Wheelchair-Accessible Tours and Misadventures in Rome, Italy
After speaking in Rome, I wondered how I could experience wheelchair-accessible tours, enjoy Rome (in January), manage the cost, and celebrate with friends. After all, it’s the month and year I have a milestone birthday. (We’ll refer to it as the F-bomb birthday.) With a bit of help, we had
Christmas Traditions after a Spinal Cord Injury
After a spinal cord injury, one thing we might lose is holiday traditions. Over the years, I’ve learned traditions change with time as well. The excitement of Christmas morning no longer wakes me up before sunrise. To get in the Christmas Spirit, I try to be intentional. I’ve established a
My Astronomical Role Creating Disability Inclusion in Hollywood
After agreeing there’s a lack of diversity and inclusion of disability in the media, I found myself trying to be a small part of the solution. Read my astronomical role (you’ll get the pun later) in creating disability inclusion in Hollywood. The Morning of September 30, 2022 Scrolling through my
Rest: Practicing What I Preach about Self-Care
For months I’ve been going. Going. Going. I was exhausted. I knew I needed a rest. Not just sleep (which I was getting), but a break from the constantness of life. I guess I still haven’t learned the lessons from Rosie about self-care that I wrote about in this article
The Lack of Personal Care Workers in Today’s Economy
In the article How I Find, Hire and Keep a Great Care Attendant, I walk through options for finding a good—hopefully great—personal care attendant or caregiver. The problem: these tips aren’t working in our present economy. I’m finding a lack of personal care attendants. I’ve done everything I recommended in
Peer Mentors: The Power of Roll Models in Life with a Spinal Cord Injury
Throughout decades with a spinal cord injury, peer mentors have taught me the “tricks of the trade” of transfers, bladder and bowel care, dressing, the importance of sports and staying active, among other things. I now enjoy walking (or rolling) with others on this journey as a peer mentor as
10 Must-Have Items for Traveling as a Wheelchair User
I’m a planner by nature. I try to plan for the what-if scenarios that may happen when I travel. Here is a list of my 10 must-haves items for traveling as a wheelchair user with a spinal cord injury. 1. Extra medicine and supplies Am I an over-packer? Yes. And
2021 in Review: No Wonder I’m Tired
This week I took time to look at 2021 in review. How did I spend my time during the past twelve months? It turns out I have a reason to feel exhausted. If you’re like me, I felt trapped in a time warp throughout 2021. “Last year” meant 2019 since
The Adaptive Jeans by Universal Thread from Target
In 2018, I wrote about the adaptive jeans by Universal Thread™. They were nice. But I had to modify the snap. The jeans were a bit too short. And the waist was uncomfortable. When I recently checked to see if Target still carried the jeans, I was intrigued. Universal Thread™
How to Find and Maintain a Job after a Spinal Cord Injury
Working after a spinal cord injury may seem overwhelming. But you have finished up rehab or completed schooling, and you’re ready to go to work. Now what? How do you go about finding and maintaining a job or career with a disability? A lot of energy goes into simply living
Jenny Smith
After a spinal cord injury at 16, I discovered that a wheelchair could take me places I never dared to imagined.
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