A young preteen girl tells us about herself and why she is the way she is.
Reaux, Ronee' L.
Creative Writing/Accelerated English
C. Hall-Reno, Instructor, Grade 5
~~~~~~~~MY AUTOBIOGRAPHY~~~~~~~~
There are some things you should know about me. Some things you already know, but some you may not know, and what I tell you may surprise you.
My name is Ronee' Le-Anne Marie Reaux, and I will be 12 years old on December 25 of this year. We (my twin sister, Robyn Charmaigne RaNae, and myself) were born on December 25, 1992, in Meaux, Louisiana, which is near Abbeville, in the heart of Louisiana's "Cajun Country". That's right: I am a Christmas Baby. That can be a pain, but maybe as I get older, I'll get used to it. I am a twin; my twin sister's name is Robyn, and she lives with another family. We were separated when we were little babies, and when I was in the hospital. She and I were both born three months premature; we were supposed to be born in March, but we came along in late December, on Christmas Day. My sister weighed 2 pounds, and I weighed just a pound and three ounces. We were little bitty squirts.
We are both multi-racial; we are mostly Cajun French (on both sides of our family), but we also have Spanish, Irish, and Cherokee Indian in our heritage. This is one reason why we are so dark. We really have no problem with it; but I think it IS neat finding about who we are and where we come from and what we are made of.
We look a lot alike, Robyn and I; and four years ago, we were reunited. It was funny meeting a kid who looked just like me, but we were glad to see each other at last; we had been wondering what was going on with one another! Robyn was adopted by the family across the street, and now we see each other every day, which is kind of neat. We have become very close, and even though we have different last names, we are still sisters, and nothing can ever change that.
Now, Robyn is healthy, but me, not so hot. I have systemic (severe) juvenile rheumatoid arthritis that causes me to use forearm crutches and leg braces for walking; and I sometimes use a wheelchair if my pain is too great. Sometimes the pain is so bad I end up in the hospital; and this is known as a "flare". These "flares" can cause me to throw up, and I also have severe pains in my stomach or chest; and I feel like hell. I also have fevers with these flares, and I break out in a rash. These are NOT fun! I also have allergies, and I have asthma; but I am glad to say that I am doing much better; and my doctor says if I keep on doing as well as I am at the present time, I just may be taken off the oxygen by the time I am thirteen years old. I still take two inhalers, one when I get up, and once again at night; I also have an inhaler with me, in case I may need it when I am at school or am playing; but I usually don't. Still, it IS nice to have it with me in case I DO run into an attack of asthma! (I wear oxygen only at night; it's just for a precaution.) I used to have a ton of allergies, but now I am only allergic to a few things, and I know well enough now to stay away, so I don't get into trouble. I have allergies to bee stings, penicillin (and all cillins), and peanuts; and I also have allergies to grass; but nothing else, thank goodness. I used to break out in hives every summer, but now I only get them maybe once or twice every spring. Still, hives ARE a pain in the butt; they itch something fierce, and I am doing all I can to keep from scratching them! It drives me CRAZY!
Robyn and I both have black hair and black eyes, and we both are dark-skinned; but she is taller and heavier than me. Always has been. She also wears her hair real short while I am letting my hair grow out. My hair WAS down to my knees, but I had it cut last spring, and now I am letting it grow out again. It now goes to below my shoulder blades, and the bangs are still feathered back from my face. But we still do look a lot like each other; and people really have no problems telling us apart. It also doesn't help that I am on crutches and wear leg braces; still, it IS rather nice NOT to have people mix us up! LOL I bet that would be ANNOYING, telling people that I am NOT Robyn, or Robyn telling people that she is NOT Ronee'!
We are also different in our interests and stuff. Robyn is more into rock music and loves to flirt with boys and dress in the latest styles; but me, I am still having too much fun being a kid. I love to play with my family, and I love to play with my friends; and I also love to listen to country, gospel, or Cajun music, and I also love to sing. I also love to wear the latest styles, but I would much rather look like the kid I am instead of trying to look like something I am not or try to look like a mini Britney Spears or Christina Aguilera! And boys don't interest me. Oh, I HAVE friends who ARE boys, but I am way too young to worry about things like dating or boyfriends; and I don't want to even think about that stuff until I am at least 16! Besides, my maman would KILL me if I had a boyfriend at the age of 11! LOL
Robyn doesn't know what she really wants to be when she becomes an adult, but me, I already have my future mapped out. I would love to be a famous country singer like my favorite singer, Loretta Lynn; and I would love to have a hit album to my name. I would also love to be a famous authoress and have a best-selling book to my credit. Now, I AM currently writing a book about my life story and also to help other disabled kids; but this is still in the working stage; and I only have about six chapters done now. I still have a while before I am done and then send the manuscript out to a publisher; and then I have to wait around until I hear from the publisher, to see if they are going to accept my manuscript or reject it. If I am rejected, I will have to keep working on it until I send it back, and hopefully the next time, I'll strike gold; and then I will have a book to my name!
Robyn loves strictly rock music (she loves John Bon Jovi and Bruce Springsteen), but me, I love ALL styles of music EXCEPTING for big band or MOST jazz; I also don't like easy listening, as it puts me to sleep! But my favorite music is country/western (especially the older stars like Loretta Lynn or the late Tammy Wynette or Patsy Cline) and Cajun (Belton Richard, Jimmy C. Newman, and Jo-El Sonnier are my favorites in Cajun music. I also love Hunter Hayes). And I love gospel music--doesn't matter who; I love it all! I also listen to rock music or rap music; I love most of the acts in both genres. But if I have to say what my favorite kind of music is, it's most definitely country/western! :)
I am different than my sister because besides singing for a living (I have been able to sing at many Cajun and country music festivals, and I have also have met and performed alongside many of my favorite singers in country and Cajun music!), I also am a Christian, and I go to a wonderful church that is spirit-filled and Bible-based. (I accepted Jesus Christ into my life when I was seven years old.) My sister is not saved yet, but hopefully that will change. Her family only goes to church when they feel like it, and they only go mainly at Easter or Christmas; any other time, it's if they are in the mood. I don't know how they can live their lives without going to church; I find church enjoyable, and I get so much out of it! Jesus has been awfully good to me, even in my worst days with my health, and He has blessed me abundantly. He is the Reason why I am the way I am today; and I can't imagine my life WITHOUT my Lord and Saviour! :)
Another thing you should know about me is my moods and why I am the way I am. I am basically a very happy person, but I DO have my moments where I am a very nasty person. I don't mean to turn nasty, but sometimes I am not feeling my best, and when I am hurting, that DOES affect how I feel! I also hate it when people baby me (like my MAMAN, for example; she hangs around me like a mother hen, especially when I am sick or in pain, and it drives me absolutely BONKERS!) or treat me like I don't know a thing when I DO! I happen to be VERY smart, and I KNOW when people are being condescending towards me; and I wish they would QUIT it!! YOU have someone breathing down YOUR neck when YOU are sick or hurting, and see what it does to YOU! It drives me CRAZY!! When I am sick, all I want people to do is leave me the HECK alone and let me SLEEP! I DON'T need them hanging around me like a pesky fly!!
It doesn't help that I am turning into a woman now and am quickly leaving my childhood days behind me. I am now entering the doorway to adolescence, and this is starting to affect not only my body, but also my moods. I now have boobs, and they are tender; and I find it very embarrassing because the boys in my class are always wanting to PINCH me, and they tease me about my boobs; and I wish they would just drop off the planet and leave me the HECK alone! I also recently started my very first period, and it was a very upsetting time for me. I won't go into details, as this is woman's stuff; but let's just say that I DON'T like the sight of blood, especially if it's my own; and when I saw that I was bleeding, I FREAKED! I thought I was DYING, and it took my maman an hour to calm me down, to let me know that this is what happens to women once a month, and it is completely NORMAL!!
I find becoming a teenager scary; there is still so much I don't know, and I have heard so many bad things about being a teenager I don't know if I even want to do so! But I can't turn back time or go backwards; and so I guess I have to learn to put up with my approaching adolescence and try to make the best of it. I only hope that I can get through my teenaged years!
Now you know more about me and what makes me tick. I even shared some stuff that should be otherwise be kept private; but to me it is a big deal, as I am experiencing it for the very first time, and it has me a bit concerned. I only hope that you learn to accept me for who I am and what I am on the inside, NOT what happens to be on the outside; and I hope that you realize that even though I AM physically disabled, I am STILL like you in a LOT of ways, and ALL I ask is that you treat me fairly and treat me as YOU would want. If you do that, then you will have NO problems dealing with me. A lot of people are finding that out, and all it takes is to have some common sense.
Thank you for letting me write this down. I hope you enjoyed getting to know me a little better. I enjoyed writing this. This is a part of an assignment we have to do for Creative Writing/English class. We have to write an autobiography about ourselves, and the best ones will be put on display on the walls in the school's main entryway, for people to see and read.
C-Ya!
~Love, Ronee' Le-Anne Marie Reaux, aged 11.
Written on Tuesday, March 2, 2004.
P.S.: Tomorrow was supposed to have been the date when Robyn and I were supposed to have been born! Just thought you would be interested in knowing that! :)
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