Success Story 1

Although I'm unable to walk and have trouble controlling my motor skills, the worst aspect of having cerebral palsy for me is my speech impairment. Of course, being born a female probably didn't help matters considering how women love to talk. My disability, caused by oxygen being cut off from my brain at birth, doesn't affect my mental abilities, but many individuals assume I have retardation simply because of my physical limitations. I believe if only I could articulate my thoughts and feelings, society would accept me as the intelligent person which I am.

I was one of the first physically disabled students in my county to be mainstreamed in a public school. An aide had to assist me with many physical aspects of attending school including writing for me since I didn't have the hand coordination to write myself. When I did schoolwork, I had to relay my answers to my aide which made the work go slower for me than the other students, but my assistant had few problems understanding what I said since she had been around me for several months and had an idea of what I would say. So, all through elementary and high school, I was accepted as an intelligent student because of my good academic record.

My classmates always made me feel like an equal and never made fun of me, but I feel being speech impaired hindered me in forming many close friendships with them. I had more friends in elementary school since I didn't feel self-conscious about talking to my peers although it was sometimes difficult for them to understand me. However, in high school, I started to realize how different I really was than my classmates, and that's why I became a quiet student who only spoke when spoken to. Everyone liked me, but I missed the special camaraderie between the other students and myself.

My senior year was a turning point in my life. I hadn't received many accolades during the previous years except from teachers, so imagine my shock when my classmates voted me as an "Outstanding Senior" and "Most Memorable." I believe those two awards helped me to break out of my shell to be myself. Although I continued to maintain my high grade point average, I stopped worrying as much about grades and concentrated instead on having fun. Due to my changed attitude, I think the faculty and students began seeing me as not only a good student, but also as an individual with the same feelings as anyone else. At the end of the year, I received two academic awards plus a special award, "Spirit of the Class." This was the first and only presentation of this award, and I was honored to be the recipient.

Ever since second grade, I have felt a desire to be a writer. I remember my favorite assignments in elementary school were writing short stories, and I would state even then that I wanted to be a writer when someone would inquire what I'd like to be. Unlike most children, my occupational choice didn't change through the years although I didn't truly believe I could be an author. I had the misconception one had to be a genius to be able to write, and there was the additional problem of my physical inability in literally being able to write or type. I overcame the latter obstacle in my early teens by learning how to type with my nose. To type like this, I had to sit on my knees in the floor to better stabilized myself.

Thanks to my twelfth grade English teacher, I began to have confidence in my writing ability. He spent extra time with me discussing the techniques of writing, and somehow, he made it seem easy. He formed a writing club for high school students that year, and I think he started it mainly for me because he'd heard I wanted to be a writer. I joined the club although I was frightened I would prove I didn't have any literary talent. How glad I am I joined because my teacher's encouragement taught me someone with average intelligence, like myself, could write if there was a strong desire to do so.

Another memorable experience for me occurred at my 1988 graduation when the high school principal, in his speech, set me as an example to motivate the other graduates to become the best they could be. I don't know if his comments had an impact on the rest of the graduating class, but they certainly had an influence on me.

I didn't plan to attend college due to my physical limitations, and thus, I didn't have any future plans after high school. During the first three months, I was content to watch television and read; however, that leisurely life soon became boring. I also felt guilty since I had been used as a role model for my class, and I wasn't even attempting to do something meaningful with my life. I began noticing more how people, who didn't know me well, would talk to me as if I were a child or ignore me. Although I realized they didn't understand my disability, their actions angered me, especially because I had been so well accepted during my twelve years in school.

All these feelings of turmoil prompted me to start writing about my school days. I didn't have any plans to try to publish it because I had no idea how to submit a manuscript. I just enjoyed writing since it gave me a challenge to conquer.

Then one day I happened to see a "Triumph of the Spirit" contest as I was reading a magazine. I thought my article would fit the category, so I entered my article in the contest for the heck of it (after I typed it three times with my nose) never expecting to win. I was jubilant when I learned my story was among the winning manuscripts. My reward was $500 and publication in the July 1989 issue of the magazine.

After that first taste of success, I became addicted to writing, and I enrolled in a correspondence writing course with my winnings from the contest. Later, I took another home course in writing. These courses on writing fiction taught me the business and techniques of being an author although I soon realized, from the rejection slips I received, my short stories lacked something editors wanted. I don't think I really connected with my characters like most fiction authors.

Four years later, a 300 word filler concerning my first writing sale was finally published in another magazine. I began thinking nonfiction was what I should write since I had more passion for it; however, I didn't know what subjects I could write about besides myself. Although I was proud to be published again, I didn't think anyone else would be impressed by this small accomplishment until a county commissioner came to my home to read the filler since she'd heard about it being recently published.

I'll never know why that short article impressed her, but she thought I had writing talent. She asked if I was interested in writing for the local newspaper. I replied I was, but what could I write for a newspaper? I wasn't a reporter. She said she would talk to the assistant editor of the local newspaper about the possibility of me writing occasionally. This sounded exciting, but I didn't get my hopes up too high since I had experienced many disappointments with people saying things they really didn't mean. I had no idea I was about to become a journalist and that the commissioner would become my future best friend.

True to her word, she told the assistant editor about me, and my first assignment for the newspaper was a review of a country music concert I attended. Due to a bio about myself which I submitted to be printed with the review, the editor of the newspaper asked me to write a monthly column concerning the myriad aspects of being disabled. So, for the past five years in this column, I have discussed issues which I feel have enlightened the public about what individuals with disabilities have to face daily. Fortunately for my nose and back, by this time I didn't have to type with my nose thanks to an on-screen computer keyboard which allows me to type with a joystick.

In 1995, I received what I consider the highest honor of my writing career: a personal letter from the First Lady of the United States, Hillary Rodham Clinton. Without my knowledge, my commissioner friend sent her two of my columns, and it seemed unbelievable that the First Lady read my articles since I never dreamed my words would ever reach outside my small county--not to mention the White House. Mrs. Clinton states in the letter: "As these articles illustrate, your writing has opened a window on the world and has allowed others to appreciate your keen intelligence, courageous optimism and enjoyment of life." As I read that statement, I realized writing a column had given me a voice I'd always desired, and perhaps, it was assisting the public to understand disabled people better.

As I was growing up, I didn't know why I aspired to write, but now I've realized I needed a way to express myself. Since I've been writing about cerebral palsy, people have given me more respect, and it's been therapeutic for me. I have also met interesting individuals since I write profiles of interesting people and about issues affecting my county in another local newspaper. I've even been accepted into a local writing group regardless of my physical limitation. Writing has indeed open a door for me to relay what's in my heart and mind, so I can be a contributing part of society in spite of my disability.