New find

Okay,

So I have had this new website for a while now, I had just forgotten about it. It's called Disboom, connecting thousands of people with a disability together. It's a pretty helpful website; I have already joined. Here's the link:

http://disaboom.com/

Wheelchair Changes

Okay,

So it just occurred to me that I forgot to tell you about one of the biggest changes in my life since Christmas. It's pretty important, since it allows me to get around more independently. You see, I recently got head controls. This is life altering for me since over the years I have noticed a increase in tightness in my arms. The tightness makes it pretty impossible for me to do anything these days.

Anyway, now I can go anywhere simply by moving my head. I have used this technology before, except it was not this advanced. Now the technology involves sensors so I don't have to press all the way back to go forward, left or right. I can also switch gears and speed simply by pressing a button placed behind my left elbow. In reverse, I turn off my chair by a button behind my right elbow.

Any questions?

Let me know.

Encouragement: Movies For You

Hello everyone

Okay, so I know I'm running a little behind this week. Work and some personal issues have kept my attention. But instead of leaving you hanging, I have decided to do things a little differently. Below is a list of inspirational and disability related and faith movies that I thought it you may enjoy. For some of them, I have borrowed summaries from different websites. These are in no particular order.


The List



1. Joni- If you have been with me long enough, you may remember that I have referred to her in many of my previous posts. This is the courageous story on Joni Erickson Tada, who at that tender age of 16 is paralyzed from the neck down. This devastating accident changes her life as well as the lives of many others.



2. The Horse Whisperer- This movie stars Robert Redford, Scarlett Johansson and Kristin Scott Thomas. "Robert Redford directs this compelling story of 14-year-old Grace MacLean (Scarlett Johansson), who is emotionally and physically scarred after suffering a terrible accident while riding her prized horse, Pilgrim. Desperate to help her daughter, Grace's mother, Annie (Kristin Scott Thomas), a high-powered magazine editor, launches an all-out campaign to find a horse whisperer, someone with a unique gift for curing troubled horses. She learns of Tom Booker (Redford), who works to rebuild all the lives shattered by the accident. Love blossoms between the horseman and the uprooted sophisticate, resulting in unexpected consequences. The film was based on the popular novel by Nicholas Evans. " (Taken from ask.com)





3. Rain Man- This movie stars Dustin Hoffman and Tom Cruise. "After an autistic savant inherits three million dollars from his deceased father, his younger brother, in an attempt to trick him out of the money, learns some valuable lessons of life. "(Taken from Yahoo movies.com)


4. The Preacher's Wife- This movie stars award-winning Whitney Houston and Denzel Washington. "This tedious remake of the classic Christmas movie The Bishop's Wife falls on its face by significantly altering the careful design of Pulitzer Prize-winning author Robert E. Sherwood's story for the original film. In Sherwood's version, a rather wooden, inept bishop and his lonely wife unknowingly take into their lives a heaven-sent angel who aids the former and ends up falling in love with the latter. In this unnecessary update, an inner-city preacher (Courtney B. Vance) and his estranged spouse (Whitney Houston) are visited by a celestial goof (Denzel Washington), whose unsolicited offer of help is enough to galvanize Vance's character to fix his own problems. What that means is this: by the second act, there's no reason to have Washington's angel in the story. Even his infatuation with the missus isn't enough to warrant his hanging around this movie; the change is a colossal blunder by director Penny Marshall. Vance ends up stealing the film from Washington, but it's a Pyrrhic victory; for the most part this movie just seems like a series of random scenes between opportunities for Houston to belt out songs. "(Taken from Amazon.com



5. The Other Sister- This movie stars Juliette Lewis and Giovani Ribisi. Gets. The Other Sister is another addition to the genre, a well- acted comedy-drama centering on the romance of Carla (Juliette Lewis) and Daniel (Giovani Ribisi) and throwing in some general family angst as a secondary story line. The acting is tremendous--Lewis and Ribisi both give convincing performances without condescending to their characters. Diane Keaton plays yet another charming scatterbrain, this time as Elizabeth Tate, the uptight, rich mother who wants a picture-perfect life. But good acting isn't enough here. These fine actors drown in a sea of mediocre writing, and we're left with a film with no real conflict or tension. Will Carla and Daniel make it work? Well, of course. Will mother Elizabeth loosen up about her "gay workaholic" daughter and let Carla live her own life? Do you really need to ask? There are a few cringe-worthy moments that have a sense of truthfulness, such as when Daniel stands up at Carla's sister's wedding to announce his feelings. But otherwise, these characters live in a pampered, fairy-tale world where the worst thing that happens to them is that the meanies at school put chewing gum in Daniel's bike helmet. Ultimately, this is a sweet, albeit occasionally saccharine, tale that will move those who are looking for cheerful fare " (Taken from Amazon.com)


6. Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants- This movie stars Amber Tamblyn, America Ferrera, Alexis Bledel, Blake Lively, Bradley Whitford, Nancy Travis, Rachel Ticotin and Jenna Boyd. "This tale of lifelong friendship uses a pair of magical jeans as a metaphor for the moral support and shared happiness which forms the glue between four teenage girls. The quartet purchase the pants while shopping together before going separate ways for summer vacation. Shy, self-conscious Lena (Alexis Bledel) takes the jeans to Greece where she is visiting her grandparents. They hardly seem lucky when she falls into the sea while wearing the pants and almost drowns, only to be rescued by a local fisherman. Before recognizing that the pants helped her find love, Lena sends them along to rebellious Tibby (Amber Tamblyn) with the hope that the jeans will prove luckier for her. Tibby has stayed home in Bethesda, Maryland for the summer to make a documentary film. With a nagging job at a superstore, Tibby finds humanity and sensitivity while the jeans are in her possession. Next the pants travel to Carmen (America Ferrera), a talented writer living with her father for the summer. The jeans make her face the anger she feels toward him for leaving her and her mother, and help her find forgiveness. Finally, the jeans end up at soccer camp in Mexico with Bridget (Blake Lively), a beautiful, athletic wild child dealing with the loss of her mother. Through the jeans, Bridget discovers that ignoring the truth doesn't make it disappear. " (Taken from ask.com)



7. Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken-""Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken" is the stuff of many a young horsewoman's daydreams. Based on the life story of diving equestrienne Sonora Webster, this Disney love story follows the determined young heroine's climb from obscurity in rural Georgia to what passes for stardom at Atlantic City's Steel Pier. Directed by Steve Miner from a screenplay written with Webster, the movie celebrates her courage, drive and persistence. (Taken from Washington Post.com)

8. Touched By An Angel 100th episode, "Psalms 151 "- This show stars Roma Downey, Della Reese and John Dye. ". In "Psalm 151," Wynonna Judd and Celine Dion contribute songs to a special musical tale.

9. Touched By An Angel "At Risk." - This show stars Roma Downey, Della Reese and John Dye. In this episode, an unlikely pair of strangers is given a second chance.

10. Touched By An Angel, "Great Expectations "- This show stars Roma Downey, Della Reese and John Dye. In this episode, a couple deals with the unexpected diagnosis of down syndrome in their first child.

New Year, new you.

Okay,

So it's been a long time since I updated you my readers. I'm still going strong working; but a couple of things in my personal life have happened to keep me to myself. I often wonder whether I take everything too personal as a result of me being a thinker. Something for me to ponder for a while. But then again, I can't help who I am.

As the new year continues, I pose this question to you. What's your resolution for the year? Do you believe it's possible to start fresh and began anew? As you think upon this, recall the following verses in the Bible

Ephesians 3:16- which says "I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being,"

Consider also 2 Corinthians 4: 16, which says, "Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. "

Food for thought.

Taking a break

Well,

As previously mentioned, I haven't been having the best of weeks. Therefore, I have decided to take a break until after the Christmas season is over. This will give me time to look back and reflect on the past year and how far I have come. It will also provide me with an opportunity to examine the purpose for this blog and where I see it ending up in the future. Please pray for me during this time as I am also encountering some personal struggles of my own.

Sincerely,

Debbie

Encouragement: Facing the Giants

So,

Obviously this week hasn't been a good one for me. This has shown by my inability to write on this blog on a daily basis. I'm sorry. It's just seems like living on my own is causing more trouble than good. Despite a great weekend with my family, something still seems to get my spirits down. I don't know, I guess I just have my days.


In a effort to lift my spirits, I watched one of my favorite movies today (Saturday). It was called Facing the Giants. This story centers around a Christian football team and coach who is down on their luck. In order to inspire a new found commitment in their faith as well as their game, the coach writes a team mission statement. In summary,, their main goal was to glorify God on and off the field. In the end, this new philosophy changes everything from the team's many victories to the many personal struggles of the main characters. It is a wonderful movie. I would really recommend it.

Personal Assistant struggle

Okay,

So I know I'm running a little behind on my posts this week. It's hard to believe that it's been almost 4 weeks since I've moved out on my own. For as much as living on my own was a dream , I never imagined it being so difficult. I mean, I have dealt with personal assistants before. How hard can it be??

My answer: A lot different than you would expect.

If you have been with me long enough, you may remember me writing about my personal assistance experiences in college You can always go back and take a look if you're interested. Anyway, those experiences provided a spring board for where I am today. Even with my background, nothing could have prepared me for this experience living on my own.. I will try to examine some of these lessons briefly and explain their impact on my daily life.

1. The economic aspect- Being disabled, I have two options on how I can receive my personal care. One is through a personal care agency, the other depends on the person to hire and fire their own assistants. Both offer the same service, now only difference is the money. You see, hiring personal assistants on your own only allows you to pay the person minimum wage. That is, family independent agency only gives you a certain amount of money and you have to pay them directly. The pay is based on a personal evaluation of your needs. However, if you go through a agency, the wage is a little higher. Not only that, but agencies usually provide background checks for the people they send over. In my case, I am very lucky because I get to determine what they will do for me and whether I end up hiring them.

2. Watching out for the "motherly instinct" in personal assistants- This doesn't happen very often, but it's something to watch out for. Sometimes personal assistants see the disabled community as someone who can't think for themselves or simply think they know better!! This can be a very sticky situation. While it may be true that they are doing what they think is best for you, you have to remind them that you are an adult and their employer.

3. Independence versus dependence- Even though living on your own seems like it would bring a lot more independence, that is not all true. It depends on your disability and how much help you need on a daily basis