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Date Posted: 16:38:17 05/12/07 Sat
Author: Kimme
Subject: Kimme's Story

When I was 2 years old, I fell into a lawnmower. I was left with a permanent disability. My left leg does not bend, and so I have limped for 29 years. I have had numerous painful surgeries on both my left hand and leg. None of the surgeries were successful, and I am in chronic pain on a daily basis. I walk with a noticeable limp, and my gait has caused me to have hip and back problems including two ruptured disks in my lower back.

Growing up my nickname at school was "Peg Leg." Anytime I outshone another student or someone's boyfriend talked to me, “PEGLEG & CRIP” would be screamed at me in a hallway of 100 kids. Once, a girl even kicked me in my knee, causing me to scream and writhe in pain in the middle of the hallway of my school. Needless to say, others found this funny; as kids are prone to do...I was left scared for life. Not just my real life body scars, of which there are plenty...but the internal scars which are much harder to hide.

As an adult, people still point out that I limp. "Are you okay? Are your shoes too tight? Do you need to sit? You need the elevator, right? WHAT HAPPENED to YOU???" And the staring…do not get me started on how rude people can be! On and on go the daily reminders that I am "different" than others and of the painful experience I had at 2.
For a long, long time I was depressed. I constantly compared myself to others and wished I could be like them. I never wore shorts. I sat as often as possible, and walked into public places as close to others as possible in order to hide. Then one day, in a college English class I learned a valuable grammar lesson…what the prefix “dis.” means. Since then, I have REALLY disliked the word “disabled.”

The prefix “dis” means “un or not.” The root “Able” is “can do something.”

You mean to tell me I am NOT ABLE to walk? NO WAY! I walk; I just walk in my own way. I swim, I dance, I run, I jump…I live, love, dream, aspire…I just do all of these things MY way. And the bottom line is, don’t we all? Even if you are in a wheel chair, aren’t you mobile & walking? Instead of two feet propelling you, two wheels are, but you are still mobile…you are still walking YOUR way!

Still skeptical? Here are some statements for you to ponder: Left handed people are disabled! Single people are disabled! Single parents are disabled! People who do not sing or dance professionally? Well, they are disabled too! That’s right! They are totally NOT ABLE to write, love, parent, sing or dance because they are living differently than the mainstream, just like I walk different than the mainstream.

The point is, and the point of this message board is: We are all sad sometimes. We all feel different, and some of us have had major accidents. Some of us have lost limbs and need to talk about it! Because of these experiences, we NEED each other for strength, to listen, and to gather strength, because no matter how positive our outlook is, we will still have tough days until we collectively change society’s view of what “able” means. The point sharing my thoughts and story with all of you is so that you know that what you are feeling is healthy. What is not healthy is letting the world label you and limit you based on HOW you perform/live your life. Embrace your differences as differences make the world go round…they make the world as beautiful as you are, limp, wheelchair, prosthesis and all! Hold your head proud, and when someone says, “Kim oh she is disabled,” show them how ABLE you really are!

Most of all, examine the labels you apply to yourself. Every label is a boundary or limit you will not let your self cross! So be careful that the labels you place are ones of openness & beauty.

I look forward to reading your posts, helping cheer your thoughts, lending an ear to your pain, and helping you live a life of “ableness!”

Kimme

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