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Names Will Never Hurt Me. (Yeah, Right.) (By Tiffanie Grace Powers, aged 13 1/2) by Karen Lynn Vidra, The Texas Tornado
Monday, June 7, 2004
Rated "G" by the Author.
A teenager wth a facial disability feels that she doesn't belong because her disability is so noticeable.
I have tried to make friends, but it seems that people would rather just forget all about me.
I am a person with feelings, but I guess to most people my feelings DON'T matter because of how I look. I was born with a facial deformity that has required me to have a lot of corrective surgeries, to make my face look more "normal", but even though I look better now than I ever have, I still have noticeable "facial differences" involving my face, and this scares a lot of people. They think I look more like a monster instead of a 13-year-old girl who just got out of eighth grade and will be starting high school in the fall.
My name is Tiffanie. Tiffanie Grace Powers. I am 13 1/2 years old, and I have long, thick, wavy red hair, blue eyes, and freckles across my misshapen cheeks and nose. I am not bad looking for one with facial deformities; but I still have problems with people staring at my face, and it makes me uncomfortable. It really bothers me the most when people stare at me like I am a freak of nature or a freak in a circus sideshow or say hurtful things.
I am the youngest of five kids in my family. I have two older brothers, Tray, aged 15, and 16-year-old Prentiss, and I have two older sisters, Yasmine, 17, and Wilma, the oldest at 19. My parents are named Oscar and Theressa, and they both work at a bank, daddy as a security guard, and mom, as a bank teller. My brothers and sisters all work too: Tray and Prentiss work at a local movie theater, and Yasmine works at a dairy queen. As for Wilma, she works part time at Denney's as a server, and she is also putting herself through college. We have six cats and two dogs, and they are all sweet. Our cats are all Maine Coons (their names are Zippy, Tiger, Roscoe, Kitten Kaboodle, Elvis, and Tiara), and our two dogs, both Rottweilers, are named Killer and Elijah.
Unfortunately, I was the only one out of my family who was born with a messed up face; and when I was born, doctors didn't think I would live or ever have a normal life; but then all these surgeries started happening, and slowly, bit by bit, year by year, I am starting to look more like a typical teenaged girl and less like a freak. I have had to learn to grow up a lot faster because OF my physical disabilities involving my face, and I think it has made me a better and stronger person all around. I do have friends at school, but not many, and it takes people time to warm up to me because OF my facial differences. I am not a bad person, and I have a good and compassion-filled spirit, and I do well in school, even with all my absences, hospitalizations, and surgeries.
I am like a lot of teenaged girls: that is to say, I like to read, read, READ, and I love to talk about boys or listen (or dance) to the latest rock or rap hits. I also like country music, especially Toby Keith and Kenny Chesney, I think Kenny Chesney is a HOTTIE! WOW! (Toby Keith isn't half bad looking either, but I will take Kenny over Keith in a HEARTBEAT! LOL) I also like to go to concerts (I have seen Aerosmith, KISS, Jay-Z, Usher, and even Loretta Lynn, Kenny Chesney, and Toby Keith in concert), and I love to write in my journal or yak it up on the phone. I am ALWAYS on the phone with my friends, it seems, and it annoys my parents to NO end!! I also love to draw and paint, and I have learned to appreciate all beautiful things in my life.
I will write more later; but this is a start. I am kinda' new at this biography thing. My teacher in eighth grade, Mrs. Crowley, suggested that I do something like this, to get rid of any animocity or any pain I may be hiding inside, and so far I have enjoyed it. It has helped me feel better about myself, and it has also helped me to heal and to deal with all the bad memories with being in the hospital, getting teased about my face, or all the painful surgeries.
((((Karen))))
When will people learn to judge by what's inside not on what's outsinde...This is an excellent write
God Bless
Your Friend In Cali
Michelle~
Ash wishes he has a tough big brother to fight his battles for him, until his wish comes true.
Who is Big Brother and why is he so keen to help Ash? Does Big Brother have an agenda of his own?
Ash wishes he has a tough big brother to fight his battles for him, until his wish comes true.
Who is Big Brother and why is he so keen to help Ash? Does Big Brother have an agenda of his own?
I have tried to make friends, but it seems that people would rather just forget all about me.
