new thing –The Indian gray mongoose and others are well known for their ability to fight and kill venomous snakes, particularly cobras. They are adept at such tasks due to their agility, thick coats, and acetylcholine receptors, which render them resistant or immune to snake venom.–have breakfast and work on my 25 Smiles Campaign – raised $2 997 only $3 253 more to raise by 10 Jan 2017 (SO SO SO GRATEFUL to everyone who has supported this campaign so far ).

Recently I heard “Collide” by Howie Day I think it’s an old song but I like it so I’m sharing it. Listen to “Collide” by Howie Day below:

Day 1990: All will be well

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All will be well in the end– that’s what I keep realizing.

It’s 12 : 00 PM on day 1990 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray, read Hebrews 1, learn one new thing – The first human-made object to reach the surface of the Moon was the Soviet Union’s Luna 2 mission, on 13 September 1959. The United States’ Apollo 11 was the first manned mission to land on the Moon, on 20 July 1969. –have breakfast and work on my 25 Smiles Campaign – yesterday Jacqui-Mackway Wilson of Go Social SA donated $25 (thanks SO MUCH Jacqui your support means the world to me [note to the world: if anyone needs social media marketing help Jacqui’s the woman for the job she really gets that social media is about storytelling and conversation not pushing products and services on people (Jacqui did not ask me to say any of this I really do think she’s very kickass 🙂 )] ) which brings the total raised to $2 997 only $3 253 more to raise by 10 Jan 2017 (SO SO SO GRATEFUL to everyone who has supported this campaign so far ).

The older I get the more I realize all will be well in the end and if it’s not it’s not the end everything happens for the evolution of our consciousness.

Day 1989: Life and Reciprocity

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Life works on the principle of reciprocity – that’s what I keep realizing.

It’s 12 : 10 PM on day 1989 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray, read , learn one new thing –The Bermuda Triangle, also known as the Devil’s Triangle, is a loosely defined region in the western part of the North Atlantic Ocean, where a number of aircraft and ships are said to have disappeared under mysterious circumstances. -have breakfast and work on my 25 Smiles Campaign – raised $2 972 only $3 278 more to raise by 10 Jan 2017 (SO SO SO GRATEFUL to everyone who has supported this campaign so far ).

Today I saw the love I was putting out there coming back to me and realized life really does work on the principle of reciprocity – whatever you put out into the world you get back tenfold.

Day 1988: Brownies & downieS South Africa

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For a successful entrepreneur it can mean extreme wealth. But with extreme wealth comes extreme responsibility. And the responsibility for me is to invest in creating new businesses, create jobs, employ people, and to put money aside to tackle issues where we can make a difference.” -Richard Branson

It’s 12 : 25 PM on day 1988 of my journey towards independence and I managed to pray, read Titus 3, watch Sunrise on ETV – yep you guessed it I was watching because Catherine Constantinides was on 🙂 – learn one new thing – The speed of light in a vacuum is 186,282 miles per second (299,792 kilometers per second), and in theory nothing can travel faster than light. In miles per hour, light speed is, well, a lot: about 670,616,629 mph. If you could travel at the speed of light, you could go around the Earth 7.5 times in one second.-have breakfast and work on my 25 Smiles Campaign – raised $2 972 only $3 278 more to raise by 10 Jan 2017 (SO SO SO GRATEFUL to everyone who has supported this campaign so far ).

Yesterday on Introducing Up & Coming Current.. – a vlog by Dennis Ngango – I heard about Brownies & downieS – a coffee shop and lunchroom in Cape Town that primarily serves as training centre for the intellectually disabled – I love that Brownies & downieS is trying to give people who have intellectual disabilities independence and purpose. Residents of Cape Town: Please visit Brownies & downieS and buy a brownie on my behalf (I haven’t had a brownie in ages my mouth is watering just thinking about it).

(Note: Brownies & downieS did not pay me to write this post I did it because I believe business that care deserve support.)