Truly Accessible

Before I begin I want to give a shout out to my friend, Courtney for helping me edit this!

Almost every place I have ever gone to says that they are handicap accessible. That means that I should be able to get out of my car and into the building without any trouble, the doorways should be large enough for my wheelchair to fit through, that they should have have an elevator or a ramp if there are flights of stairs, and I should be able to get into the bathroom without any trouble. However, more often than not I end up finding at least one thing that gets in my way. What I've come to realize is that legally the buildings, sports centers, restaurants, et cetera are 'handicap accessible' (as the ADA presents them). Nothing is more stressful to me then going out when I'm in my chair because I worry about places being truly accessible. Not in the legal sense but in the sense that I can get my wheelchair around without knocking things over or getting stuck. I'd like to go to Starbucks and be able to grab my drink without having to struggle to grab it because the counter is too high. Believe it or not but that's stressful.

           Before I begin my rant let me start by saying that most places try to work with my family and I if there is an issue concerning my wheelchair or it not offering what I need to get around. But usually if I come back the store owners still haven't fixed the situation. I'm going to share three (3) stories that I think will make y'all cringe but also (hopefully) open your eyes to these situations. I didn't notice all the problems until I was in a wheelchair so it's easy to glance over them and not have  it once cross your mind that something is wrong. So without further ado, story number one-

           Part of the reason I had such a hard time at school was because of my disability. I kept being pushed into the vicious cycle of exhaustion -- which triggered my pain,-- which then caused me to miss school, then once I was better I would attempt to catch up...which only lead to exhaustion once again. The cycle went on and on. A side affect of having my leg pains was me having to use my wheelchair which I honestly didn't have a problem with because I knew I had friends to help me get to classes. The teachers and the staff there were really willing to work with me when it came to getting around and catching up on my work. That was a huge God send to have people willing to work with me so I could get things done. While the people in the school were great, the building itself was horrid. Let me try to paint this picture as best I can: There were only two elevators in the whole school. One on the main floor that went up three floors and one in the other building that only went down to the base floor and back up to the 2nd floor. To get to these elevators I'd have to wheel all the way to the other end of the school to get to most of my classes and to get back downstairs. The elevators also were not very large and had the problem of shaking when they stopped moving and the door opened, which did not reassure me that I was safe.

           The school also didn't have ramps inside or outside. Yes they had a ramp to get onto the sidewalk but those were only on one part of the sidewalk meaning I'd have to wheel to one end of the sidewalk or the other to get up. Inside they were lacking a ramp which concerned me if there was ever an emergency situation. I'd have to rely on another student or a teacher to carry me out of the building. Even if I wasn't in my wheelchair I don't trust my legs to take the stairs because of how many of them there are. The bathrooms were not so great either. The handicap stall by the cafeteria didn't have a support bar (you know that large metal bar that is in most stalls to aid people in standing) on the wall by the toilet...they had the bar on the opposite wall. Why have the bar on that side? I don't understand.

           Also the bathroom stall didn't lock so my friends would have to hold the stall door for me.  The last bad thing I have to say about the school are about the cafeteria and class rooms. The average classroom could not fit my wheelchair in it without it being in the way -- which meant that I had to park my chair in the corner and walk to my desk. The fact that I had to park my chair wasn't the problem. It was the fact that if I couldn't get up and walk to my desk or transfer myself, I'd have to sit up front at the teacher's desk and wouldn't be able to socialize as much with the other students in my class. The cafeteria wasn't handicap accessible either. The tables and chairs were so close together and I couldn't get my chair in and out comfortably and I had to sit jutted out in an awkward angle. This also made it hard to get from the lunch line to my table because people couldn't move their chairs in enough because of the cramped spaces.

           Second story has to do with a drive in theater that I went to this last weekend. I had a great time,-- the staff was great and I really enjoyed the family time. But I couldn't help but notice as I walking to the concession stand that the road was completely gravel. I'm not sure how many of y'all have ever tried to wheel a wheelchair over gravel but it's hard. Really hard. I kept going back to the thought “well all they need to do is put some concrete here and there to fix this”. It seemed so obvious to me until I realized that it wouldn't ever cross anyone's mind. While we waited for the movie to start I went into the restroom and noticed how narrow the walking space between the two walls of the stalls was -- not nearly wide enough to fit a wheelchair into. There was no way my chair, let alone a power chair, would fit in here. The movies are about an hour and half each each and we were there to see two movies. How horrible would have been to have to use the restroom and not be able to get in.

          My last story is probably the one that upsets me the most. Not because the building was not accessible, which it was, but because the people inside would not assist me and one of my best friends. Gilley's is a venue that is mostly used for concerts. My friend has been to multiple concerts there and has called ahead in the past letting them know she was coming and that she was in a wheelchair. They took no interest in that. Once she and I arrived at the concert last December to see one of our favorite singers we realized that there were a lot of people there. Most of them, of course in the front of the stage already (there were no seats, it was basically first come first serve in the respect of seating).

           Not knowing what to do we decided to get as close as we could but still we couldn't see over the people standing in front of us (we were both in our wheelchairs). When my friend went to the security guard to ask if they could help us move to the side of the stage or to the front so we could see they simply looked at her and replied “No, we don't do that. You’re a liability because of your chairs.” She also approached the manager who basically said the same thing. What upset me most was the fact that he walked away after that. No one offered to help us get in a place where we could see the performer that we paid to go see and had looked forward to that moment for months -- just like everyone else. And we couldn't see. What I don't understand is why they were so close minded on helping us. I mean isn't making sure that consumers have a great time what most businesses want? To assist their consumers? Can you imagine how much more money they would make if they treated people who are in wheelchairs or who had any other type of disability with more respect because those people would be more willing to go to that venue and pay?

           I understand that remodeling and making sure that places are accessible costs money and can take a while to work out, however it's something that will benefit both the businesses and their consumers. It's not like we're asking you to tear down your entire structure. We're asking you to making something accessible even if that's just adding a ramp or making enough space so someone in a wheelchair can get into the bathrooms. To me that's common courtesy. I implore you to speak out and suggest changes to buildings or stores if you ever see a problem that has to do with being accessible. Ask to speak to the manager, write a letter, blog about it, use social media.  It'll make going out a whole lot more enjoyable for me and others who are in wheelchairs if we can actually get around without such huge problems in our way.

XOXO,

Dana

Ummmmm some ramps that are suppose "to help".

 

 

(non of these pictures our mine, found on https://disabledaccessdenied.wordpress.com/tag/the-worst-wheelchair-ramps-ever-made/)

Inspiration Porn

A/N-Before we begin....I'm on Facebook! Just let say I have no idea how to run a personal blog page so bare with me as I figure that out. I'll share the link to that below. Also I'm sharing a link to a video called "I'm Not Your Inspiration, Thank you very much", a talk by Stella Young. When you read this post and watch the video you are going to notice a lot of similarities which I didn't do on purpose at first. I then watched the video after this was typed out and almost everything she said I had thought, felt, and/or written down.

   Hey everyone!
   
   It's no secret that I like to work out. Well, OK, truthfully I hate working out but I'm always glad I did afterwards....isn't that what it's like for most (sane) people anyway? While I work out I like to listen to motivational speakers and most of the time the speech is accompanied by a sports montage which doesn't bother me at all. Now as much as I love able bodied sports I'm, of course, drawn to Paralympic sports because I see myself in those athletes more then those athletes in able bodied sports. Personally I love, love, love it when people make montages of Paralympic sports and add a motivational speech because it's often done in a way that isn't singling us out or idolizing us. It's showing us as the athletes we are and they have a motivational speaker in the background just as they do for Olympic and other sport montages. It's a normal thing to see on YouTube.
   But what does bother me is when the see videos that have this slogan in the description, at the beginning, in the title, or in the comments- "When you're down, watch this!". Then proceeds to show a video of people who are "disabled" (I hate using that word) doing sports or living life. People are comparing their lives to ours in ways such as "Oh my man well I was having a bad day but my life isn't as bad as theirs! I am so blessed that I'm not in a wheelchair". As if having a disability is the worse possible thing. I don't want y'all to do that. My life with my disability is hard, yes, but I'm 100% sure that there is something going on in your life that isn't easy and that you wish you didn't have to deal with. I understand when some people look at others who have a disability they think "I'd be pissed off if that was my life". And sure sometimes I am too..however you are still thinking that being in a wheelchair or any other disability is the worse thing that could be going on. Sure my problems may be more apparent, but actually my disability isn't the worse in my life either. I have other stuff that I would change way before I would ask not to have Charcot Marie Tooth.
    People with disabilities don't see their lives are exceptional. At least not me. I'm honestly not doing anything out of the ordinary then other teenagers. Honestly what I do most of the day during the summer is as followers- get up, eat, check all my social media and emails, blog or write something else, listen to music, watch TV, and then exercise. Sometimes I'll go out to the mall and movies with my friends. But I'm not doing anything different then most teenagers except I do it all sitting down or with the aid of my leg braces. Most people who are living with a disability don't want or feel like they should be subject as inspiration.
   Again, most of the time when we are being called inspirations it is from people who are really really kind and sweet and do mean it. I don't so much mind that. That's meant in a positive way. What I do mind is when I see pictures like this on the internet while I'm scrolling through workout inspiration-

 (for those who can't see, the girl has prosthetic legs)

   That my friends is called inspiration porn. A picture or a quote that is used to make others feel good about themselves because they don't have "as a life as that person over there who is in a wheelchair or has a disability so that persons life must be horrid.". This is negative. We don't want you to look down on us as if we are something to be pitied or something to compare your lives to when you think yours is horrible. That's not why we're here. These types of posts make me angry, but most of all they make me sad because I think " is this is how people see me when I go to the gym? Or when I go to the store? Or when I go to the movies?".  I'm living a full life. Yeah at times it isn't fun but that is the same for anybody, regardless if they have a disability or not.
    This isn't to say that people with disabilities don't need help at times. We do need to have access to ramps and handicap parking and stalls in the bathroom. This post is to say that the way we are looked at needs to change. Personally I don't have a problem with someone asking me if I need help if it looks like I'm physically having a hard time since that's what most people would ask an abled bodied person. What I do want to change is a scenario like so:
I'm grabbing a box of cereal off the shelf and someone asks if I need help when it's clear that-

1. I have it in my hand....I don't need help getting it into my shopping cart  
2. I haven't even tried to grab the box off the shelf yet
3. They keep pestering me about it even after I say "No thanks, I've got it. But thank you!" with a smile.

  Now this post isn't just a rant or a bully post. I totally understand that when people usually say "you're so brave" or "you're an inspiration" that they mean it with the kindness of their hearts and that makes me smile. This post isn't meant to offend or critique or rant. This is meant to be an eye opener. I know it's hard to change the way you think, especially if you've been in a mindset for a long time, but if you can try that is all I ask. Try to look at the disabled community as people who are just living life a bit different then you. Not as an inspiration. Going to the grocery store or working as a doctor while in a wheelchair or having another disability shouldn't be a surprise or anything out the ordinary.
   It's up to the disabled community to spread awareness that we are people and we are just living a life that looks a bit difficult. We need to be open and thankful that we get the chance to educate.

XOXO,
Dana

Facebook link- https://www.facebook.com/pages/Here-I-Am-On-My-Way/1438109616460397?ref=hl

Stella Young video-

 

Why I fell in love with "The Fault in Our Stars" (before it become a movie)

I read the Fault in Our Stars by John Green about a year ago, before news of the movie even came out. I read it per request by a friend who told me that it was worth reading and because she thought I'd like the way it was written. And boy was she right.

Just as Hazel Grace says about Imperial Afflictions, John Green is the first author that I've ever read who can portray an illness/disability and make it seem like a minor detail while still making it apart of the story...as someone with Charcot Marie Tooth (a neuropathy that makes it painful and tiring to walk and causes me to get sick more easily) there are actually  themes of the book I can relate to. Which is rare.
 
   Now I'm not saying that my life is any way as hard or painful as Hazel Grace's or Augustus Water's. I'm not saying that at all. I'm not dying. There is a very good chance that I will live into adulthood. I live a life that is probably much easier then most people in my situation. But my CMT isn't going away. In fact, more then likely, I believe that it will progress. There is a good chance that I will someday be permanently in a wheelchair. I know for a fact that I will always be tired and weak and get my pain cycles. There are parts of Hazel and Gus' story that tug at my heart string. For example: when she is at Anne Frank's house and has such a hard time making it up the stairs? I've been there. That feeling of  "I can do this. I don't need to be different then the other people here". That feeling of "I'll show them". That feeling of "I'm perfectly fine, I don't need to be treated like someone who is sick" while in truth you are that person. You are that person can't do all the things someone else can do.
    When Gus is calls Hazel in the middle of the night sobbing and it turns out he was trying to buy cigarettes because it's the "one thing he wanted to do on his own"? I have felt that so many times.  The feeling of wanting to be able to rely on the body that is suppose to ABLE you to do something not hinder it. The feeling of why even exist when my life is so full of sickness? All of these parts of the book (and Hazel's questions and overall being) were what hit home for me and caused me to enjoy the book so much. Because I can relate. I know that I've felt that way at least once in the 16 years that I've been alive.
 
   Why do I love Gus so much? It's not because he's dreamy and mysterious, though that may be part of it.. It's because he sees Hazel as who she is as a person and not the illness. He treats her as if she is not her problems. The part in the book where he asks what her story is and she begins to tell her cancer story? He interrupts and tells her he wants to know HER story, not her cancer story. He wants to know her dreams and her hobbies. The unique things that set her apart from everyone else. That's what I want. I want a man to love me and not to linger on my disability. John Green doesn't romantize the illness. He romantizes the love between two people who just happen to have an illness. Sure Gus worries and makes sure that Hazel is OK to do something, but he doesn't stay bent on the subject for too long. He plans ahead to make sure that Hazel has everything she needs, yet he doesn't worry about the moment. He wants to live and he wants to live his life with Hazel no matter how hard it gets.
 
John Green has done something that no other author that I've ever read (and there have been ALOT) has ever done before. And that is write a book that has deeply impacted me because I can relate to the main character without feeling like something to be pitied or something to be idolized. He has penned a story that doesn't linger so much on the life that a chronic illness or terminal illness can take away but instead focuses on the life that one can live while surviving and dealing with the illness. This is something special. And something that I, someone with a disability, hardly ever get.

John Green gave us a positive light to shine through, even if that wasn't his intention when writing 'The Fault in Our Stars'. He gave us a voice that is telling the world that we are living a full life. That is what we strive for each day. To live a full and happy life. And that is something that I am so very grateful for. So, Mr. Green, if you EVER happen to stumble across this or actually read it, I (on behalf of me and my friends who struggled with any type Muscular Dystrophy) would like to say thank you. Thank you for writing a book that I can relate to and have fallen so in love with. It hold a special place in my heart for a different reason then most people have.

Sincerely,
Dana

My Love for Horse Racing

I decided to write this today because I'm having a pain cycle and I was rewatching Princess of Sylmar races and the idea hit. Actually I've been meaning to write something like this. I'm sorry that it's not much.

 

You guys all know my story, because I've previously posted about it, but for you guys who don't know...here it is in a nutshell:

 

When I was five years old I was finally diagnosed with a form of Muscular Dystrophy called Charcot Marie Tooth (CMT), a neuropathy that affects the nerves in my hands and legs. It wears away the coating of the nerve leaving it exposed and causing weakness and pain.

At first my disability changed every aspect of my life as I learned how to live with it...and then eventually I got the hang of living with the tiredness and pain cycles since they were few and far between. Physical therapy helped and I got stronger. But lately my CMT has gotten more progressive; over the last four years I've gotten new leg braces that I wear if I go to exercise, I now use a wheelchair for a lot of the errands I run, and I use a walker too. I've dealt with my pain cycles starting up faster and staying longer. All of these changes started to mess with my life. While I still excel in school and all of my classes my athletic life has been put on hold. I used to compete in swimming but every time I start to make progress another pain or fatigue cycle kicks in and I have to start all over again. There are very few sports that are around for me to participate in that don't put negative pressure or strain on my legs; swimming is about the only sport that allows me to perform as if I didn't have my disability.

But there is one other sport that I can participate in heavily. Thoroughbred horse racing. While it all sounds cliche, horse racing is a sport that doesn't require me to be physical other then walking down to the track to watch the horses. I know very well that I can never be a jockey, but that doesn't matter. The fans and the spectators are just as important as the trainers, owners, and jockeys. I mean without us there wouldn't be much of a sport. From the side lines I can act as announcer, share the news, write articles, follow the careers of legends. Not many people get the chance to connect with a horse or a sport the way I have with racing. But those who have they know what I'm talking about. Watching races of horses whom I've fallen in love with has given me an outlet for my emotions. I get a sense of pride and hope watching them. Watching the horses run is beautiful to me...maybe it's my envy that I can't run like that.

I've been able to meet some of the best people in the world through horse racing including three of my best friends and many other people who follow a fan page that I run on Facebook. Through them I've been able to learn so much and get so much more experience then I ever thought I would.

I've been blessed to watch two talented horses run: Zenyatta and Princess of Sylmar. Queen Z was the first horse to capture me. She sparked something in me. And I think I fell into horse racing because of her. At the time I had just moved and was dealing with introducing people to me and my disability. A thing I didn't have to do before since everyone knew about me. She was a powerful mare. So tall and agile. And to watch her dance up to the starting gate was something I looked forward to each time she ran. The second filly to catch my attention was Princess of Sylmar. This filly is a four year old from Pennsylvania. And a talented one at that. I watched her win the Kentucky Oaks and the Alabama Stakes from the comforts of my living room and she sucked me in. Her charisma and her attitude was so magnetic that you can't help but smile when you see her. Watching her run has gotten me through many pain cycles and new experiences with my Charcot Marie Tooth. She gave me something to look forward to when I was sick and tired and ready to just give up with trying to get stronger.

How could horses do this? I'm not sure....its hard to describe...all I can do is say thank you to the trainers and owners and the horses..

XOXO,

Dana

 

A Zenyatta (the mare) edit that I made:

A Princess of Sylmar edit that I made:

4/19/14 Important Thoughts

Just watched an interview with Robyn Lawley, a "plus" sized model (she's a fantastic blogger too, absolutely adore her!), who has graced the covers of many magazines but is most known for being the covergirl of Vogue Italia's 2011 June issue. Now as I'm watching this interview and she is talking about how she loves her body and the audience is cheering I'm just shocked and disgusted with how "inspirational" this is.
Now that isn't to say that Robyn Lawley herself can't be your inspiration, because she is one of mine. 
It shouldn't be inspirational since it should be something that we feel and understand and realize every day. That we can be more then a size 7 and be beautiful. 

Our society has made it so when a women is of normal height and weight and LOVES herself that is SHOCKING. It shouldn't have to come as a surprise that someone is comfortable with who they are and we shouldn't be in awe that a "plus" sized model loves to eat and loves herself and loves to model and is still on the covers of Vogue. It shouldn because we should all respect and love who are we. Society puts too much pressure on everyone to be skinny that when a healthy women isn't a twig but is still beautiful we find that crazy and almost unbelievable. And THAT isn't healthy.

 

  Robyn Lawley shouldn't be considered a plus sized model when she is 6'2 and is a size 12! That is so sick and so wrong. She is lovely and so strong and so beautiful. She's fierce and no one should have to feel that they need to be "skinny" to be beautiful. I agree what she said in an interview with 'Clique'"I don't think anyone should be called plus-sized,' she adds. "I think it's derogatory to anyone-it's a label.' "I'm a model; I don't think I need 'plus-sized' in front of it."  

    We need more Robyn Lawley's to be covergirls. Not because she is inspirational, but because we are not all sticks. She a healthy women. A strong activist in not being 'plus sized', but being the right weight for your own body.

 

   And it almost seems hypocritical coming from me; someone who struggles so much with the loving herself in her own skin no matter how many times she is told that she is beautiful, because our minds are filled with the ideals that we are suppose to be perfect and smart and beautiful and be able to juggle so many things at once. I'm probably not the best example of loving myself. And I wonder if I ever will be. But I can try. I'll say it, even though I have a hard time believing myself sometimes, WE DO NOT NEED TO FEEL LIKE TRASH BECAUSE WE DO NOT THE BODY THAT IS DEEMED 'BEAUTIFUL'.

 

Anyway....those are just my thoughts on this matter.

 

XOXO,

Dana

 

 

The lovely Robyn Lawley!

 

PS: Check out her food blog for some great recipe ideas

http://robynlawleyeats.tumblr.com/

What Happened to You?!

   Oh boy..how many times do I get this question? I really don't have a problem when people ask me why I'm in a wheelchair, why I'm wearing leg braces, or if I'm using my walker, but once I've answered the question more then five times it begins to get old. I have two main problems with people asking questions: 1) The way they phrase the question 2) The assumptions that people make about me.

   People tend to be curious. That's human nature. But people can be rude as all get out. The way they ask and the timing is often not ideal. I mean you really wouldn't believe how appalling this questions can be.

Examples:

• Dude....what's wrong with your legs?
• Are those shin guards (my leg braces)?
• So when did you get in a car accident?
• What did you break/tear/injure?

   Crazy right? Like I said, I am open to people asking questions as long as they're phrased in a way that is respectful and the time is appropriate. I mean obviously while I'm about to go to lunch and I'm trying to beat the crowd of kids to the café it's probably not the best time to sit down and talk to you about my CMT. I've had an experience in 7th grade with something along the lines of the previous statement. A boy stopped me in the hall and asked why I was in a wheelchair and when I told him my reasons for wanting to get to the cafeteria he gave me an irritated expression and said "So are you just too lazy to get up and walk?"

   Yeah...I had the same jaw dropping reaction. But just as I've had people who are rude I've met people who phrased the question in a great way. I remember at my junior high school there was a girl (who is now a good friend) who said "May I ask what your disability is?" And at that moment I had my service dog with me and had been talking about my CMT with a couple other students. See perfect time and place!

   My second problem is the assumptions that people come up with either about me or my life. It's one thing if you're a child (under the age of lets say 9 or 10) and you ask me if I was in a car accident, but if you're fifty five don't ask me that. There are many reasons that people are in wheelchairs and people who have a chronic illness or disability often take offense when people make assumptions.
 
   There have also been times if someone is rude to me asks what's wrong with me and I've said "OH! A shark bit my spinal cord" (I live in Texas so it's safe that I won't get attacked by a shark) or something crazy. Most of the time I tell the truth, but I like to play with people who are already so rude or so ready to believe something before getting the truth.  This "Oh I know what happened to her" type of thinking sometimes leads to people who believe that they know more about the disability then I do or I'm lying, my disability doesn't exist, and/or that it isn't possible.

   Another one is that because my legs are messed up it must mean that there's something wrong with my brain. Aha that's where you're wrong. I'm actually pretty darn smart. I'm a freshmen in highschool and manage to finish my homeschooling by 2:00 each day (starting at 10 and factoring in lunch). I love to read and I love to learn. I don't need you to yell at me while you talk or slow down and be all sugar sweet to me. I hate that. That lack of sincerity in conversations or the pity talk (you guys who have disabilities or know someone with a disability know what I'm talking about).

   People also assume that just because I'm 'handicapped' that I'm not happy or that I'm living some incredible, inspirational life...which (I hate to crush your dreams) I'm not. I'm living a life that has ups and downs, a lot of downs, but those bad things are balanced out by the people I choose to be surrounded by. When I go to the mall in my wheelchair I'm not doing anything "exceptional" it's just what I do. I have always done this. I'm not being rude, I'm just trying to be truthful. Don't assume that everyone in a wheelchair/have a disability always mope around at home (which sometimes I do) because they don't have a "normal life" or that they are always happy and love getting people inspired (which we don't always like or are).

   We are people. We have feelings. So please when you ask a question about me or my disability be kind and be ready to keep an open mind.

XOXO,
Dana
                                                                                                                                                

P&G Tough Love

P&G released a commercial called "Tough Love", another tribute of their Thank You Mom campaign. First I'd like to start off by saying thank you to P&G for making such a touching and appropriate video. Second I'd like to thank my Momma who made me tougher and stronger.

    This commercial starts off by showing a mother pulling out a wheelchair for her young son and the first words are "You could have protected me." At first I was confused and automatically put my guard up. I'm not sure how familiar y'all are with how people with disabilities are usually shown in America, but it is more often then not it is very disrespectful; portraying us as weak or 'Inspirational (I've previously written about this).
    But as I watched my heart beat faster, I got goosebumps, and I started to tear up. This is the first commercial that I've ever seen that is dedicated solely to the Paralympic games that was made in the US (Coke's commercial included Paralympics but focused more on the regular Olympics). If you take a look at how the Paralympic athletes were shown in the 2012 Paralympic Games in London you would've noticed that there were banners, signs, and tons of press following those athletes around...just like the Olympic athletes. But then you look at America...whose (at least from what I've seen) never made an effort to show us any support. It sickens me when I have to explain what the Paralympics are. I shouldn't have to. Just as the announcer in the opening ceremony in 2012 said "Paralympics mean parallel to the Olympics."
   
    This commercial  shows people with "disabilities" (still hate saying that word...but OK...) in a light that isn't very popular. It showed us as people with strength and confidence. It showed the reason we've grown into the people that we are today; our mothers and fathers..

Thank you P&G. Thank you for giving us a voice. A stronger voice. A voice that is louder then anything. A voice that wants nothing more then to be heard. Thank you.

XOXO
Dana

The video link- http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=trueview-instream&v=7RR-r2n5DLw#aid=P6pV0Bq4-_A