Author Archives: Emma Janine

Why Do We Do It?

We do it because fighting through the pain, the nausea, and the fatigue is worth it for the prospect of learning something mind blowing, world shifting, or thought provoking. I haven’t given up on the idea that I can still make an impact on this world despite my body being a less than stellar vehicle to get around in. So I’m gonna keep turning her engine over until she starts up each morning and gives it her best go. Charge her battery, give her some gas, and hope she keeps making it to the next stop along the way.

pater, Protector, Provider

But my daddy. My daddy surprised both of us that night when I called. He told me to start packing my bags. He very calmly announced that if I was that sick, it was time to come home and regroup. In that moment, my daddy began protecting me from myself. He stopped the panicking voices in my head that were fighting over whether or not American University or my life were more important. He stopped the very persistent voice that was screaming about how I was letting him down. He stopped my tears. He provided a solution to the problem that I felt I had been facing alone. Suddenly–we were a team of three.

Double Take

There are many parts of disability that can be awkward or embarrassing for us. We need assistance devices to keep us safe. For me, those things are my mask, my Service Dog, and my wheelchair. Sometimes my list includes more or less. For other people with disabilities, the list includes other things. For people in the able bodied community, all we ask is for respect, and that simply means not doing a double take or staring when you see something that you think is different or doesn’t fit what you think should be the norm.