In Control Of My Uncontrollable Body - Life With Cerebral Palsy

      March is a pretty good month of the year if you ask me.  It's the month in which winter ends; no more sliding off sidewalks, wet tires unable to grip anything, and no more snow tracks that cover the floors everywhere I roll.  It's also the month when college basketball goes through the roof.  March Madness, the craziest sporting event on TV, besides the Olypics!  I love college basketball, I grew up watching younger brother play on a local basketball team for years.  I'm a huge Hoosier fan, you can say whatever you want!       It's a time where I can be like all of the other insane college basketball fans.  I feel like I fit in somewhat.  Whether it's yelling at the refs due to a bad call, screaming at the players, being all decked out in the team colors, or cheering because the team just won and are getting tons of high fives from strangers.  When I'm out at the grocery store or a restaurant...

      You have heard that saying a thousand times...right?  I will assume you have because about 87% of American households have at least one four-legged, furry pup.  Most people treat them as part of their family, such as buying them clothes, giving them lots of toys, letting them sleep with you, or cooking them a dish of food.  Some dogs must think their "human" with all of the love, care, and affection they get!  Many of us have a lot on our plate and sadly put the dog(s) last or close to last.  No matter the size, shape, color, gender, or type most of us love our dog(s).   But when you ask someone that's disabled what they think of their dog, you may get a whole different viewpoint.        Whether it was a injury at birth, born with a disability, hurt in a car wreck, or physical or mentally injured on the battle field, we all probably have close to the same description for our dog.  My loving companion who takes...

       As you all probably know, today's the first day of Spring.  That word, Spring, just puts the biggest smile on my face as it does to many others this time of the year.  It's almost like we have made it through another Winter; which is true.  This morning my mom got me up and then went off to work like normal.  I usually start working on my schoolwork as she leaves...but not today.  I went into my bedroom with my dog following behind me and stopped and stared out of my window.  I noticed that the glass was warm so I opened it.  As I opened my window a warm, smooth, calm, Spring-like breeze was coming in and brushing across my sleepless face.  The sun was just peeking over the woods and made the sky look as if it were a painting. By now my dog was on my bed wanting to get on my lap.  As she jumped onto my lap I went back to the graceful breeze and she laid on my lap as her nose smelled so many scents.  Th...

I applied for this grant for funding for college courses and driving adaptions.  Winning the grant didn't even seem in my reach...until I was told I did!  Here's my essay I wrote...enjoy! Has someone ever told you that you just aren’t good enough?  That you will probably never meet their expectations?   I have been told that a lot all my life.  It brings you down and it might break your heart sometimes; but I’ve always had the strength to move on and prove them wrong.  I’m a senior in high school at Indiana University, looking to pursue a degree in web development and design at a local college.  I also want to drive on my own and start a business for disabled people to help them get the education they need and deserve.  I know I can achieve all of those goals with my passion, my determination and the help of this grant.  High school has been a tough road for me, at the end of my freshman year I dropped out of my public school corpor...

     Have you ever caught yourself asking that?  At your desk with a pile of bills in front of you?  At the kitchen table as you notice your plate is almost empty, but you know you can eat a little more?   At the grocery store when your cart is overflowing with unnecessary items?  In your car as you're pushing the speed limit hoping no police are around?   At a gas station while you watch your money you worked hard for is quickly slipping away?      So, how much is too much?  We seem to be asking that question more and more.  We are all stressed out and tired and just want to go home, lay back in our favorite chair and do what we love.  Maybe it's catching up on your TV show, watching movies, surfing the web, drawing, reading, knitting, writing, or just taking a nap.   We go to work or school all day and would just want to relax but we might have to run the kids around, do some errands, ...

    If you're disabled, the title tells it all.  Have you ever been stared at for periods of time?  Have you been called a "freak" behind your back?   Have you ever thought you were the center of attention, in a bad way?  When children ask, "what happen to him/her?"  Do the parent just take their arms and walk away as you can hear nothing but false they tell their kids?  I'm guessing you have experienced many, many of these situations, way too often.     Kids are very curious and want to know more about something that intrigues them.  A wheelchair isn't what you see on a regular basis, none the less a power wheelchair moving by itself...?  Kids and people are very confused when they see me.  They stare and look the chair over until they figure out how I operate my chair, and yet some just ignore me as much as they can.  Some responses are different then others and everyone has their own opinion.  I use...

    It was an ordinary, hot, summer day.  School was out, our pool was open, took four-wheeler rides at night, grilled burgers, laid in the hammock for hours on end, practiced soccer in the barn, roosted hot dogs and marshmallows on the bond fire, and walked my dog every evening.  These are what my summers are like; close to perfect, I would have to say yes!  Today, God put life in perspective as near tragedy struck.      At the time, I had a Black Labrador named A.J.  We found him in the newspaper in the animal shelter section.  We went up to town to see him and all seven of his brothers and sisters.  I remember going inside and they all ran away to the far corner.  They were terrified of my power chair.  They were about nine weeks old and pretty good sized, very adorable, and chubby!  As the lady talked and told us more about them and how they were found in a trash can, I kept looking at their a...