What Defines Me Is My Determination

Today's guest post is written by a wonderfully inspirational young lady, Erin Breedlove. I am completely blown away by her blog, Empower People, Change Lives. I often joke that Austin will probably grow up to be a doctor because he has such an extensive medical background. As you will read Erin's dream is to do just that, I have no doubt that her drive and determination will take her all the way to the top.

Without further ado:

As a college student with cerebral palsy, I find that there are certain words, often used to describe those with disabilities, that are derogatory in terms of the way that they describe people like me and unlike me, the ones that have worked so diligently to get to where they are today.

Handicapped implies that there is a figurative “cap” on the things that students with extra challenges can achieve and perform. The truth is, though, that there aren’t any limitations on anyone. The only limits that are set are the ones that you set for yourself. For instance, I will graduate from college as a music therapist and will obtain a board certification and a certification in neurologic music therapy. Upon graduation, I will hopefully attend Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine to obtain my MD in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation so that I can assist others in achieving the maximum level of independence and the highest quality of life possible.

By default, I expend more energy by nine o’clock in the morning as someone without my challenges might by nine o’clock in the evening. Every day, my muscles are fighting with themselves. They all think that they have a job to do when only one muscle or limb of my body should be exerting energy. Because I am a college student and my classes are in different buildings, I need to have the energy to transport myself from building to building, which is heavily aided by the fact that both buildings that house my classes are adjacent to the dormitory building. Even before I think about transitioning from one building to the next, I must wake, get dressed, put on my shoes, makeup, and brush my hair and teeth. Nightly, my routine consists of relaxation, homework, preparing for the next day, dinner, and shower. Though it seems quite structured, I have learned which things work for me. For instance, Facebook and Twitter are things that I use to wind down during the day and to maintain energy levels. I find things that are easy and practical for me. I can access Twitter and Facebook on my Blackberry, so the issue of carrying the laptop when you’re waiting for class is just not a big issue. Blogging has also helped me, in recent days, to accommodate the fact that I do need social interaction while getting cognitive stimulations through the articles and thought-provoking stories that you always hear in association with the community of people with disabilities. Now, I will have an even greater impact on the way that people with disabilities and other injuries and conditions live and thrive throughout the course of their injuries and side effects. Handicapped? I think not!

Disabled implies that an individual is not “adequately able” to perform a given task. While the individual may not be able to complete the task in the same manner that individuals without impairments might be able, the task is, in fact, one that is completed. Therefore, full credit is deserved. For example, when hanging clothes on hangers, I lay the hanger on a flat surface to clip pants or hang shirts. Different process to get there. Same result.

The word disabled has many meanings to many people, but I have often been surprised by the fact that the Americans with Disabilities Act doesn’t have a section in which it is addressed as to which terminology is generally user-friendly and acceptable. You’ve all seen the “Campaign to End the R-Word” groups online, and personally, I believe disabled should be at the very top of this list as well. Because I’m disabled doesn’t mean that I have less entitlement to goods and services in the USA, so why should it even be used? My favorite alternative for the “r-word” has to be “developmentally progressing,” which implies that the individual isn’t quite where they need to be…just yet. They will get there. Where there’s a will, there’s a way. I am comforted by the fact that when I apply to medical school, they will not be permitted to turn me away because of my disability, and for those who have or work with younger children, you might encounter situations in which children are under the impression that they will be discriminated on the basis of their disability. It is vital that you ensure that they understand that in 2010, that should not and will not be the case. In college, the discrimination, if you will, rarely happens on our campus, but it did for the student who was told he couldn’t live in the dorms because of his challenges. At the college-level, you have so many classes with so many different people that no one remembers that you weren’t in the class taking the test with the rest of the class because you had extended testing time; I feel that public elementary, middle, and high schools should make a conscious effort at blending other students in with students who may have challenges, even beyond the basics of inclusion.

It doesn’t take a word to let your child know his or her challenges. It takes a day in his or her shoes for him or her to show you his or her challenges.