Hello! Welcome to my blog. My name is Sarah. I am a 25-year-old girl and I have Spina Bifida. For those of you who don’t know, it’s a birth defect in which the bones of the spine don’t form properly around part of the spinal cord. Spina Bifida varies from person to person and it affects everyone differently. It can be either very mild to where you don’t even know a person has a disability or it can be very severe to where you are in a wheelchair your whole life.
I walk with crutches to help me get around and see a specialist for pretty much every part of the body. You are probably thinking wow that’s depressing that you have to go see the doctor all the time. Actually, it isn’t because after you hit adulthood you only go to the doctor as need just like an abled person would.
Crutches aren’t as depressing as most people think they are but sometimes they can be a little fun. When I was little I would use them to my advantage while playing tag. When I was ‘it’, I would run and stick out my crutch to tag someone. Not sure if that is considered cheating, but that is how I played. Crutches can also be used as an extension for your arms when you’re too short. Can’t reach something? You can just knock it down with your crutch. Just don’t be in the way when it falls or you could possibly cause some serious injuries.
I also use a wheelchair for long distances. When I first learned how to use it, I went down the ramp and just let go. No one told me you had to slow down when going down a ramp so when I got towards the end of the ramp my chair flipped. I was okay though because I was going to therapy at the time and they were teaching how to fall. Once my chair flipped I took the appropriate actions and put my hands out so I didn’t get hurt. It’s a good thing I was taught how to fall before I got my wheelchair!
I graduated from high school in 2011 and I’ve been looking for employment for since but there has been no luck. I have gotten interviews but haven’t gotten a job offer yet. A non-disabled person can get a job without a problem in the same situation, but my disability makes it difficult for me to have the same opportunities.
So that’s why I’m writing this blog. I would like to spread awareness for other people with Spina Bifida, as well as for people with disabilities in general. I might not be the best writer, but I will try my best and at the very least I hope I can make a few people laugh.
Thanks for reading, and I’ll see you soon with a new post,
Sarah