Having a disability that progressively gets worse over time definitely has it’s challenges but it’s not as depressing as you may think.. When you are disabled you can use your disability to help others and without it you would be a completely different person. In this post my friend Karly talks about how Muscular Dystrophy changed and shaped her into the woman she is today.
I have a disease that weakens all of my muscles, including my heart, and will continue to worsen as long as I live. It’s called Muscular Dystrophy, and one day, it just might kill me. Now I know what you’re thinking, but no, I do not want a cure and no, my disease isn’t a tragedy. I spent a long time feeling sorry for myself, but eventually, I came to realize something important: it’s totally okay to be disabled. For me, being disabled is a huge part of my identity! This comes across as a surprise to a lot of people, funnily enough. But I like who I am, and having this disease has definitely shaped me into the person I am today.
It gave me the perspective of an observer: I spend a lot of time watching, albeit not always by choice, but because of this, I notice a lot more than some people I know. Spending so much of my life quietly watching others has helped me to pick up on what’s going on with others around me and therefore to be a better friend.
It made me want to write: My words are something my disease can never touch, so I learned to use them. I don’t know if I would have gotten into writing like I am now had I not been born with Muscular Dystrophy, but I do know that it was a key motivator for me. Writing has become such a huge passion of mine and something that fills me with pride. I hope to continue to write about life with a disability and my community for a long time!
It made me a planner: I can’t be spontaneous like most people can. So many places and events aren’t accessible, and it takes a lot of work just for my family to get out of the house. The good thing is I’ve become a pro at planning and organizing, and that’s never a bad skill to have.
It taught me how to advocate for myself and others: If you’re disabled, you’re going to have to advocate for yourself. Ableism is everywhere, and it’ll be something you have to deal with in school, at work, and just a day out with friends or family. You can take it or you can speak up for yourself, and I don’t know about you, but I’d rather speak up. Unfortunately, there are a lot of people who can’t, and that’s made me passionate about advocating for others with my writing.
It made me comfortable asking for help but determined to find moments of independence: I’ve had to learn how to ask for help without feeling ashamed. A lot of people are pretty stubborn about asking for help, sometimes to a fault or to their own detriment, but that was never an option for me. No one can do everything on their own, and I don’t have to grapple with that. At the same time, it’s given me a fierce determination to find moments of independence. I rely on others for so much that if there’s a chance for me to do something on my own, I’ll do whatever it takes to figure out how to do it. If there’s one thing I want people to know is that being disabled doesn’t equal being unhappy and it’s totally possible to embrace your disability. My Muscular Dystrophy has shaped me into the woman I am today, and I’m glad it did.
A disability has challenges but it changes a person becuase without our disabilities we would be totally different people. We would have different views to life and our personalities would even be different because we wouldn’t see the world from a disability perspective. Life can get hard and depressing when you are disabld people because you can’t do the same things abled people can since most things are not accessible. Having a disability is not all that bad because it makes us who we are and gives us a better appreciation for even the little things. Thank you Karly for writing this post because I am sure all my readers will love it and be inspired by it! If you have any questions about how a disability changes a person or would like to be featured on my blog please comment below or private message me and I will do my best to make it happen.
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