Camping isn’t on the top 10 list of activities for people with disabilities. Growing up, I went to a summer camp for children with disabilities, but I stayed in cabins with bathrooms. Five years ago, my husband asked me to go camping. I didn’t think it would work…
Summer is a terrific time of year, especially when you’re a child. There’s no school, no homework, and sometimes a family vacation to look forward to. When I was growing up, our family vacationed for a week at Rehoboth Beach in Delaware. My parents rented a trailer,…
Every year around this time, with summer in full swing, a couple of things have remained constant for as long as I can remember. The first is that my physical therapy routine picks up in intensity as I find myself feeling better in the warm weather and wanting to…
With summer in full swing, I figure this is a good time to go in-depth about adaptive driving. I’ve been driving for about five years, and now that I’m a comfortable driver, I think I can finally address some of the questions I get about the subject. The first…
Being in an emergency situation while feeling helpless is a terrifying experience. I try to prevent emergencies by planning for the worst. However, awful situations happen, no matter how much one plans ahead. When I was pregnant with my daughter, I took an infant CPR class. The instructor…
Sometimes I’ll set out with a column idea and it gets completely transformed over the course of the week. This was one of those times. I initially intended to talk about the emotional struggles of people with disabilities over different life phases, such as graduating from high school and…
School summer vacation has just begun. My husband and I sit in bed after our two children fall asleep and we discuss summer plans and trips. We always have accessibility issues at the back of our minds. I know he loves to go camping, but my disability…
Hey, everyone! Last week I wrote a column that didn’t get a chance to be published. I thought I would have it for you this week, but it’s going to take some extra time. This week, instead, I’ll discuss dating and being in a relationship with a partner…
Expeditions can challenge anyone. However, no matter how challenging, a physically difficult goal is beneficial for people with cerebral palsy. Working on controlling, strengthening, and loosening muscles helps with learning patterns, which can increase coordination. Many people with disabilities participate in a variety of sports and extreme physical…
My son, Jason, graduated from pre-kindergarten last week. I noticed all kinds of graduations on social media from my friends and family. Graduation is a bittersweet moment. On the one hand, you feel ecstatic because you’ve accomplished something monumental. On the other hand, you are closing the door…