My Wedding Venders

Captured with Love Photography

  I am not even sure where to start with this review. I fell in love with Jenny and Chase before I met them. Their photography is amazing and after seeing what they did with my friend's wedding I knew I HAD to have them shoot my wedding. They are a husband and wife team (with a bundle of joy on the way, yay). It wasn't until the day of the wedding that I really got to see what professionals they really are. We had a giant wedding party and they did an amazing job keeping everyone in line. They never lost their temper but just enjoyed themselves. Their upbeat attitude kept Jared and I very relaxed through what could have been a stressful day. I am actually dying to get our prints back, just placed the order! Just visit their website and you will see what beautiful pictures they take. Visit HERE

Fordham Footage

  Dale and his team were referred to us by our photographers as well. He was yet another vendor who had our money the second we met him. Aside from the beautiful work he does, his personality is what sold us. You can tell that he truly enjoys what he does for a living and believes in all the magic a wedding is about. Once again the day of the wedding we were blown away with his professionalism. He, Jenny, and Chase all got along very well (Dale was also their videographer) and kept our group on task. Our wedding video has allowed me to see all the moments I missed and that makes it priceless. I highly suggest looking at his website HERE.

Mager Designs

  I instantly knew that I wanted the swooping fabric from the celling for our reception and luckily Chelsie from the Hilton was able to tell me what decorator would be best to go with. Yet another small world he also graduated from Napoleon (like my husband). I met with Chris twice to go over my vision. He also suggested doing a giant crystal hanging from the center of the room, my love for all things sparkle I was all on board with it. I felt 100% confident that he would be able to make the ballroom look amazing. And well he more than delivered, the day of the wedding I asked him to construct a curtain at the end of aisle. So I could stand without Jared seeing me before I was standing. He did an amazing job with such short notice. Oh my is he a decorative genius, the crystal chandelier was breath taking. I want one for my house. I was so lucky to have him on my wedding team. His website info is HERE.

Amanda Tittle

  So Amanda is the sister of a classmate from Lourdes. After searching all over Toledo for the right makeup artist I finally found one. I did two trial runs and both times Amanda came to me. She was also newly graduated, so she knows all the latest trends. I actually loved her so much I used Amanda for my wedding, the two weddings I was in, and to put eyelashes on for my appearance on The View. You honestly cannot beat her pricing and she is extremely accommodating. She doesn't have a website yet, so if you want her contact info ask me and I can pass it along. I also forgot to mention she did not just do my make up but 6 other girls on my wedding day, plus multiple people on the other wedding days!

Elaine Bauman

  Elaine is my genius hair dresser. She is one of the few I allow to touch my hair. Aside from being an extremely talented hair stylist, she is an amazing person. We have always had an easy time talking (maybe she is easy to talk to because its her job but I will pretend it is just with me), so obviously once I was engaged I knew exactly who would be doing my hair. I had two trial runs with Elaine because my original plan for my hair was a failure. Not by lack of skill by Elaine but me having tooooooo much hair. Naturally Elaine also did my hair for the other weddings I was in and recently freshened up my color and trimmed a few inches off :) Elaine owns a brand spanking new salon called Mosaic on Central Ave, right across from Cake in a Cup (yummy!). She has a great website and online booking which I LOVE! Definitely give her a try, even if you aren't getting married. Website HERE.



Bee for the Day Wedding Planners

  So at first I didn't think I needed a wedding planner because I could plan my wedding myself, DUH! But as the day crept closer I realized that not having a planner for the day of the wedding I would be a stressed out mess. So in March I contacted Brooke for Bee for the Day (who also did Brock Mealer's wedding and he highly recommended them) and just talking with her for 5 minutes eased all my worries. I did most of the wedding planning myself but I do wish I would have found them sooner to help negotiate prices and talk me off the pinterest bandwagon. The month before the wedding is where the Bee's help really came into play. Brooke was able to put together a very detailed wedding timeline and raise possible scenarios that could cause issues and how I would want them resolved, so I wouldn't have to be bothered that day. The Bees who worked our wedding (Lindsay and Julie) were amazing. Turned out Lindsay actually went to high school with my husband, small world. So the day of the wedding not one issue happened that needed me to deal with. Honestly as far as I know everything went smoothly, which is how a bride should feel I believe. I promise, this is the best service to invest your money in. I can't even begin to express the comfort I felt having the Bees there on my wedding day. Website info HERE.

Hilton Garden Inn
  Well since before we got engaged Jared and I decided that we had to have our reception at a hotel. I have always felt that is makes things a lot easier for the out of town guests and the those who don't want a DUI. We knew our guests would want to party into the wee hours of the morning so we had to pick a place that would allow an all night party and no driving. I had heard of a few people having their weddings at the Hilton Garden Inn, so as soon as I got back from Hawaii (see our engagement story HERE) I booked an appointment with the HGI. Lucky I did because August 10th was pretty much the only 2013 summer date they had left in September 2012! I booked our date immediately! They are on the high end of the spectrum but worth it all the way. The rooms are really nice plus they have a pretty bitchin' wedding package. Not to mention the food... oh the delicious food. (side note: if you or someone you know is having a wedding there please invite us we give good gifts and I want to eat there again!). I worked with Chelsie, she was always very prompt in her response and super helpful with all my silly bride questions. Definitely give them a chance and look into it! Website HERE

  I cannot say enough good things about Michael at Decorative Sound. He is the definition of professional. He was the only DJ we met with and booked with him on the spot. Our photographer recommended him because they had him at their wedding, so we met with him. We were so impressed with his knowledge and how thorough he was. He gave us a bunch of paperwork to fill out and we were able to pick every song for each moment of our special day. Then the most important part of hiring Michael was his performance that day. He kept the party going all night. Never letting a dull moment happen. Hiring Decorative Sound is what made our reception so amazing. Their information is HERE.

Toledo Train Station

 Oh the Train Station a place that I will hold very dear to my heart forever. So the way of found out about the Train Station is a very long one, I will skip it and get to the point. After months of stressing about where we would exchange our vows, we found the hidden gem of Toledo. If you are planning a Toledo wedding you definitely have to check this place out. I got a lot of sideways looks before about having the ceremony there but lets clear something up, they have a second floor that is strictly for events. Plus the station is closed on Saturdays, so no creeps wandering into your private event. Also a huge perk it is a cheap rental fee. You have to contact the Lucas County Port Authority for leasing information. My contact was Gilda Mitchell, very nice woman. Their website is HERE, just ask for Gilda.

Cake in a Cup

  And I am drooling just thinking about them... as many know Cake in a Cup is an award winning cupcake bakery. They won Food Network's Cupcake Wars. Now I can't really remember how I discovered this wonderful place but thank the good lord I did. Jared and I just live around the corner and we visit there far more than I would like to admit. After we were engaged I didn't really feel the pull to have a traditional cake, I wanted something out of the box (although cupcakes are becoming more and more popular). Once I decided on cupcakes I knew exactly where I was going. I have yet to experience a bad cupcake. Not to mention they were far cheaper than any bakery is per slice for a cake!  Cake in a Cup is another locally owned business and their location is on Central Ave. If you don't need them for a wedding, birthday, or special event, just drop in any day for one or two of their delicious cupcakes. Toffee Crunch is my favorite but I am dying to try their new Grasshopper (my favorite dessert drink!). Their website is HERE, check their monthly flavors for the flavors of the day!

Grand Lubell
  Grand Lubell is a photographer but he also owns a photo booth. It was one of the only photo booths that I found that the camera could adjust so that anyone in a wheelchair didn't look like a floating head. Plus all the pictures were uploaded to a website where our guests could access the pictures themselves. His website is HERE

Chiavari Chairs Toledo

 I also got very caught up in making my wedding into a Pinterest event. So obviously I HAD to have chiavari chairs. I highly doubt any of my guests noticed the chairs they sat in but I thought it made the room look very elegant. This is yet another locally owned company so you can't go wrong with giving them your money. I can also say Jared didn't notice them until we were looking at pictures together and he said I thought we had chair covers.... yep ladies the boys only care about the food and booze that day or maybe he was too busy being in love with me that day...haha. Their website is HERE

The Paper Peacock

  I decided that I wanted some fancy custom wedding invitations (which isn't necessary, I got caught up in the wedding show excitement). This is a fairly new business and I think I experienced a lot of the new business hiccups. Our end product was gorgeous and she was extremely accommodating with correcting my issues or compensating me. I would say if you don't have much experience on what a wedding invitation should say or the little details that need to be included on the invitation, this company may not be the one for you. Hopefully she learns as time passes and becomes the company she has potential for. Her website is HERE, I suggest taking a look at her designs. Her work is incredible.

Atlas Bridal

  Well I literally have zero bad things to say about this bridal shop. Every encounter I have had with them has been amazing. Not many know but many moons ago Atlas Bridal actually donated my prom dress to me. Because of this generosity, in a time where I really needed it, I swore I would buy my wedding dress from them. And boy am I glad I did. Every visit was pleasant. They were incredibly understanding when I completely forgot one of my fittings (the month before the wedding I was a total space cadet). I highly recommend anyone looking for a wedding dress, prom dress, bridesmaids dresses, or even mother of the bride dress go to Atlas, you won't regret it. Their website is HERE. Atlas is also locally owned which is a perk as well.

David Swesey Florist

  Another locally owned company. I decided to go with David Swesey because my mom had a connection with them but I am very glad I did. While I don't think there is such thing as reasonably priced flowers, I was pleased withe price and that I got my favorite TULIPS! FYI if you have a favorite flower you must have on your wedding day check when it is in season and pick a date then. It will save you hundreds of dollars. I didn't do this and my checking account took quite the hit. Every time that I had the pleasure of meeting with Rozanne she made me feel very special. If you are looking for a florist who actually cares a whole lot about how your wedding turns out, go here. Website info HERE

Limousine Toledo
   Not to be confused with Limo Toledo, they are based out of Detroit I believe but don't charge extra for Toledo locations. They were the cheapest party bus I could find. And I did a lot of research since a 30 passenger bus' price is freaking outrageous! The bus was incredibly clean and the driver was very good, we were also provided with two bottles of Champagne! I highly suggest this company to anyone looking for a limo or party bus. Their website is HERE

VanAusdale Image Center
  I am very lucky to have a multi talented mother-in-law. One of her many talents is having a tuxedo rental out of her shop. We were able to get classic tuxes for a very reasonable price, obviously we got a family discount but I promise her regular price is far cheaper than most of the big guys. She is located in Napoleon, take a minute to check out her website and her many services she offers HERE.

Shoulder Surgery

I have been getting a lot of questions about my up coming shoulder surgery , so why not write a blog right?! Alright so here is the deal, when I got into the accident I had a wide array of injuries. Ranging from life threatening to minimal. Because of my life threatening injuries the doctors missed my broken shoulder. It wasn't until 4 days after the surgery and a doctor walked in touched my shoulder and I screamed from pain. They had it x-rayed, turns out my humerus was snapped in half right below the shoulder joint. A heavy cast was placed on my arm in hopes that the bone would correct itself because the head of the humerus was displaced. About 6 weeks after the accident a surgeon came into my hospital room saying that I was scheduled for surgery the next morning to correct my shoulder. He wanted to rebreak my arm and set it with 6 pins, which would set my recovery back by about two months. Meaning I would miss my first day of school, that just wasn't an option. I wanted to go home, I wanted to go to school, and I sure as hell didn't want another surgery. So my parents told the hospital no and decided to address the problem later.

Well when you are using a wheelchair as your main mode of transportation, a shoulder surgery just isn't  ideal. Overall I have functioned very well for how damaged my shoulder is, but I didn't know and as the years have passed my pain level has increased. I decided that after the wedding I would see a shoulder surgeon to see exactly what the problem was. I went into the appointment thinking that I needed the bone rebroken and pins and all kinds of craziness.

The doctor took some x-rays and told me that my bones look great. He had a hard time even seeing the fracture. So he did an ultra sound to see what my soft tissue looked like. And that is where my problem is. Turns out because of the way I flung forward in the car I got what is called a SLAP tear (which means a tendon has separated from the bone), torn Rotator Cuff, arthritis, and bone spurs in my AC joint. If that sounds like a lot, thats because it is! I had a very long discussion with my doctor about what to do and we both concluded that surgery is the only way to fix the problem. He realizes the seriousness of me not having use of my arm for an extended period of time but he feels that if I don't correct the problem soon I will need a total shoulder replacement. Which is definitely something I want to avoid, especially since we are wanting to start a family very soon :).

So that is the story, my shoulder is a complete mess and the surgeon is shocked I have made it this long without losing my mind from pain. The surgery is scheduled for next month and I won't be able to use my arm for at least a month and I won't be able to do transfers for FOUR months! But I want my shoulder to heal correctly so I will listen to the rules and be dependent on my loved ones 24/7 for a little while, in hopes to gain even more independence.

A Peek into the Honeymoon: Kauai Food Edition

Last year when we went to Maui I had intended on writing a blog about all the places we went and the accessibility of each place. Well of course life got in my way and I completely forgot so I am writing one about our honeymoon! I found it very hard to research accessibility on the internet so hopefully this post will help ease the mind of some others planning a trip to Oahu or Kauai. This post is the first in a series because there is too much to put in one post! This is the FOOD post! Oh yeah, we ate really well on this vacation. And probably gained about 20 lbs each.

We will begin in beautiful Kauai! Since we had a huge traveling hiccup we arrived to Kauai a whole day late. Meaning we were checking in the next day at our hotel and we lost our room since they conveniently double booked the wheelchair accessible room with a roll in shower. But thank God I had my confirmation email that said roll in shower, so they put us in a room with a tub and shower bench but refunded us a night, free valet parking, and took our resort fees off. Saving us some serious cash and the room we used worked well enough.

Once we were settled in our room it was getting dark and we were starving so we walked to a shopping center the valet guys told us about. That was yet another adventure trying to find accessible paths in the complete darkness, haha. We found Poipu Shopping Village it was a very cute little place with all kinds of shops and restaurants. We settled on Poipu Tropical Burgers, oh man was it good! Especially after a whole day of airport food. I had the Bacon Guacamole Burger which was amazing. Delicious, I'm drooling just thinking about it. After stuffing our faces we went straight to bed so we could see all the sights of the island the next day.

We got up and ready bright and early for Waimea Canyon. Along the way we stopped for breakfast at Kalaheo Cafe & Coffee Company. I had cinnamon french toast and a latte, I can only imagine the calories but it was worth each sweet bite. I believe Jared ate some form of breakfast burrito that he licked the plate clean. I even tried it, even though it had one of my food enemies in it (eggs, yuk) Stuffed our faces again and hit the road.

Made our way up the canyon, it was breath taking. Totally lived up to the hype we read about. The canyon is known as the Grand Canyon of the Pacific. There was even an accessible bathroom at one of the look out points, which was nice since the latte had worked it's way through me. We made our way down the canyon and stopped at a road side fruit stand. Those really are the best part of Hawaii (all the islands), nothing compares to fresh pineapple. Went back to the hotel applied the sunscreen we forgot in the morning, big mistake.

Don't let the looks deceive you, it is great!

LUNCH TIME! Since our last suggestion from the valet guy was such a hit we headed to the Koloa Fish Market for lunch. Koloa is a cute little town near our hotel, we walked in and it was a raw fish market.... ew. We are NOT sushi people. We ran as fast as we could. In our sprint away from the raw fish we stubbled upon a Mexican food truck, we love Mexican food. Chalupas Food Truck (behind Old Koloa Town building). YUM YUM YUMMMMMM! I got the chicken burrito and Jared got the shrimp burrito. This was my favorite meal of the whole island! You must hit this place up if you are ever in Kauai.

We shopped around Koloa some more, picked up presents for family members. Made our way to the other side of the island found some more cute towns. Not sure where we ended up but our restaurant for dinner was terrible and I couldn't even tell you the name of it. Called it a night early because of the time difference late nights weren't an option. Plus we had to get up very early once again Grinds Cafe. It was okay, breakfast foods probably would have been a better choice than lunch but I wanted lunch.
to explore before we left for Oahu at 2pm. Our final meal was at

Our time in Kauai was very short and part of me wishes we had a couple more days to see more than just one side of the island but such is life. Now on Oahu is where we did some REALLY good eating! Look for my next post of Food of Oahu.

Some Corrections of the Media Stories

So after all the media coverage I have had a sudden urge to write a bunch of blogs. Hopefully this means I will finally get my act together and write weekly like I intended in the beginning. Anyways I felt this topic was the most urgent to be covered and so I am writing it first.

As many know, the media tends to take a story and run with it. Well that is definitely what has happened with our story. While many of the sources have reported our story mostly correct. I have found there are quite a few glaring issues with their facts. First and foremost, my best friend Charlie Fackelman was not the driver that night. He was a passenger in the vehicle and he was the one who lost his life that horrible night. I am not sure who reported it incorrectly first but I have seen in most articles that they have him as the driver. He was not, just a passenger.

Secondly, and I have only seen this on facebook but Jared and I did not meet while I was in the hospital. We met while we were visiting the lovely Brianna Mullinger in the hospital. Our romance started 4 years after my accident.

And finally, I feel like many of the stories have failed to add that although I walked down the aisle I still use my chair 100% of the time. The only reason I was able to walk was with the aid of full length leg braces (KFOs). They lock at my knee and I require the walker to help hold me up. It is incredibly difficult to do and I wouldn't be able to use the braces anywhere other than controlled situations or special occasions. I have spent the last 6 1/2 years working my ass off at therapy to achieve what I did on August 10th. I wanted to clear this up because I have received many facebook messages from newly injured people wondering if they will walk again, like I did, but in reality I can't walk. I am still paralyzed and still require a chair always. Not to take hope away from those who may have the chance to walk. I have seen many people regain some form of function. But my reality is a chair, well until these scientists get their acts together and figure out a cure.

Also, just because I am living my life from a wheelchair it obviously doesn't mean I won't live a long full filling life. I am pursuing my dreams of becoming a counselor, I plan to have a family (with at least 3 children), and finally I married an amazing man who brings nothing but joy to my life every single day. These are all things I thought would never happen while I was laying in the hospital days after the accident but with hard work I made my life into the perfect life I dreamed of.

I hope this clears things up for some and answers some questions. Well look for the next installment!!!

Vegas Pool Time

VEGASSSS!!!!!! What an amazing time was had by all. Now, I am NOT going to go into detail about the whole trip but I wanted to share a small story of the weekend. It was one of those "wheelchair moments" that sneak up and catch you by surprise. With that being said on with the story....

So we stayed at The Flamingo, which was a pretty accessible hotel (minus the thick carpet) and is HUGE! Like most places the accessible ramps take some searching to find, but overall I was pleased with my access to everything. On Saturday we went to the pool to catch some rays. First I had to take this ramp up to the smaller pool that was super over grown and felt like I was going to be raped (my dramatic girl brain at work). Once we made it into the pool we decided to claim our chairs. But we couldn't find the ramp down to the actual pool part. After being bumped up and down (which means the girl carried my up and down three steps) the stairs a few times one of the life guards showed me to the ramp to get to the actual pool. It is was completely hidden and I needed to be escorted by an employee who knew the codes for the security gates. Which that isn't a big deal because I am used to having to deal with being taken in or out in a super secret path. So after a few hours, making new awesome friends and cocktails in the pool it was time for me to use the restroom which I had to go up the longest/secret ramp to get to there. I asked the lifeguard to let me through the gates. She let me through the first gate and I couldn't remember the exact way but before I remembered the second gate the lifeguard had disappeared. I was in this courtyard area and no one in the pool area could see me because the fencing was all covered. I reached in to my wristlet for my cell but I had left it on my lounge chair. I started getting frustrated, so I decided to set out to get back to the front of the pool. I was mad that I was going to have to wheel around in just my suit and back to the front entrance of the pool. Well as I began to look for a way out I quickly realized the only way down was stairs... my heart sank. I was in a courtyard surrounded by fencing and stairs and no way to contact my girls. I had to take a second to gather myself and figure out how to get myself out of this situation because really even if the girls figured out I was missing they would have no clue where to find me. I was 24 years old and trapped like a child. I was incredibly scared and frustrated that I was in this position. I should be able to go to the bathroom without an escort. I wanted to throw myself on the ground screaming and crying. After what felt like an hour I noticed a building I could get into and hoped someone was in there to help. Thank the good lord there was a girl working and she was able to let me back into the pool area. By this time I was about to pee my pants and I had to scoot into the restroom. Did my business and returned to the party only to find out I was gone for a long time and my sister had gone looking for me. We found each other and continued on with the party. I didn't let the moment ruin my fun and quickly forgot about the bull shit. The time at the pool ended up being the best time of the whole trip.

I am not writing this looking for pity but to be able to show you all just how frustrating this life is. My daily life is filled with moments like what happened at the pool. It is incredibly hard to be an adult and know that there are times when I can't be alone or be completely independent. There are times when I just want to be able to do whatever I want or be carefree but I am always quickly reminded that the wheelchair removes all possibility of being carefree. It is a hard life but this life allows me to never take the good times for granted.

Is it Possible to Heal a Broken Heart..

Well here we are June again... I cannot believe that I am only a few short days away from my 7th anniversary of the accident. I know to most 7 years doesn't seem like a lot but let my tell you there were many days I laid in my hospital bed convinced I wouldn't survive one more day without my legs or my best friend. But somehow I am still living and living well (yet another thing I never expected). It has been an incredibly long journey of searching for happiness, searching to feel whole again, and searching to make it "right". While I am still searching for all of the above and it will be a life long search because I feel that is a journey every single human is on. However, I have wanted to share for a few months where I am in my journey. I didn't know how to put it to words and not sure I have figured it out yet either. But why not give it a shot....

I think that I am finally able to say that after a so long I am no longer completely heartbroken. I am not saying that I am not still sad or have my days where I am heartbroken but I no longer feel like am drowning in sorrow. I don't feel that constant pain, whether it was front in center in my mind or looming in the back waiting to take me by surprise. I think that my heart had healed months ago but I didn't notice it until about a month ago. I was driving and a song came on the radio which usually broke my heart every time I heard it and caused me to sob. Music has always had a way of bringing forth emotion (generally emotions I try to hide). But this time I didn't cry when I heard the song, it didn't make me feel like I was suffocating in pain. It took my by surprise and made me cry. Not sad tears but tears of joy because I have worked so hard to get to this point. Cried my fair share of tears and done countless hours of soul searching, it has finally paid off.

Clearly my journey isn't over, I am not a complete human or free of any pain or sadness but I think I can say that I have mostly closed that chapter of my life. Like I said I will always have my days where it feels like I am still dying from the pain but I am fairly confident in saying most days I am happy and not consumed by the injustices I endured at 17. I am hopeful that some someday I will be able to completely close the chapter after a few final issues are resolved but those require more than just me working to fix things.

So I share this to give all those out there suffering from a broken heart that is it possible to put the pieces together. It is NOT easy and incredibly painful. I didn't enjoy the process and there were many times that I would give up and drown in my suffering but each time I knew God had a better plan for me and would never leave me in the pain without a path out. Don't be afraid to do the work, don't be afraid to confront those demons because every time God will be there to hold your hand (whether it silently or obviously).Don't feel like you have to do the work alone because I did not. I had a few very good friends and two amazing counselors who helped me work through it all. I also want to point out that I do not have a perfect relationship with God I am still working on putting my faith back in him but no matter how angry I was with him he has always proved he is faithful.

For those interested here is "the song"

Wedding Planning Vent

Well here we are just shy of 3 months till the wedding and I am still not sure where the time has gone! Most of the planning is done, and all the events are planned. This summer is going to be a wild and crazy ride!

This blog is more a vent session for myself than anything else. Since October I have been working my ass off to be able to walk down the aisle, while it has been going MUCH better than it ever has in the past but is still not going as well as I want it to. There are many days I leave therapy wanting to quit and just wheel down the aisle. But then I remember the promise I made to myself in the hospital many years ago, that I would walk down the aisle, so here I am going to Detroit 3 times a week for three hours trying to make this dream come true. At this point I know that I can walk down the aisle but it won't be as pretty as I want or even look like a normal person walk ( which is what I wanted more than anything, to just be "normal" for a night), but I have to keep reminding myself that at least I will be upright, taking steps and fulfilling a promise I made to myself. And that is what keeps me going, that and knowing I am marrying a man who could careless how I get down the aisle just as long as I get there.

I guess there is a slight point for this blog and it is to remind all the ladies out there planning a wedding to savor the moments. Enjoy this time and be thankful for what you can have at your wedding, not what you can't afford or who is trying to control your wedding. Just be thankful, just be happy, try not to stress and enjoy the wild ride of planning a wedding....

Did He Just Say Avatar?

I have found over these past 6 1/2 years that living life in a wheelchair requires a good sense of humor. And frankly, it is what has kept me alive through it all is my ability to laugh at myself and the events that tend of happen to me often. One of the biggest suppliers of a good laugh are the things complete strangers say to me. I know that most are saying inappropriate things to me out of pure ignorance of not knowing about people with disabilities, which allows me to be able to laugh at the situations. In this post I wanted to highlight my most favorite encounter with a man a few years ago...

I was in my advisors office waiting for him to call me back when a middle aged gentleman walks into the wait area signs in and begins to look at me. Being quite used to people staring, I keep busy with my phone when I hear this man begin to talk. He asks me, "what happened?" I get this question a lot, so I responded with, "car accident when I was a teenager" He replies, "OHHHHH, you were drunk?" Me, "No we were actually sober. Just made a bad decision." Him, " WHAT?! So how did it happen?" Me, " We threw a water bottle at a car which chased us for 2 miles at a high rate of speed until we crashed" Him, "WOW! Who was chasing you? Did he crash too?" (I should enter at this point I have realized that the man was slow, so I wasn't offended by his questions) Me, "An older man who turned out to be a school board member and no he fled the scene." Him, "Wow, that is a shame. You are so pretty, you could have been a model" Me (not really knowing how to respond), "thanks?" He begins to walk towards the door and looks at me and says the greatest line that I have ever heard ever... "Well you can never give up hope, you never know what the future may hold. I mean look at what they did in Avatar. Anything can happen. God Bless"

Yes, ladies and  gentlemen this man actually told me to hold on hope for what happened in a movie! I some how managed to keep my laughter in until he left the room. Obviously what he said was wildly inappropriate but like I said he was slow and the innocence of his voice made me know he wasn't intending to be mean. Plus this story has given me quite a few laughs over the years. Every time I think about it I giggle.

A Little Bit of Good News Can Go a Long Way

Since my past couple of posts have been a bit on the sad side I have decided to update you all on some really great news. I have been meaning to let you all know about this but I have been very poor at posting this year so far. Anyways, many of you know that I have been taking a bone density shot every morning for the last year and half. I am on this because I have osteoporosis and it was pretty severe, meaning we needed an aggressive treatment. The scale for T scores is -1-(+4) is considered normal, -1-(-2.5) is osteopenia, and -2.5-(-4) is osteoporosis. My score was -3.2, so you can see why it was so urgent to fix the problem because breaking a leg in a wheelchair means surgery and more hardware being placed in your body to stabilize. Like I posted in the past it was a complete shock that my bones were in such a bad state because since I was injured I have been doing all the "right"things. Therapy, standing, calcium, and lots of milk but for whatever reason bone loss happens more severely in some people in chairs than others.

Now, with that background, on to the good news! At the end of last month I went and finally had my bone density retested. Going into the test I had decided if the scores didn't change then I was quitting the medicine because it is a medication that is a pain in the ass. The test is quick and painless, you just lay on a board and a machine scans you like an x-ray machine. We asked the technician what the scores were and to my surprise my score was up to -2.6!!!! That is HUGE! Gaining that much bone mass back in such a short amount of time is incredible! I have almost reversed my osteoporosis! I know a lot of exclamations but this is a big deal because at one time it was thought that you couldn't rebuild bone mass. I am so happy to finally have some good news and know that stabbing myself every morning for the last 18 months wasn't for nothing! So I have 6 months left on Forteo and I have made it my goal that come August I will be in osteopenia and have fully reversed the osteoporosis!

The Grad School Verdict is in.

As many of you know I applied to multiple graduate schools this past winter and I have received letters from all of the schools but one. I wanted to wait till I got all my letters before I announced anything. But I have a pretty good idea of what the last letter will say so I am writing the post without it.

So here is goes... I received 5 letters of rejection and I am assuming the last letter will be a rejection too. Not one of the schools I applied to wanted me. It is incredibly painful to think about. I got all of the letters within a week of each other, right before my birthday. Naturally I pouted that whole week and had myself a little pity party. However, I have now put my big girl pants back on and I am working on plan B. I am assuming that the main reason I didn't get into the programs because of my lack of experience. I don't think my G.P.A. or GRE score were very strong so in combination with that and zero experience I just wasn't a good applicant I believe. This is extremely frustrating because for my entire college career I was relearning how to live. I was attending doctors appointments, lawyer meetings, therapy of all kinds and none of this counts. To them it just looks like I was going to school and thats it but really I was doing so much more. Personally I feel that what I have lived through is more valuable than any "on the job" experience I will ever receive. But schools don't take that into consideration, they want you to play their game.

Which leads me to Plan B get a job and apply to schools for my masters. I have begun the job search which won't be easy because most jobs want you full time and with my physical therapy schedule it just isn't possible to work full time. So I might just have to volunteer somewhere till after the wedding and then get a job. As for masters programs the deadline to apply for next fall has already passed, meaning I will be off school for yet another year! Once again not ideal but there isn't much I can do about it at this point. There is still an off chance that Western Michigan will accept me into their program and all this worry will be for nothing but I am preparing for the worst and I will be okay with it.

I guess it is true that nothing comes easy in life. Especially things we want most in life, we have to fight for it. I am prepared to fight for it all.

Trouble with colds and wheelchairs

I started this blog with the intentions of helping those better understand what life for someone with paralysis is, or at least have a better understanding of what my life is. That being said I think a huge misconception (one that I had before the wheels) is that if you are paralyzed it only means your legs don't work, but that is far from the truth. I believe I have touched on this before in other blogs but what I don't think many realize is the tiny things that have changed for me.

For instance last week I had (still have) a sinus infection and with that comes the sore throat, coughing, stuffy nose, and so on. Let's start with coughing, coughing is no big deal right? Well when less than half of your abs work coughing becomes a much bigger deal. See since my "level of injury is T8" that means that all muscles below my belly button don't work and the ones above my belly button are slightly weakened as well. So when I go to cough I can't get the ab contraction like everyone else to give a good solid cough. Mine all sound like a 2 year old coughed and since my abs don't work other muscles have to take their place like my neck muscles. This causes a whole new problem for me because after a week of coughing those muscles are pretty dang sore. I know most of you probably didn't even realize how much of a role your abs played in coughing. It is really incredible how important muscles that you would think have nothing to do with certain action really are.

Now on to probably the most annoying part of being sick and paralyzed is not being able to blow my nose. I am not sure if this happens to everyone but for some reason I can't put the force into blowing my nose. Any time I try to blow as hard as I can and nothing will ever come out, and sometimes it even causes me to get light headed because I blow so hard. So for the past 6 years anytime I have had a stuffy nose I just had to tough it out. For the same reasons as the coughing I can't blow my nose because of the lack of abs that I have. Sometime it can be, who am I kidding it is always incredibly frustrating to be 23 years old and unable to blow my nose. But this is my life...

I guess I am writing this not just so people can have the knowledge to know just how life changing becoming paralyzed is but also why it is so frustrating. Why we get angry and lash out at those who we love or even begin to hate who we may hold responsible for us becoming paralyzed. It is just so much to deal with and most of the time it is the little things that we can no longer do that hurts the most. Like no one told me I would no longer be able to blow my nose it was something I figured out years after the accident when I got sick. In all this is a hard life to adjust to so just give us some grace most of the time we come around and stop being so angry at the world.

2012 Top 5

Well it is that time of the year. time for me to recap the Top 5 events that took place in 2012. Luckily 2012 was much kinder to me than 2011, so coming up with the Top 5 this year was much easier than last year. Time to jump right in it then...

5. Courage Award
   Receiving this award was a huge honor. For those who don't know refer back to my post HERE about the courage award. It is hard to explain how it feels to be honored for the work you do in the community (and truly enjoy doing). Not much more to say about it other than receiving that award will be a special moment in my life always.




4.Going to Hawaii
   Yes, going to Hawaii makes the list! I mean come on, that is a once in a lifetime type trip. I can't even begin to express what a dream it was for me to make it to Hawaii. I wish everyone could make it there at some point in their life. The pictures just don't do it justice. It truly is a paradise and if you ever have a chance to go, make it happen. The only bad thing about going there is you never want to visit another place. Not to mention it was pretty hard to get on the plane to come back home too. And now I want to go back right now..

3.Gramma being a fighter
  Who would have thought that the worst event in 2012 would make the list for best things in 2012. Well it has everything to do with the fighting spirit of my Gramma. Now hands down my Gramma's accident was the worst thing to happen but I am so thankful that she pulled through and is completely back to herself. It was one of those moments where you are reminded how fragile life is, also just how special time spent with loved ones is also.

2.Graduating
  These next two events were hard to choose between. Graduating from college, I am so proud of myself for all the hard work I put into my 5 years at Lourdes. It is hard to believe that I was able to achieve a college degree as quickly as I did with all I had going on in my personal life but some how I managed it. Because of that hard work I officially can say I am a college graduate. Although graduating means I now have to enter into the "big girl" world and that is scary. However, I solved that problem fast enough and decided to go back to school (hopefully, still no word from any schools). All in all graduating was pretty awesome and so was the party :) Find out what I am doing now HERE

1. Getting engaged
   Thats right people, getting engaged (just barely) was better than graduating from college. I don't want to gush over it too much but it was awesome. And continues to be awesome. I am a very lucky girl to have found someone so great for me. I am an even more lucky girl for getting engaged in such a perfect way too (read the post HERE). Now I just need to hope that making the number 1 spot on my list two years running won't go to Jared's head too much.


Well that is my year and as I think back on the year a big smile goes across my face. Not sure the last time that happened but it sure feels good. Hope your 2012 was just as good and hoping 2013 is even better! I know 2013 will be an unforgettable year for me.

Wedding Contest

Alright faithful followers I am need of your help. I know that some of you may not be on my facebook so I am going to give a quick update on a contest I am in. I have entered a picture of my fiancé and I into a Christmas give away. The contest is for a $250 gift certificate to the place I am purchasing my wedding gown from. As many know weddings are costly and this would help out a great deal.


So here is how to do it, Click on THIS LINK, then "LIKE" the photo of my hot fiancé dressed as Santa and myself (we are contestants #3, Stevie and Jared). Voting ends at mid night tonight. Thank you for the help. New blogs to come, promise

Wedding Dress Shopping... ugh.

I have wanted to write this post for a very long time but figured I should A. wait till I was engaged and B. wait till I had a wedding dress appointment. Well both have happened now. Which I actually wanted  to write before my appointment happened but life didn't allow it so I will write after the appointment. alright onward..

Wedding dresses, a thing all girls dream of their entire lives. That one dress that makes you a princess for the day. It is supposed to make you beautiful and everyone will have their breath taken away by how you look in it. And on and on... But to get the dress there is the almighty wedding dress shopping day, where you and your closest girls go out to find the gown! This obviously a very important day since there are television shows dedicated to girls wedding dress shopping (which I love, don't judge me!). I, like most girls, have dreamed of my engagement and wedding dress for as long as I can remember but after the accident I knew this whole process would be different. As much as I didn't want it to be different, I knew it would.

Ever since I realized Jared would be the "one" I started to worry about wedding dress shopping. Regular dress shopping is hard enough and often ends in tears of defeat, asking questions like "why me?" So I could only imagine what pain an emotional day like wedding dress shopping would be. An event that I shouldn't have to, once again, do from a wheelchair. After we got engaged the dress was the furtherest thing from my mind because I didn't want it to ruin the fun an engagement brings. But I was quickly brought back to reality when I went shopping with my cousin for her wedding dress and was informed I needed to get my dress ASAP. I guess they take forever to get in and it is better to have it sooner than later. I put my big girl pants on and made an appointment. For the next few weeks I barely even thought about the appointment because I just knew it was going to be horrible. I talked to a few of my girls who have done their weddings in a chair and they both said dress shopping wasn't as bad as it seems it would be. One even told me she bought the first dress she tried on just to avoid anymore shopping. So I just went into the appointment with this mindset of don't be picky and get it done.

I knew the style I wanted, but assumed it would look good standing up but horrid sitting down. Because sitting is the most unattractive position, in my opinion. The day finally arrived I had my mom and grandma the two woman who understand how hard this day was for me and would do nothing but comfort me, if there should be a meltdown. After a few hiccups, like the walker being way too short, we got the dress trying on started... and guess what?! It wasn't that bad, wasn't great but not bad. After trying on 4 dresses I stopped and picked the 3rd one I tried on. It was the style I loved and had everything I was looking for. It is has a very simple beauty. I always thought I would go for a blinged out dress but the simple elegance of this dress allowed my own beauty to shine. I couldn't have been more happy with the outcome and I am even more ready for my wedding day to be here!

So I guess this time I got taught a lesson by life, I need to stop making my wheelchair a bigger problem than it is. Yes, I will always have to do things differently but different isn't always bad. Don't get me wrong this chair causes all kinds of problems but it won't stop me from experiencing my life the way the big guy upstairs intended me to.

No pictures on this post! I want my dress to be a surprise to everyone :)

Being the Patient VS Watching a Patient

Life, it often happens at the most unexpected of times. Usually throwing you a big fat curve ball when things are going smooth. Almost a radical way of shaking you back in to reality, so not to forget what is truly important in life. Over 6 years ago my family got the worst phone that could have ever been made and had to rush to the hospital not knowing if I was going to live or not. And today when we got the phone call that my grandma had been in a bad car accident was being transported to the hospital, I knew what that night felt like for everyone. The fear and uncertainty consumes you as you rush to to the hospital hoping not to get the horrible news no one wants to hear but you can't help but let your mind float that way. The waiting and lack of compassion from many in the hospital doesn't make the situation much better.
Now as I sit here in the ICU watching my grandma be connected to every tube/machine imaginable, fighting to recover, I have come to the conclusion that being the patient and being the fighter is far more easy than watching a loved one fight. Most of the worst nights I cannot remember but watching the worst parts completely coherent is the most difficult pain a person can deal with. It is killing me knowing my grandma is in pain and there is not a thing I can do about it other than sit here and comfort her. I love my grandma more than anything. She has taught me so much in life that has molded who I am. And she is a fighter so I know she will make it out of this no problem but it is still hard to watch her have to fight.
Not sure what my point is here just needed to get my thoughts out before I drove myself crazy. I am guessing another side effect of being in this position...

Engaged in Maui!

My oh, my it has been too long since my last post and I hope that not everyone has lost interest in the romantic tale of my engagement. Well I will jump right to it.

Our story starts back in April when we decided the trip to Hawaii was definitely going to happen. Fast forward 5 months of waiting and it was finally time to board the plane to Maui! We took two flights over, with a layover in Phoenix. After 10 hours of travel we finally arrived in paradise on Saturday September 15th at about 3pm (their time 9pm our time). Found our way to the hotel and settled in for a few hours. Showered then headed down to Front St. which is the "downtown" area. I am telling this because this entire time Jared was extreme quiet and sort of short with me (found out later he was extremely nervous). Then I had no clue why he was acting this way but it wasn't making me happy. I thought he was going to be cranky the whole vacation, which would have been no fun. Anyways we got dinner and headed back to the hotel, we were absolutely exhausted. We hit the sack early and woke up extremely early! There is a 6 hour time difference. This meant that we woke up at 5:30am (11:30am), starting our day early. Jared went for a run, watched some football, ate breakfast at the resort, lounged at the pool for 2 hours, showered and were ready to adventure out all by 1pm. Jared wanted to look at the sights and since there was a coastal highway right near our hotel we just took it West to see where it would lead. This is where the story gets fun. We had a travel book with us and Jared kept telling me to find lookout points or waterfalls to see. Which would have been easy if I didn't get car sick if I just look at a book let alone trying to read anything. So we had o pull off the road a whole bunch to look at the sights (and allow myself to read). Finally we found a look out point that was supposed to be awesome at sunset and had a pretty light beacon.

From then on we were just driving and loving every second of it. The ocean water crashing on the cliffs was breath taking. Around 4:30pm we were getting close to the spot but weren't sure if we were going in the right direction. Jared kept asking me how far, if we were on the right street, how much longer. And I kept thinking your guess is as good as mine. I was getting slightly annoyed but now it makes sense why he was asking. Once we reached McGregor's Point it was sunset and it was just as pretty as the book describe. There were a couple other cars there but no people in sight. Jared got out to check out the terrain. Because most the lookout points were too dangerous for me to get out of the van I mostly stayed in and just looked out the windows (which was fine with me, I am not into rolling down cliffs). He came back and told me to get out, I was slightly confused because I could see all the sights just fine. But I did what he said, I thought maybe he wanted to show me something. I got out. Jared pushed me around the van and just stood behind me. I was a little confused again, I asked him if he was alright and he said "yes, I am just thinking about how happy you have made me these past 2 years. I made a joke about not buying him ice cream when we first met. We said some other things but I can't remember anymore (shock from the moment I guess). Next thing I know he is in front of me down on one knee asking me to marry him with this huge ring. I was in complete shock. Obviously I said yes and couldn't form sentences for at least 10 minutes. No tears just too much shock.

The view of where we got engaged :)

First photo as an engaged couple!

It was an incredible moment and I couldn't be happier with our moment. Not many girls get to say they not only have the man, ring, and engagement story of their dreams but I can. Well there it is, our engagement story. Completely unforgettable.

Update on the wedding planning: I am taking the GRE next week and haven't done much planning other than the super important things. We have set a date August 10th 2013, have our reception venue and our photographer. Picked out our enormous wedding party and colors. But that is all we have so far. Once this GRE is over the flood gates will be opened for my planning!

Can I do Life in a Chair Forever?

The amazing Push Girls

Push Girls has been a completely inspiring television show. I have watched about half of the season thus far and have really enjoyed the real issues they address that are very real for those living in a chair day to day. Unfortunately my cable company doesn't carry Sundance Channel so originally I was watching the episodes on my favorite free T.V. website but since I am going to be spending about 10 hours traveling on Saturday I figured I may as well download the season off of iTunes. Plus the whole season was only 12 bucks, can't beat that! Yesterday I was super bored and decided to watch an episode or two and of course it turned into watching 4. haha. However I am so glad that I decide to watch them at home first because I cried the entire time. Mostly tears of seeing these girls embark on issues that have plagued my life for the past 6 years. One particular episode really touched me and got me all worked up. 

Coincidently the name of the episode is called "Fired Up". The girls touched on the real issues of stem cell research and the want to walk again. Quick catch up there are 4 main girls on the show all in their 30s I believe and all have been in their chairs for at least 10 years. Three are paraplegic which means they have function of their hands and one is a quadriplegic meaning she has very limited use of her hands and arms. Then there is another girl who is 19 years old and has only been in her chair for about 2ish years. This girl brings a whole different perspective of what life in a chair is in the beginning. My hat goes off to her for being brave enough to share such hard years with the whole nation! Back to my point there is a moment where they are all having lunch and talking with Chelsie (the younger girl) about how she is adjusting to life and how therapy is going for her. And she has a moment of complete honesty about how much she hates her chair, how badly she wants to walk again and just how unfair the whole situation is. At this point I start sobbing because it was just such a relatable break down. I can't tell you how many times I have said those exact words she was saying. So then the issue of stem cell surgery comes up and of course Chelsie says she would do it in a heart beat and some of the other girls say they would prefer not to do stem cell for different reasons. You will have to watch the episode to get the full emotion of the episode, link HERE!

The whole point of this is I wanted to share my views on stem cell and how I feel about being in this chair. I will tackle stem cell first.

Most are very confused on where the embryonic stem cells come from. So here is it scientist are not standing outside abortion clinics or asking pregnant women to abort their embryos, they are actually embryos that are from invitro fertilization clinics. The embryos are donated from couples who have "left over" embryos from their treatment and if they are not donated the embryos would be thrown out as medical waste. I know this may not sit well with many different people's morals but personally I am fine with it. If what otherwise would have been a "thrown away embryo" could help make my friends or myself walk again, not to mention the possibilities it has for cancers, parkisons, organ transplants, and Alzheimers, I say hell yeah lets do it! But there are also scientists that are out there working on alternative stem cells such as umbilical cord blood stem cells, which looks very promising as well. I honestly don't care how they find the cure, just as long as they do. I don't want anymore people to suffer the way I have and some many others I have come to love have. 

Now with that being said, the issue of walking. One of the girls says that she does everything she wants to do in a chair and doesn't need to ever walk again. Kudos to her for feeling that way and I honestly think she does but there are some many complications that come with life in a chair that I am just not going to be happy to deal with for the rest of my life. The girls all believe that as a person in a chair we need to become accepting of life in the chair and not living on "hope". I totally agree with them and at some point Chelsie will come to accept it more than she ever thought she would, because I know I never thought I would be as content as I am. But that doesn't mean the second the FDA says there is a cure and people are walking that I am not going to be right in line for it. Because it is more than walking again, it is being healthy again and not feeling limited again. 

I can't tell you how many times I have just wanted to stand up and hug a loved one, or being at a softball game and feeling that hole in my heart screaming to play again. I have accepted my life in a chair for now. I am hopefully for the future but I am not depending on it. I can say that I will have a normal life in the chair or not and nobody can tell the future. My only concern is my health. There are some many little health complications that become such huge problems when you live life from a wheelchair. I have been in my chair for 6 short years (they feel like a lifetime but in reality it hasn't been long) and I already have such severe osteoporosis that I am on a daily injection to fix the problem, I have to see a shoulder surgeon next month because my left shoulder was destroyed in the accident and I never had the chance to fix it but now I am worried if I don't fix it I will be in serious trouble in the future since I so heavily depend on my shoulders, I am in constant fear of getting a blood clot, always having to look out for UTIs and pressure sores, and not to mention any time I get sick or have a belly ache I get scared that something is seriously wrong because I can't feel half of my body. I am only 23 years old and I am worrying about things women in their late 50s are worried about health wise. That is why I so badly want a cure to come for paralysis. Not for any vain reasons but to be free from amplified health risks of life in a wheelchair. I love my life, God has been good to me and blessed me in ways I never thought possible but to say I wouldn't change being in a chair tomorrow would be lying to myself and everyone else.

Just some food for thought :)

Disclaimer: although I talked about a lot of health risks and kinda made it seem like I have poor health. Overall I am in great health just little issues popping up every now and then, that more annoying than anything. So nobody go jumping to conclusions. 

Learning How to Finally get Out of my Own Way!

Athlete: noun

a person trained or gifted in exercises or contests involving physical agility, stamina, or strength; a participant in a sport, exercise, or game requiring physical skill. 

At the age of 17 my whole world revolved around being an athlete. Although I wasn't playing any organized sports for Whitmer (that is a whole different post subject), I still extremely enjoyed doing physical activity. I was on a co-ed softball team, an all girls softball team, taught sports at the local YMCA, and lifted weights once or twice a week. Our whole family life was centered around physical activity. So when the accident happened it was more than just adjusting to a new life but also completely redefining who I was. At first I never thought I would ever be able to do athletics again. For obvious reasons it wasn't the focus of my attention at first, that is redefining my athletic self. I was more focused on living and not to mention to loads of drama that was a daily battle. Although, the last couple of years my competitive heart has been screaming for it's turn of attention. In other words I couldn't ignore the little voice in the back of mind begging for physical activity anymore. Sure I was in therapy and that helped ease the torture of not being able to play the sports I used to the way I used to. 

I know there is a whole world of wheelchair sports and that they are just as exhilarating as able bodied sports. I have always been open to trying them or at least I thought I was until a few years ago. Somehow trying wheelchair sports had become this ugly thing of fear. I had pushed it off for years because I was busy dealing with other problems that by the time I realized how much I missed sports I had this road block of fear. All of the sudden I didn't want to try wheelchair basketball in fear of being "bad", I didn't handcycle because it wasn't as easy as riding a bike was, and I hadn't gone to the gym (without a trainer) because I was a afraid of making a fool of myself. So I continued to put off any part of physical activity outside of therapy. Claiming that I was just to busy but really I just didn't want to put the effort into healing that part of my heart. It felt like suffering in silence about it was easier. Well for those who have ever had to address heart issues like these you will know that for 1. your heart will never let you get away with ignoring it and 2. God will allow you to avoid it for so long before causing a perfect setting of gently forcing you into facing the issue. And I can safely say God and my heart gave me a swift kick in the ass last April on no longer avoiding my athletic self. 

As some may remember April is when I stopped going to therapy. Which now meant I was doing zero physical activity besides wheeling myself around. I let myself sink into a bit of depression and began to eat whatever I wanted. After a month I started riding my handcycle around the bike trail and was really enjoying it but it was causing some serious shoulder problems. So I was forced to stop riding. Also wasn't till recently I noticed that I have gained some weight. This made me face the one thing I was putting off. It was time for me to get my tush back into the gym. I can never say I loved going to the gym but I did love the feeling after a great workout. So with the support of my mom I put my big girl pants on and went to the gym. And guess what?! I didn't make a fool of myself, no one laughed at me, and none of the catastrophic events I assumed would happen when I wheeled back into the gym. It was just like before, I was just another person on a mission for health. 

I have been back at for about 2 weeks now and although there has been some growing pains of figuring out what exercising in a chair is like. Like trying to balance not lifting too much weight (and bulking up, not ideal for a girl), plus not wanting to working out my arms every single day. It is slowly working out and I really am happy that I finally got myself back to myself a little more since the accident.

For those who are curious. This is where I am working out and they have accessible equipment!

Quickly my point is to anyone who is struggling with putting themselves out there/being true to who they are. I know this example is small but it is a lesson I have had to learn over and over again since being paralyzed. Very few times can I say that I got burned putting myself out there, even though if I was burned it was still an experience that I learned and grew from. Don't be afraid to fail because even in failure there is still a lesson to be learned. Whether we want to learn that lesson or not. And I can say most times I have been dragged through a lesson kicking and screaming but it was always for the better.

How Accessible is an Accessible Hotel Room?

Traveling is a wonderful thing and I don't know many people who don't enjoy doing it. However for me traveling can be both exciting and nerve racking at the same time. You never really know how "accessible" a hotel is until you get there. Nine times out of 10 the hotels are what I like to think is the absolute bare minimum the law requires accessible. Many times I find myself looking at the room and questioning how the hell anyone thought this was accessible. Not to mention a lot of the touristy things aren't really accessible. So planning a trip is a dance of trying to find what is going to be the most accessible, affordable, and fun. With my next vacation (going to Hawaii!) on the horizon and the hours I spent scouring the internet for information that I never found. I have decided to now write reviews of all the hotel rooms I stay in. Hoping this will maybe helpful to someone somewhere because just one time I want to go on vacation and not have the pit of worry in stomach about the accessibility of a hotel room.

On to the last hotel room I stayed in. It was at the La Quinta in Jacksonville Florida. First of all if you aren't aware of this, as we weren't, when you make a reservation with a hotel they have the right to only take your preferences into consideration. Meaning that needing a wheelchair accessible room is only a preference, I had no idea but noted. So when we arrived they informed us that the people staying the room the night before decided to stay another night meaning I had to stay in a room that didn't have the roll in shower I require. This was extremely frustrating and annoying but since it was only one night I just put up with it. Side note when my boyfriend was complaining to the front desk lady about how I wasn't going to be able to get into the shower now she actually said that she would come and help me get in the shower. I was completely weirded out by this, she was missing the point of what he was saying. Anyways back to the room...

Overall I would say it wasn't one the best nor the worst I have stayed in. Once in the wheelchair accessible room the shower had the hand held shower head along with a shower bench. That actually had a back on it and wasn't one of the those tiny ones that look like they can really only hold a person who weighs 50 lbs. The room was a little dingy smelling but I guess that comes with the territory. Not to mention the beds were pretty firm and I don't love firm. I like to sink into bed. My biggest complaint would be that the carpet from the lobby to all the rooms was so thick I was out of breath each time I had to wheel from the room to the car. I came to the conclusion that anyone with less function than me would have a real hard time with the carpet. All of the doorways had the real cracked cement leading up to the door making getting in the door not always a simple task. 

In all I would say that this room was moderately accessible and pretty affordable. For a para it wouldn't be too hard to manage but I don't know about a quad. Also the room was little tight so needing too much equipment or supplies would take up most of the room fast. I wouldn't be worried if I ever had to stay there again but I might try and find a different hotel next time.

Here are some photos, ignore the mess it was a last minute thought as we left at 6 am!

the bathroom for the door

Toilet wasn't too bad. Definitely a tight space.

This shower chair is one of the better ones I have had but it is so tiny I just don't get how hotels think this works for full grown adults! Or better the ones without the back, so hard to shower without the back! 

So the shower head had to be put down for me because I couldn't get it down myself.

One of the doorways.

The evil carpet!

Hope this is helpful to someone out there!