When I Felt Different, part four
I’ve already mentioned that my classmates loved to help me at school. I couldn’t tell you how it started or when, but I have memories of friends helping all the way back to kindergarten. Both of us saw the fun side most of the time. As friends were...
When I Felt Different, part three
Surgery of any kind isn’t fun for anyone, especially a third grader. I thought I was going to a normal check-up with my orthopedist. I was never a fan of those appointments. Then he said, “It’s time for your back surgery. We can’t wait any...
When I Felt Different, part two
It wasn’t the first time I had fallen. I was as used to falling as I could be. We practiced falling in physical therapy with the cushiony mats and I tried to tuck in my head or my arms to minimize injury. But one never really gets better at the suddenness of a...
When I Felt Different, part one
If you asked me, “What’s it like to be different?” or “When did you know you were different?”…I might respond in one of three ways: “I’m not different. I’ve never seen myself as different.” (I shared more on...