A little boy with significant disabilities learns to look at the bright side of things.
I am a little boy in a wheelchair, but I am also as much of a kid as you are, and I have dreams, too. I also have to live with health problems every day, but I try not to let them get to me.
It is hard living with a disease like muscular dystrophy because my muscles are getting weaker and weaker, and it is getting harder for me to try to do things for myself, but I still try to do the best I can, and if I can't do something, I'll ask for help. It makes me sad that I won't become an adult or do things like have a girlfriend, go on a date or to the prom, or get married and have a family and watch the kids grow up and have kids of their own, but at least, for the moment, I can enjoy life and do the best I can.
I try not to worry about my dying, but it is never far from the back of my mind. It isn't easy to think about, but I am not worried (MUCH) because I now have Jesus Christ in my life, and I am His Child. He saved me from sin by dying on the Crosss for my sins, and because I accepted Jesus into my life, I am definitely going to Heaven, where I can then see my Grandmaman Moliere (my mommy's mommy; she died of cancer when I was six), my older brothers Pierre and Aron, and my older sister, L'cadia (I never met them; they all died before I was even born or adopted into the family I live with today; they were mommy and daddy's natural kids), and my Auntie Georgia and her family (Georgia was mommy's oldest sister). So I have a lot of people up there in Heaven, with Jesus, and when Jesus comes back, I can then go to Heaven and see these people again. That will be sooo cool! :D
I am a very happy little guy. I try to stay busy by going to school (I am doing very well in school, and I am now in the fifth grade; Mrs. Riordan is my teacher, and she is very nice), playing with my video games or playing my music on my instruments, or going to concerts, where I then can see (and meet) my favorite country singers (Collin Raye, Ronnie Milsap, and Reba McEntire as three examples; they are my favorites in country music! I also love Faith Hill, but I haven't seen her yet..but would LOVE to!..). I have been to the Grand Ole Opry lots of times, and I have even been to Fan Fair and to the Crawfish Festival in Louisiana, both, of which, are always fun. (We go there every year.)
People always ask me all the time how I can be happy when I am in a wheelchair or in the hospital a lot of the time, and I tell them I don't worry about what tomorrow is going to bring; I just worry about today, and there is no sense in worrying over something I can't do anything about. Sure, I wish I could walk more than what I do on my crutches or braces, but I am grateful just to be able to walk at ALL, and I am also grateful that I have lived as long as I have. Doctors didn't think I would live to the age of five when I was diagnosed with my muscular dystrophy, but I fooled 'em by living nearly six years longer than they had originally thought! So who has the last laugh? Certainly NOT my doctors, that is for DARN sure!
There is no sense in crying over my situation; being depressed over something that I can't control isn't my idea of fun, and I would much rather be happy than sad or feeling sorry for myself. I have learned to accept my lot in life, and I think others should too. Sure, I may have muscular dystrophy, but I am still a kid, and I am a kid with dreams and hopes, and I am a kid who does things any other kid does--I just happen to do a lot of things sitting down instead of standing (unless I am on my crutches!). I go to camp every summer, like a lot of kids do, and I go on vacation and see neat places; and I also go to concerts and meet my favorite singers and get their autographs; and I also go to church every Sunday and Wednesday with my family. I am a normal kid, even though I may appear to be anything BUT normal. I may be handicapped, but I refuse to let my disabilities bring me down, and I think it is high time that people learn to accept me for ME, what I am INSIDE, NOT what may be on the OUTSIDE!
