This year marks the 10th anniversary of starting this blog. In the past, when people found out I had created a blog they always wanted to know the reasoning behind it. So, I thought I’d take this time to give you the inside scoop on how it all started.
I originally started the blog because I wanted to set off on the journey of having a family. I knew that it wouldn’t be easy. I knew I was going to have to do some research and learn as much as I could about how my pregnancy would or would not affect my disability. I knew I was going to come up against obstacles I hadn’t faced before in my life because of my disability. I was also curious about what technology was available to help me along the way. My first goal was to be proactive and start to solve the problems I could see up ahead. I began looking for information and resources on parenting with a disability.
I don’t think disability is as rare as some people make it seem. Due to an array of different reasons, the population of people with disabilities is growing regularly. Medical advances are also allowing people to live longer lives. We may have to think outside the box to overcome our obstacles but that makes it like a continual puzzle that needs to be solved until the next challenge arises.
Since the information I was searching for seemed nonexistent, and I had some experience writing, I decided to be a voice of information and educational resources. I also wanted it to be something fun so that whoever came across the blog could gain a positive understanding of what living with a disability was truly like.
So many times, disability has had a negative connotation surrounding it. Complicating things, I had run into people that were second-guessing my parenting abilities with no concrete evidence. They were making assumptions based on my outward appearance. Dating, family, and other topics that are of a personal nature always seemed taboo. Honestly, I’ve never seen those topics that way and wanted a place for people to know that we are all just human beings.
Becoming tired of seeing and hearing a lot of negativity surrounding living with a disability and the misconceptions people still have about it, I want people to understand it’s not the end of the world and people with disabilities are no one’s charity case. The blog is here as a source to get meaningful information on how to overcome each obstacle and find a better perspective on the best ways available to move forward under different circumstances. Anyone who is interested in learning more about this topic is also welcome on this journey. They can trust this to be a source where they can get pointed in the right direction and encouragement to achieve their goals.
I thought about how people would be frustrated and needed a reliable resource to look toward and know they weren’t alone. I had no idea what the blog would turn into. It’s been an information source that has raised awareness about different issues that are important to me and the disability community. It’s also been a place where people connect and find resources they need. I am happy that it has grown and has such a loyal readership. In the coming years I hope the blog continues to grow and be known as a source of reliable information and a place where people can leave comments to questions they might not otherwise feel comfortable asking in other settings.