This is Jenny. She is very, very bright. But she has cerebral palsy, which means that she finds herself trapped in a body that does not listen to the instructions of her brain. She has muscle spasms and spends her day in a wheelchair. Jenny lives with her parents: her Mom is being crushed by emphysema and her Dad is slowly fading away from Alzheimer's disease. So the roles have reversed and Jenny now cares for her parents. Yet she gets up each morning and gets on with her day. She has a wicked sense of humour and a delightfulyl subversive desire to undermine stereotypes about people who are differently abled. So when I have moments when I am tempted to feel sorry for myself I am inspired by Jenny. She prevents my self pity. Thank you Jenny.
1 comment:
Hi Pete,
I love what you have said in your blog about Jenny. I also feel that having met Jenny some 12 or so years ago and having had the privelidge of getting to know her, work with her and socialise with her she has enriched my life in ways that no able-bodied person ever has. I have learned so much from Jenny and feel that she has given me so much more than I have been able to give her. She truly is a very special person. Regards Veronica.
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