“A good caregiver acts as an extension of a person with a disability’s body. They do what an individual can no longer do for themselves, enabling them to live as safely and efficiently as possible. It may seem counterintuitive, but…
“Sometimes the strength of a marriage is tested in the midst of life’s worst storms,” says Steve Derwent, a quadriplegic. He recalls a trying time in his life where he relied on the strength of his marriage and his faith…
Elena Pauly and Brooke Page have started an Instagram community called WAGS of SCI: Wives and Girlfriends of Spinal Cord Injuries. WAGS is an acronym usually used for describing wives and girlfriends of professional athletes. However, Elena and Brooke have…
Building meaningful relationships is essential for any human being, especially for those who have gone through a life-altering experience. “Often, after an injury or illness, we have to find new ways of developing these critical relationships. Many of the things…
“Care can be described so differently depending on the person and on the relationship,” says Donna Thomson, who used to be a full-time caregiver for her son Nick. In a recent blog post, she talks about how providing care for…
Spinal cord injuries are a traumatic event that may have an effect on an entire family as a whole, not just the family member who was injured. Facing Disability interviewed individuals living with spinal cord injuries of various levels. These…
My battle with anxiety began when our car flipped three times across an Ohio field. At the hospital, a doctor told us our youngest daughter Beth was paralyzed. We had no clue what that involved. Not walking felt like the…
Melissa Blake grew up watching romantic comedies like My Best Friend’s Wedding preparing herself to be her own plus one for all the weddings she would attend in life. Melissa is a wheelchair user born with Freeman-Sheldon Syndrome. She states…
Steve and Leann Derwent went on their first date in November 2011. Steve is a quadriplegic, and Leann says he made no attempt at hiding his disability. One of Leann’s biggest concerns, when her and Steve’s relationship started getting serious,…
Charles Krauthammer, a quadriplegic, who was known as a conservative commentator and writer passed away on June 18, 2018. Nash Jenkins, a writer for TIMES magazine, shares an email that Charles wrote to his father who also sustained a spinal…