It is really hard for me to get through a room when a chair is in my way!

I prefer when someone sits down to talk with me when there is a chair available. I understand this isn’t always possible.

This is a hard one for people, they don’t think of the chair as part of my body. It’s even harder when I am in my manual chair because people just push me without asking and I don’t always know what is going on.

Just because I am in a wheelchair doesn’t mean I can’t help!

This is awkward for me!

I wish people could ignore the chair and make me feel like everyone else.

Don’t be nervous if you see someone in a wheelchair. I enjoy when people say hello to me!

I don’t need special treatment I just need to be treated like everyone else.

When you are speaking to me take the time to try and find out what I am saying. Don’t assume I can’t talk at all or need someone to talk for me. This is VERY frustrating for me! I kind of get REALLY mad and upset!

I can’t do everything myself but don’t assume I need help with everything. I am pretty independent!

Make sure you ask me if I need help and I will tell you.

My wheelchair is an extension of me and I wouldn’t lean on your back! It just makes it awkward!

This is kind of weird and awkward for me when someone is SOOOOO close to me!

This makes me feel like I am a jungle gym or a playground…NOT Cool!

This is very frustrating for everyone, if you notice a van in a handicap parking spot they probably need to open the side door to get out… Not everyone realizes this and it would be helpful if more people did! Be aware of where you are parking!

I hope you learned something from this information. I mostly live a normal life but people learning these things could make everyday a little bit better!

Please share this Blog with everyone you know! We could reach so many people and maybe make a difference for some wheelchair users out there!

Every summer Kennedy and I go out for some ice cream at DQ, which is wheelchair accessible.  I got some Caramel ice cream and she got smarties ice cream! It was it her last week at Centra Cam before she went back to school.

Someone parked beside us so Kennedy had to back up the van so we could get the ramp out! People don’t realize that people in wheelchairs need the space beside them to get their ramp out in a handicap parking stall. It is very frustrating!

My roommates and I went out to Mr. Mikes for a nice day out. It was raining out and we thought we would try something new. It was a lot of fun.

We watched mean girls on Netflix in the evening. It was a really good movie, I loved it.

We spoke  to my doctor and he took me off all of my medications!! This is very good news!

I’m still waiting for my power chair to be fixed it shouldn’t be too much longer!

My Dad and I went on a road trip to Lloydminster to see my Grandma Sharon and Auntie Gail. We went out for ice cream and for a walk through the mall.

Grandpa and Shandy are here from Ontario! Every summer they bring their camper and camp out at the Whistle Stop Golf Course.

I saw my Grandpa and his girlfriend Shandy two nights in a row, we don’t see them often so this was really nice. Tonight my Grandpa was talking about redoing our kitchen as he is a handyman and does kitchen, bathroom and other wood work for people! Our kitchen needs new cabinets and a new kitchen floor!!! When I was younger he redid our kitchen and basement with my Dad’s help!

We went to the Big Valley Jamboree parade on Thursday morning with Centra Cam. Its always nice watching the parade and I enjoy the time outside. I was lucky and got to use the great bathroom at the Centra Cam outlet store!

I love watching the dancing and different floats coming down the street’s of Downtown Camrose! It was a really good way to celebrate Big Valley today.

Friday Night we saw Kane brown and Toby Keith’s concert and it was really good. We settled on the deck with everyone else who was at Big Valley from our group and we had pizza for supper!!! It was really good wheelchair access on the deck! We were seated where we had a washroom and it was accessible for me! This was really nice.

Its very hard to get around the grounds of BVJ. The pot holes and the gravel and sandy roads were not easy to get my wheelchair around! And especially when I am still in a manual chair (GRRR!) We went to meet the High Valley Band before the Old Dominion Band came on! It was very hard to get my wheelchair though the group of people! This is me with the Band, what a cool experience. I will remember this forever!

We went to the Casino restaurant for supper and went to the washroom.  I think it would be easier if they had a button that opened the actual bathroom stall door. It is hard for someone to open the door while in a wheelchair. I think people that design wheelchair bathrooms should have to try it in a wheelchair to see if it works!

We saw Old Dominion and High Valley on Saturday night with everyone, it was amazing.

We saw Brett Kissel and Brooks and Dunn on the last night of BVJ! We danced the night away until my sandals were falling off from dancing with Tracy!!!! We can’t wait for next year!

My Auntie Donna (my Mom’s sister) was at my parents house on this Sunday! She painted my fingers nails purple to match my t- shirt and sparkles on top! We played Quarkle with Luke, Joel and Ashley.

I got to go to the Wetaskiwin pool for a swim, it is SOOOO nice there! We also went for a walk around their lake its just like Mirror Lake.

These past few weeks have been VERY busy.

On June 19th we celebrated my roommate Kat’s 27th birthday with the house. We ordered in Chinese Food from  Lucky Dragon and then had some chocolate cake with icing balloons! I got Kat some essential oils for her diffusers and some bath salts! I love celebrating with my friends.

On Saturday June 25 was the fundraiser for Special Olympics at Safeway! We made Root Beer, orange and purple pop Floats for $3!!

In the evening Theresa and I played games.

I painted my butterfly box I got for my birthday…what do you think?

On Thursday the 18th of July we went on a train ride at Stettler with a whole group of the people from CAFCL and Centra Cam! There were robbers on the train trying to rob us. It was cool they were on horses. We went to a hall for supper and had a bun, potato and roast beef and then we had chocolate and white cake for dessert! There was stores to shop at when you got off the train and I bought myself a butterfly wallet and some new lotion. I also bought a t-shirt on the train ride. They had a lift so I could get onto the train with my wheelchair that was soooo nice! I love it when things are ACCESSIBLE!

On Thursday July 11th, I got a massage from Amy at the old smith clinic! My staff Mary Ann helps me get undressed and Amy does the rest! She massages everything on my body and she gets me to roll on my side so she can get to my back! Amy uses oils and face cloths with warm water!! I go once a month and I LOVE it! Everyone should get a massage!

My mom and I went to Edmonton on July 15th to get fitted for new braces for my legs. If I don’t wear braces my feet will eventually point and I won’t be able to wear shoes. Here are some pictures of the person shaping my legs into the case for the braces!  I am able to bling out my new braces with cool butterfly stickers! I also picked purple Velcro belts to help my legs stay in place! I can’t wait for my new braces I am so excited. We have another 2 hour appointment in August and I will pick them up then. Make sure you check out my blog then to see them!

In the spring and summer Centra Cam goes on tours. This is the first tour of 2019. We went Camp LG Barnes. I got to go on the swing in my wheelchair (my non-power chair) it was very fun. I love it there. For lunch we go in a tree-house but we got stuck in the elevator for 15 minutes! After lunch we went on a boat ride. The boat had a ramp so I could go on the boat. We had to wear life jackets to keep us safe. It was really fun.

I turned 24 this year. I celebrated by birthday with my roommates and my staff on June 7 (my actual birthday). I bought chocolate cheesecake and got some amazing gifts. We watched the movie  Last Summer and played Apples to Apples and YAHTZEE! My Mom and I also had our nails done. It was a really special birthday.

Sunday I had a birthday party with my family. We played Sorry and Trouble with everyone. We had snacks salsa, guacamole and tortilla chips. Mom made my favorite Oreo cheesecake it was VERY good. My Mom gave me some lilacs from her tree they always bloom for my birthday.

I had a friend birthday party and they came over to my house  we had peanut butter pie and we went bowling, it was a great day.

I attended a two day Self Advocacy Conference at the Camrose Casino.

What is Self-Advocacy you might ask?!

Self-advocacy is the ability to speak-up for yourself and the things that are important to you. Self-advocacy means you are able to ask for what you need and want and tell people about your thoughts and feelings.

Self-advocacy means you know your rights and responsibilities, you speak-up for your rights, and you are able to make choices and decisions that affect your life.

The goal of self-advocacy is for YOU to decide what you want then develop and carry out a plan to help you get it.

It does not mean you can’t get help if you need or want it, it just means that you are making the choices and you have to be responsible for the choices you make.

I attended a Bullying Presentation and I learned the following:

• 70.6% of students have been bullied in school
• Treat people the way you want to be treated – with respect
• How to be a “hero” – you be a good friend

We watched an improve group Bull Skit Comedy.

• It showed being spontaneous, making it up – this is exactly how life is.
• Say “yes” and to keep it going.
• Listening is important and so is supporting (rely on others to create together)
• Listen, eye contact and body language (connection)
• Connect with others but also check in with yourself

Another Presentation: 4 Confidence Boosts

• We made up goals – I said I want to be a Registered Nurse and travel the world by ship
• Obstacles/hurdles/roadblocks – For me it is Fears & feeling uncomfortable
• Confidence is what you think you can do (not what others believe)
• Faith and hope (heart & think)
• Inner power does not need permission from others
• Get the training/knowledge
• Don’t listen to the voice in your head that says negative things
• Get outside your comfort zone/try new things
• Treat your body well (quit smoking and exercise)
• Training thoughts, courage, posture (body change)
• Instead of confidence people feel fear when setting new goals
• Fear used to keep ancestors alive but this isn’t applicable any longer
• My comfort zone: my room, home, with my Mom & Dad, iPad, coloring & word finds
• My Discomfort zone: spiders, snakes, loud noises/yelling, crying
• You can grow your comfort zone by trying uncomfortable things – zone of potential. Do not wait for confidence. Courage – confidence – courage -confidence etc.
• Steps to reaching your goals- break it down

4 Confidence Hacks

• Know your competency – practice makes progress
  • Training = new skills
  • Practice is outside your comfort zone
• Believe you can mindset
  • “I think I can” train
  • Train the voice in your head to be nice
  • Fixed mindset – won’t let you try new things
  • Learn to cheer yourself on ( Go girl! Try again!)
• Act like you can (courage)
  • Example public speaking for Grade 5 & 6
• Physically stand like you can (posture)
  • Shoulders back, chin up
  • Power Posing changes chemistry in body and makes you feel confident
  • Feel better after exercise (endorphins)

Know you can

Think you can

Stand like you can

Darby my staff took a few notes of our experience at the casino I would like to share:

• Parking
  • There was lots of handicap spots but with the van need a space to put out the ramp. It is often difficult to find a spot but we were lucky and parked into a spot where we could put the ramp down onto the sidewalk
• Bathroom
  • Lots of room to maneuver but the handicap stall could still be bigger
  • Managed to turn my chair around in the stall might have banged up Darby’s toes!
  • The sink was great height to wash my hands and I could fit my toes underneath
  • It was difficult to reach the soap so I needed help from staff but the paper towel was accessible on the counter
• Doors
  • Big and lots of room to go through but there are no buttons to open them!

They have a dance on the Friday night when it is all done. This is the last Self Advocacy Conference I will miss it very much.

I went to Wetaskiwin to see my very special friend Miss C and her Mom. We finally exchanged Christmas gifts and had a very nice visit. I got her flowers and a bath towel set in her favourite color of BLUE! It was very nice to see her. I hadn’t seen her since last summer. We need to see each other more.

Last week I got to stay in a hotel in Sherwood Park with my Mom and go to the Carrie Underwood concert. Runaway June, Maddie & Tae were the opening acts. They were ALL amazing. My favourite part was Carrie’s last song, I was waiting all night for it… I feel Pretty from her new album! She sang lots of songs, some of them I forgot she even sang!

It was a little work to get to our seats. We had to take 4 elevators and go through security. Sometimes it is hard to get tickets because I need a wheelchair spot and there aren’t that many. So I was very thankful that I got to go.

The next day after the concert we spent the day in Edmonton. In the morning we went to Greenland Greenhouse and I bought my Dad his Father’s Day Gift…SHHH!

We went to Sherwood Park and met my Godmother Kim for lunch. My birthday is coming this Friday so I got to pick out some of my own gifts! It will be very hard to be surprised on my birthday!

The first weekend in June is Jaywalker’s Jamboree! I LOVE going to Jaywalker’s. I went on Saturday with my roommates and my staff. We walked around and did rides. Darby (my staff) was really nice and went on rides with me. I got to go on almost every ride I wanted to. Darby would carry me up the stairs and then I would be secured in the seat with the seat belt so I was safe. It means a lot that she would do that for me. Thank you DARBY and MELISSA for helping me experience Jaywalker’s!

Thursday May 9th

We started Bocce Ball with Special Olympics. We got Special O t-shirts to wear to show off Bocce Ball. It was too cold to wear it…next time!

Rose Club had an event at the Clubhouse Virtual Golf. I went to participate and when I got there I couldn’t get in. It wasn’t wheelchair accessible. It got me so frustrated because I had signed up for a fun event and wasn’t able to participate. So my staff Kathleen decided to go for a walk around Mirror Lake and do a photo shoot! While we were on my walk I saw my Kindergarten teacher Mrs. Johnson! I haven’t seen in in forever! That was a nice surprise. The night turned out to be fun after all.

On Saturday we went to Jubilee Park for a wiener roast and I used the workout equipment, it was a lot of fun! I also got to have cheesecake! My staff Marianne took me on the circle swing, I enjoyed that a lot.

Mother’s Day we went to the Lois Hole Greenhouse in St. Albert with Joel & Ashley. After we went to their new house. I had to take my other wheelchair to Edmonton because I wouldn’t have been able to get into their new house. I gave Mom some homemade gifts that I made at Centra Cam for Mother’s Day and I had special photo cube made for her that she really liked.

That night I had to go to the Emergency department again because I had really bad cramps. I have been referred to a Specialist in Leduc…hopefully we get some answers. I am sick of feeling like this.

Tuesday May 13th

Rose Club had a games night. Some people were outside playing basketball and inside there were board games and Wii. I played UNO.

Saturday Ashley and I went and got our nails done.

Sunday May 19th I went to my parents and use watercolors to color butterflies. It looks like stained glass when you are all done.

Monday May 20th of the long weekend I colored my hair black with Darby’s help (What do you think?!)

Monday afternoon we celebrated my roommate Craig’s birthday! I bought him a gift card for Subway & Booster Juice. For his party we BBQ’d  hot dogs, and had chips & black forest cake. Kyle, Joel & Craig went outside and played soccer. It was a really good birthday.

On Wednesday the 24th my Auntie Donna came to visit from Unity Saskatchewan! She is my mom’s sister!!! It’s a hard thing to see the family because they are so far away from Camrose. But also their houses aren’t wheelchair friendly or able to get into because they have steps , so if we want to see them they have to come to see us.

It is always special to see loved ones… this isn’t a recent picture but I thought I would share it anyways.

Thursday evenings we have Girl Power. We are learning how to figure out our emotions, our rights and what is important to us. It is a really good group of girls and I feel it is helping me a lot in my life.

On Friday night I watched Sex in the City the second movie on Netflix and it was really good. I think this weekend I will watch the first one!

Saturday afternoon everyone from my house and my friend Nicole went to the Avengers movie. It was an amazing movie to see and the theatre was so busy. Good thing we went early we might not have been able to get in.

Saturday night I painted my nails purple with sparkles.

Sunday I went to Costco and the new outlet mall in Leduc. It was really fun. I didn’t buy anything but my brother got some stuff.

Every month at Centra Cam we have a workbook that teaches us different topics. This month we learned how to vote. It was very interesting to learn new things about Centra Cam and how to vote in our community. Maybe next time I will vote!

Monday I went back to the library to do my job. I haven’t been there in awhile because of all my school presentations. It was really good to be back.

Tuesday was our last school presentation for the year! We went to Killam School for the the first time and we rocked it! The roads were scary when we left Camrose but they cleared up right away. Thank you Cherilyn and Paulette for helping me do 16 school presentations this year! It was amazing. I can’t wait til next year.

Saturday Karli (my staff that is on maternity leave), Alex, Wren & her new baby Kingsley came to visit. I got to hold the baby. She is soooo cute! Wren was walking around the living room he is sooo busy!

After they went home my roommates Craig, Teresa and I decorated Easter Eggs with food coloring and vinegar. It was fun, you are never to old to do kids stuff!

On Sunday I went to my parents and the first thing we did was go for a walk on the berm it was very nice out.

Then Luke and I tried to decorate eggs with shaving cream and food coloring. It didn’t work very well. We went back to the old fashioned way with food coloring and it was successful.

My brother Luke is in art school in Calgary and he is home now until September! He made a coffee maker, spoon, ring, necklace and a plate all out of copper. They are pretty amazing. I am so proud of Luke 🙂

This was the first Easter Joel wasn’t home he was in Moose Jaw with his girlfriend’s family. We missed him but hope he had fun. My Mom made pineapple & ham for Easter Dinner and strawberry cheesecake with chocolate crust for dessert. I tried everything. It was very good.

Every year Mom buys us chocolate Easter Bunnies and Reese’s Peanut Butter Eggs.

I hope your Easter was amazing like mine.

Sunday night I watched American Idol and my favorite Singer Brett young was on. He is so DREAMY!

I hope you saw my blog last week about Random Acts of Kindness check it out if you haven’t seen it and help me change the world!