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Open Your Minds #24: Living Life As A Little Person (By Enriquesa, aged 4, and her mommy) by Karen Lynn Vidra, The Texas Tornado
Tuesday, January 21, 2003
My name is Enriquesa Maria Elena, and I am 4 years old. I am a little person. I was born small. I will always be small, even when I grow up to be like mommy.
I was born without legs, which makes me look smaller yet. When I don't have my legs on (the legs I wear are fake, they aren't real), I look like a little baby, but with them on, I look like a regular little girl. I also don't have arms. My arms aren't real either, but when I have my arms on, I can do many things. I can brush my teeth, brush my hair, feed myself, and put on my shirt. (I need help with my pants, shoes, and socks.) I also can play with my toys, and I am learning to write my name and numbers. I can also draw and paint.
I can walk, but I walk on a wheeled walker, and I can use crutches too, sometimes. But if I go anywhere (like to Pre-K, or to Wal*Mart), I sit in my stroller, so I don't get tired out.
I may be a litttle person, but I can play with my dollies and toys, and I can sing my guts out, just like the singers do on "Star Search"! I also can (sorta') dress myself, and I can feed myself, too! I am a very happy little girl, and I also love going to Sunday school at church each Sunday. I also go to church every Wednesday with my family. I also love it when we eat at Golden Corral; they have ice cream and cookies there, and I LOVE ice cream and cookies! YUMMO!!
Another thing I love is watching movies. My favorite movie is "Ice Age". It makes me laugh, and I love "Sid" on that show! He's funny, and he always makes me LAUGH!!
Louisiana (Enriquesa's mommy):
My youngest daughter suffers from the most common form of dwarfism (achondroplasia). Achondroplastic dwarfs have normal sized bodies, but short arms and legs; and this makes them shorter than average. Most achondroplastic dwarfs don't reach 4' when they are adults; they are extremely short, when comparing them to most adults.
But Enriquesa, who was adopted from Guatemala when she was 10 months old, has other problems besides being a little person. She was born without arms OR legs, and she is a congenital quadruple amputee. She was born with feet, but has no legs; her feet come out where her legs should have been. She was also born without arms and hands, and she requires the use of artificial limbs in order to do everyday tasks, let alone, just to WALK (and when she DOES walk, she uses a wheeled walker she pushes herself, or, for shorter distances, crutches).
Despite her serious physical handicaps, Enriquesa is a child who exudes spirit and courage, and she exudes much personality that makes up for her tiny stature. She is a little charmer, and people can't HELP but falling in love with her whenever they come into contact with her. People are immediately enamored with her intelligence and sheer wit, and her obvious physical handicaps are soon forgotten.
This is the way it SHOULD be, not only with Enriquesa, but for ALL of my disabled children..or ALL people who happen to have disabilities, physical, mental, OR those that are hidden (epilepsy, ADHD, autism, etc.). They may be disabled, but they are CHILDREN or PEOPLE first, and I DEMAND that people treat them with DIGNITY and RESPECT! Treat them as YOU would want to be treated, and imagine what it would be like if YOU were in my little girl's situation!!
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