interviews with invisible disabilities inspiring people with chronic illness
I’m pretty sure fall gets the ”favorite season” award for people living with chronic conditions and disabilities. Personally, my body just works better with pumpkin spice lattes, crisp (not too hot & not too cold) air, and the return of all my favorite tv shows.
Do you remember when we had to have our photos developed before viewing the images? The days when selfies weren’t even a thing and group shots didn’t involve a million retakes? Back then, we had no way of knowing if our arms looked flabby or if our leg braces were showing in photos until we picked up the physical prints.
My name is Cori Fischer. I am 20 years old and have a movement disorder that requires me to wear an AFO brace on each leg. Summer can be a tough season, especially with clothes. I know how hard it can be if you don’t want your braces, or scars, to show all of the time, but most summer clothes require you to do so. I have had six leg surgeries & as a result, have many scars on my legs which can sometimes be nice to cover up on occasion.
Hey, I’m Casey Jourdan. I’m a disabled Iraq war veteran and childless not by choice woman. Yet, through those unwelcome, life-changing moments, I’ve been pushed to live a life I never planned for and have learned to embrace an unconventional life path. I help others do the same as a self-trust and resilience coach. I’m…
Shoe shopping has always been difficult for me. I was born with classical Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and, along with faulty connective tissue and loose joints, I was born with flat feet. I have weak ankles, huge bunions on both big toes, crooked and curled smaller toes, stretched Achilles tendons, and a variety of other issues that make finding a comfortable, supportive, stylish pair of shoes about as easy as finding a double-rainbow.
A Guest Post By Juli Ochs As an adopted kid, I couldn’t understand why physical endeavors were so difficult or why I had trouble sleeping at night because of the pain. I was told it was growing pains and that it couldn’t be that bad, but honestly, it was. While I didn’t let the pain…
Foot drop is a condition that prevents you from being able to raise the front part of your foot due to a weakness or paralysis of the muscles that control your ability to lift the foot. It can significantly affect your ability to walk without tripping or falling and may drastically alter how well you can walk.
Shoe shopping has always been difficult for me. I was born with classical Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and, along with faulty connective tissue and loose joints, I was born with flat feet. I have weak ankles, huge bunions on both big toes, crooked and curled smaller toes, stretched Achilles tendons, and a variety of other issues that make finding a comfortable, supportive, stylish pair of shoes about as easy as finding a double-rainbow.
I started performing standup comedy when I was 14. I was a huge fan of Gilda Radner, but when I saw Joan Rivers doing a set on the show Solid Gold, I knew I had found an outlet for my humor. I also knew that I would be considered too young to be taken seriously as a comic. In the mid-80’s young comics, let alone female comics, were a rare breed.
There’s a video of me at my third birthday party. I’ve watched it so many times, it’s almost my own memory. I’m Shirley Temple’s 1990s doppelgänger in a frilly dress, my blonde ringlets barely held back by a strand of yarn. In the small swath of thick carpet not covered in wrapping paper and new toys, I’m shuffling along in my very first pair of high heels.
There are many things that can be learned from having a disability – lessons that apply to everyone, disability or not. Although I am a sophomore in college now, when I was in eighth grade, I started to lose control of my legs.
When Lainie asked me to share my story about living with CMT I jumped at the chance. Then I realized that I have never shared my journey with having CMT. I struggled with this post for weeks because of that reason and decided that I will share with you all what I can.
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