One of my biggest pet peeves is people who are physically and mentally able that choose not to take the initiative and do something with their lives. Even though I have this “disability” that makes me physically unable to do a lot of normal activities, my parents raised me with the idea that I would […]
People are always surprised when I tell them that I’d had over 500 broken bones by the time I was ten, but that I can count the number of times I’ve taken a narcotic on one hand. They often assume that breaking bones must not be painful to me, which I will never understand. Trust […]
“Do you go to the hospital every time you break a bone?” This is a question I get ALL THE TIME. The short answer is “no,” in fact, I rarely go to the hospital for a broken bone. I am extremely lucky to have grown up with parents in the medical field, even if most […]
I’ve recently embarked on a partnership with the Humane Society of Louisiana where donors are awarded a piece of my art based on how much they donate. The Humane Society focuses on fighting animal cruelty, neglect and mistreatment throughout the entire state. As you would expect, my family has known the head of the Humane […]
It’s a beautiful day here in New Orleans. 75 degrees, full sun and a nice breeze coming off the lake. Fall is quickly approaching, and it’s a nice change from our 97 degree, 100% humidity summer weather. (Not to mention the cold front is keeping the hurricanes away!) Our dogs have an extra spring in […]
It’s summertime, and you know what that means-everyone seems to be sick with that miserable upper respiratory cold that goes around without fail at this time every year. You know, the one you have tried desperately not to catch? The one where you tell yourself it’s just a sore throat, and then before you know […]
Parents of children with Osteogenesis Imperfecta are often charged with child abuse, simply because their kids always turn up with broken bones. My muscles can break my bones when they contract, making it seem like my bones break at random. You can see where, especially if a child has a lower severity of OI, parents […]
Having Osteogenesis Imperfecta, or Brittle Bone Disease, certainly poses some unique problems for those of us with short limbs and limited mobility. Here are ten gadgets/adaptive technological advances that help actual people with OI as well as other disabilities. 1. Wheelchairs: This one is pretty obvious, but most of us with the more severe forms […]
Because I have Osteogenesis Imperfecta, or Brittle Bone Disease, it’s extremely important that I use a wheelchair that is not only stable but supports my crooked body in all the right places so that I don’t break a bone if I hit a bump. My body is not standard. I have bends in all the […]
Last year, I was given the opportunity to speak to a group of teachers about the benefits and importance of the inclusion of disabled kids in mainstream schools (school inclusion). By the time I was three years old, my parents started looking into pre-school options for me because I was driving them crazy! I was […]
