Author: Grace W. Dow

Recently, a Paralympic athlete decided not to compete in this year’s Paralympic Games. 26-year-old Becca Meyers, who has previously won three medals in 2016, is both deaf and blind due to a condition called Usher Syndrome. Meyers has decided not to compete in this year’s Paralympic Games after being told that due to COVID-19 regulations,… Continue reading People Need Their Accommodations Even During the Covid-19 Pandemic

Cerebral Palsy is a challenging condition at times, but that doesn’t mean I don’t experience a unique kind of joy. For example, in March of this year, my new power wheelchair was finally delivered. The night before the wheelchair was scheduled to arrive, I hardly slept. I felt excitement akin to what I felt on… Continue reading My Own Unique Joys With Cerebral Palsy

This post is going to differ from my usual posts. It is more of a lighthearted post. Without further ado, here are some ways you know you have cerebral palsy. You Know You Have CP When: -You want to list medical terminology as a second language on your resume. -You consider physiatrists, orthopedic surgeons, physical… Continue reading You Know You Have Cerebral Palsy When:

July is Disability Pride Month. Disability Pride, for me, is something that I haven’t felt all of my life. It’s only within the last several years that I’ve truly begun to accept my disability. A conversation that would forever change the way I saw myself occurred on Christmas Eve 2013. My cousin, who was six… Continue reading When a Little Boy Helped Me Experience Disabilty Pride

Eighteen months ago, when the Covid-19 pandemic forced much of the world to shut down, I suddenly found that the world had become much more accessible for me. In a world where all too often I feel left behind because of ableism and inaccessibility, I could finally participate more and gain a greater sense of… Continue reading Why Returning to Normal Frightens Me:

I started looking for a job in December of 2019. It proved more challenging than I had expected. I knew that it was not going to be easy trying to find a job. However, I had no idea just how challenging it would be. I knew that I couldn’t do most jobs involving excessive physical… Continue reading Finding a Job When Disabled Proves Challenging

Having just celebrated the 4th of July yesterday, it was a tough day for many people who have cerebral palsy, myself included. Due to my cerebral palsy, I have a heightened state reflex. This is called the Moro reflex. This is a reflex that all babies are born with. However, for me, this reflex never… Continue reading For Some People With Cerebral Palsy, July 4th Can Prove Challenging.

Today is Independence Day. It’s a day where Americans celebrate their freedom as a country. As someone who has cerebral palsy, my independence is important to me. My first taste of being independent with my mobility was when I received my first walker at two years old. My parents took a video of one of… Continue reading How My Wheelchair Allows Me More Independence

My readers may not know this: I was born in Kolkata, India, and adopted when I was nine months old. I came home to America on June 29, 2000, which means that today marks 21 years since I arrived here to be a part of my family. This day is as significant to me as… Continue reading 21 Years in America: A Reflection

After waiting for over a year, my new power wheelchair finally arrived in March of this year. My old wheelchair was over five years old, so it was time for a new one. I was excited when I went to the clinic for my initial evaluation. As anyone who has gone through the steps of… Continue reading When Health Insurance Failed, My Community Came Together