I go to many Elmhurst University events. I live very close to the school so there’s no reason not to go. Back in September, I saw that Karamo Brown who is a TV talk show host, reality television personality, author, actor, and activist was coming to Elmhurst. I was going to go even if they put an ocean in between the University and me. I was going even if there was a blizzard. Thankfully, I did not have any of those obstacles that autumn evening. Six weeks prior, I had texted my mom and asked if she wanted to go. She said no. However, my writing coach, Lex, was totally on board. He has an auth ..read more

You know the gang from Friends or How I Met Your Mother? My parents have that type of friend group. They are the most fantastic humans. Some of them literally were in the hospital room with my mother. They were watching All My Children with Mom experiencing contractions. I was coming! That day, I became part of a friend group that I would admire all my life. From begging to go on girl’s nights and Mom saying, “No, you have fun with Dad, OK?” Even at six years old, I knew those girl’s nights had to be more fun than having a bowl of Special K with Dad for dinner. Sometimes, he would take me swim ..read more

Pulling up to the farm, my heart was glowing. It was Joe’s birthday party and of course, Aviva, his little sister, would be celebrated too because that’s just how things work when you’re turning eight years old and have a six-year-old sister. Aviva was in a blue dress with daisies and Joe was in a blue shirt with cargo shorts. It had been a long three-hour car ride with my caregiver, Olivia. She has been with me for three years and has taken this trip with me once before. The kids ran to the car. Driving my wheelchair out of the car, Aviva ran up to me. “Hi, Aunt Hannah,” she said shyly. “Is t ..read more

Lots of updates! Lots of updates!  First, I did find a new caregiver! Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! My mom literally stopped her life to find candidates that I could interview. I chose a woman who has a ton of experience. We are two weeks in and she’s comfortable with my care. I’m so relieved! It was an exhausting few weeks and I would not wish that stress on my worst enemy. I’m emotional as I write this because I received cards, flowers, texts, emails, and a few of you even stopped by to visit. Having a support system like I do is the best gift I could have. To have everyone step up and r ..read more

She left the keys on the table and never came back. If you read the last post, you'll know the massive struggles I've had finding a caregiver. The saga continues because we found a woman who I liked. She had great experience, seemed competent, and was a positive person. For reasons I genuinely do not know, she left after only two days. I wanted to implode with anger. I don't have the answers. I'm back to doing interviews. If this were to happen at any other time, I would have to move back home to Glenview until we found someone. Thankfully, a graduate student at the University can come next we ..read more

             The dreaded pink line was there. I had Covid. It was there. It sat there on my kitchen table mocking my plans for the next five days.             “I think we should go to urgent care because I barely have symptoms, Olivia,” I said to my caregiver.             “You can’t have Covid. You don’t look sick. You’re not coughing. I think it’s allergies,” Olivia responded.           &nbs ..read more

Before I graduated college, I had the opportunity to speak to medical students at Northwestern University. That was really my first professional speech, and I loved every minute of it. Ever since then, they invited me back every year with the exception of Covid (it really did stop everything) so my relationship with them has grown and grown. I have the privilege of speaking to future doctors about patients with special needs. It’s always a sign of spring because it’s always in March or April. Other than that, it’s been a stressful month. I have caregivers coming and going. Some caregivers are ..read more

“Bye, Hannah, see you next time,” my therapist called out as I left physical therapy. I parked my wheelchair a few feet away from the door to check my phone. I wasn’t expecting any messages. Alarmingly enough, I had four text messages from my caregiver, Autumn, saying that the muffler needed repair. Apparently, she had called mom explaining that she was going to another town to drop off my orthotics while I was in therapy and heard explosive noises. My dad met her in the parking lot and determined it was a problem with the muffler. This is all while I am in therapy where she knows I don’t chec ..read more

             “Hey, H.T.,” Kevin said as he greeted me in the parking lot.             Kevin, my mentor and friend, had asked me to speak at the elementary school he worked at. After the elementary school, we would speak to the middle school students, and then I would speak to future clergy who wanted to work with people who have special needs. I was as excited as a kid on Christmas morning. I live for days like these. I get to fulfill God’s purpose for my life.     ..read more

            Wearing a dress that epitomized a little black dress, I looked at the church. It was completely inaccessible. Julia, my caregiver said, “Hold on, I’ll be back with strong men.” I don’t know where you think I’m going to go. When the strong men came in the form of the groom’s friends, I was grateful because the January cold was not being kind to me. I was freezing! “OK, we go through the entrance that could not be farther from where we are,” Julia said running down the stairs. “Of course.” Once inside, I saw the team of strong me ..read more