Reclaiming a syndrome: embracing vs. cursing its existence
Lots of things get “reclaimed” — body shapes, offensive words, etc. Today I’m doing something bizarre: I am reclaiming disease. I’m going to present you with a narrative that is NOT popular with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome: I am proud of and happy with me having PCOS. Because what it gave me is a beautiful, soft, warm, luxurious face and body full of curly, beautiful fur. I am not beautiful despite it. It is part of my beauty.
How do you get back into the sexual saddle when you’re not able to ride the horse?
There’s a ton of information out there about how to get back into the sexual saddle, but not much about what to do when you’re not able to ride the horse, so to speak.
Eight of us traveled through six states, for 21 days, in a small RV… because I still can
When I first recognized that my health was progressing into disability, and that I would not be able to ride a camel in Egypt or climb the stairs of Santorini again, I bought a cheap travel trailer off Craigslist and went on a whirlwind tour of six states with my seven kids.
Clothespins, sex, and cerebral palsy
Carrie is a Los Angeles-based writer who’s written about her experiences with kink and disability. “It’s not often (i.e., almost never) that I get told I’m good at a physical activity. But now my body, which had spent so many years letting me down and making decisions without my consent, had gone and done something absolutely right — and done it better.”
How my native language and Down syndrome shifted my perspectives on privilege
There’s a word in Korean “삐딱이”, or “bbiddaki.” I’ve heard it translated as “rebel,” but my mom says it is closer to “sarcastic.” I think a very literal translation would be “one who stands crookedly.” I’ve been chewing this over for a while, and I think my peeps are onto something…
Melinda and Paul talk marital teamwork, solo time, and commuting craziness in the Lone Star State
Since we got married we’ve both graduated — we’re Doctors now! We’ve almost moved a ton. Paul moved from Chicago to a town north of Houston and I followed shortly after I finished defending my thesis. Right now our lives are dominated by commuting. Paul commutes to his job at Texas A&M, and I commute to my job at the medical examiner’s office in central Houston. We drive… and drive… and drive.
Where can I find kids’ books that feature children with disabilities?
My two-and-a-half-year-old was born prematurely and currently has a few different disabilities and setbacks that we’re working with. I’m always on the lookout for children’s books that prominently and positively feature children with disabilities. Unfortunately, it seems like I can ONLY find them at hospitals — and we can’t take those home with us.
How I used physical sensations when explaining colours to a blind child
How do you explain the concept of colours to a small child who had never seen anything but black? When we got told that there was to be a blind child at our kindergarten class, we got sent to a course in how to best stimulate such a child. The number one thing we learned was to play with her other senses, which is often more developed than in people with normal eye sight.