This is hard to write – perhaps harder to deal with than chronic debilitating nerve pain, which I suffer from daily. When you are physically disabled and require 24/7 help to take care of all of your daily needs it requires a village of caregivers, family, friends, agencies, medical professionals, etc.

I preface what I’m about to dive into by first saying each and every person in my life who helps to take care of me, paid or not, Thank you! You physically help me live my life each and every day, which is the most beautiful gift I could ever ask for. I appreciate every single human who takes time out of their lives to make my own life possible. This, in turn, allows me to spend the time advocating for others who need my help. It also affords me the opportunity to live each and every day to its fullest and advocate for systemic disability inclusion.

Now, onto what is behind the curtain of my life that many who do not live with a disability simply do not see because much of it is hidden. My life is my own, but it is not at the same time. I can’t do what I want and how I want to do it at all times.

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