This is the last post I am going to make regarding this. I feel like I am begging and it is so out of my character to do so. The truth is, the cause is so important to me. It is more of a dream. A wish. Something I would give anything to do. Perhaps, if I shared my story, then you would understand why it is so important to me. So here goes....
My name is Virginia Marie Tucker. I hate my name, so my friends call me "Jenny." I am 31 years old. I grew up in the capital city of West Virginia, which is Charleston. Some consider it to be a Southern state, while some call it Appalachia. All I know is that my accent is really strong. I am a true Southern girl in all sense of the word. I am polite, courteous, and I am a really prissy. I like to look my best regardless of the situation. I am a severe neat freak. I have to have everything organized and on schedule. I am a complete Type A personality. However, besides these personality traits that I mentioned, I believe the most noticeable thing about me is the fact that I was born disabled. I am always hesitant to mention this right away. Why, you ask? Well, I do not think my disability should define me. Also, sadly there is often a stigma that comes with the word, "disability." So I wanted to take the opportunity to educate the rest of world on what I have to live with every day. Not for a pity party, because I love being the way I am, but to ensure that an understanding is made so that others are accepted. Once I do this, then I will continue with a less medically based autobiography. So bear with me, please. There is going to be a lot of medical jargon, but I will try my best to make it understandable for all of you. Most importantly, I hope you enjoy my story. The last thing I want is to bore everyone Leave it to me to make this essay difficult.
The Birth of Virginia
Back in October 1981, my 16 year old mother went into labor four months early. She was hemorrhaging pretty badly and once she arrived at the hospital, her family was informed that both of us were more than likely not going to make it through the traumatic ordeal. My grandparents and father prepared for the worse. Hours later however, at 6:02 am I was born. I came out telling the world to, "kiss my behind," basically because I was born breech, or feet first. More accurately, I was still in the fetal position. I had not even begun to turn in the womb to make my journey into the world.
Once I was born, things got progressively worse. I weighed barely two pounds. Both of my lungs collapsed. I was not breathing on my own. They had to put in chest tubes to give me oxygen, in addition to putting me a special incubator with lights and even more oxygen. I was jaundice too, apparently. So it seems as if I am all in the clear, right? Nope! When the doctors decided to put the chest tubes in they noticed that I did not have enough skin to close the wound. They basically worked with what they had. Due to this, now I have a huge, disfiguring scar under my left armpit near my breast. I would notice this much later as my body began to grow.
I spent two months in the NICU. I was born so early I had no fingernails, no eyelashes, and a heart murmur. I also went from 2 lbs at birth down to only one pound. It was looking as if the odds were against me. To be quite honest, it was 1981 after all, and technology was not the greatest. Realistically, I was in trouble. My life was hanging in the balance. From what I have been told over the years by family, I died five times over those two months, and my mother never gave up on me. However, I eventually began to show improvements. I had somehow beaten the odds. It truly was a miracle in all sense of the word.
Finally, on Christmas Day 1981, I was able to come home. However, I was not out of the danger just yet. I was still quite ill. So ill in fact, I was constantly attached to a breathing machines and a heart monitor. It appeared as if I had a chance. My true quality of life was still uncertain however. For example, as the weeks progressed certain members of my family were noticing I was not reaching certain milestones that all children meet. One deficit in particular, was noticed by my grandfather. One day he noticed I wasn't focusing on objects or people. Also, I was not following things with my eyes like most children do at that age. This made my grandfather question my mother about it and after some lengthy discussion, they both decided to see if they could make me blink. Both of them literally touched my eyeballs and I did not flinch. It was if I did not even know it was occurring. Naturally, this frightened both of them, so they immediately made an appointment with my pediatrician. Little did they know this would lead to me seeing multiple doctors and two years passing before anyone really had any answers as to what was really wrong with me.
First, an ophthalmologist in Charleston, WV, established that I was blind. The blindness was due to bleeding on my brain that was caused by the trauma of my premature birth. The blood was collecting behind my retinas and was therefore prohibiting me from seeing. Due to the presence of bleeding on the brain, the ophthalmologist suggested that my mother take me to a neurologist to see if there was any other damage to my brain. The neurologist simply said I was autistic. I would never talk, walk, and had a great probability of being mentally delayed, perhaps even considered mentally "retarded." (Sorry, I hate that word among many others I will share with you later).
Soon my mother gave birth to my sister. It was now 1982. I was over a year old. I was not sitting up. I was not rolling over. In fact, I was basically just lying motionless anywhere I was placed. However, things were about to change. Within a few months we would realize that miraculously I could now see. The blood had drained from behind my retinas without any intervention. More improvements followed this. Before I was two I was speaking complete sentences. Even though I seemed highly intelligent, I was still unable to sit up on my own. I wasn't trying to crawl or walk and had a very unusual, floppy appearance. My mother was only 18, and was only going on what the doctors had told her, but at this point she realized that I could not possibly be autistic. I was doing things they never expected me to do. I was beating the odds that had been against me all along. So with much hope, she decided to get a second opinion. This time she decided to go to an orthopedic specialist. She knew the answer had to be hidden in my floppy appearance.
Finally a Diagnosis
At the age of 2, the greatest orthopedic doctor in the world diagnosed me with Cerebral Palsy. Cerebral Palsy is a birth defect that is caused by brain damage. This damage usually occurs around the areas of the cerebrum and the cerebellum. More so, in most cases the cerebellum is most affected, which is at the base of the brain stem. Damage in this area usually impairs motor function, coordination, balance, and movement. All of which, were areas in which I was experiencing deficits. This led the orthopedic doctor to run just a few more tests before cementing the diagnosis in stone. In the end, it was confirmed that I did indeed have Cerebral Palsy. Now I would like to explain to you in a little more detail the effects of the birth defect and more importantly how I am affected by it.
Understanding Cerebral Palsy
It is important to understand that Cerebral Palsy comes in many forms and can affect each individual differently. Rather than bore you with a bunch of boring medical jargon, I will stick to the form I suffer from and explain it to you in detail. The test confirmed that I had Spastic Diplegia Cerebral Palsy. Below, I will explain all aspects of this form of Cerebral Palsy. I will also include how I am specifically affected by the birth defect.
Spastic Diplegia is the most common form of Cerebral Palsy Statistically, 70-80% of Cerebral Palsy suffers have this form. It is characterized by the lower extremities being affected, with little to no upper-body spasticity. Most people with spastic diplegia are able to walk to some degree and by all medical definitions fully ambulatory. However, these individuals usually have "tight" muscles and have a scissors type gait. A scissor gait basically means that our legs like to cross over each other sometimes. In addition, these individuals also have flexed knees and hips joints to varying degrees. In my case, I have a little knee bend when I walk and my hips are rotated inward and locked. I do not have much flexibility or mobility in my pelvic region.
I hope by this point that I am not boring you. If so, then feel free to stop reading. If you are still interested, then I have some more medical knowledge to share with you about the birth defect. Like I said previously, it is very complex condition. It is not something that I can describe in one or two sentences. Anyhow, let us continue on to more medical stuff.
Individuals with this form of Cerebral Palsy may also experience moderate to severe adduction (stemming from tight adductor muscles and comparatively weak abductor muscles). What is an adductor muscle you ask? Well, it is basically your groin area around the sides of your legs. Some people have difficulty spreading their legs (Sorry, I am going to giggle because this sounds so wrong), while others are unable to keep their legs together. Due to issues such as these the monitoring of walking techniques and development are started early in life and are continued on a semi-regular basis. Often assistive devices are often provided like walkers, crutches or canes. Braces such as any ankle-foot orthotics may also be utilized and usually go on both legs rather than just one. Suffers of the birth defect many also be nearsighted. The intelligence of a person with spastic diplegia is unaffected by the condition. Over time, the effects of the spasticity sometimes produce hip problems and dislocations. In three-quarters of spastic diplegics, also strabismus (crossed eyes) can be present as well.
Living with Cerebral Palsy
Now that the condition is understood from a medical standpoint, I would like to take the opportunity to better explain how I am affected by the condition. Primarily, I have the typical "scissor" gait, but I happen to refer to my walking style as more of a "sexy" strut. If you see me walk, then it just looks like my legs are trying to cross over each other in a crossing fashion. Also, I suffer from severe spastic muscles and as a result, I have to rely on muscle relaxants to maintain mobility. The tightness of the muscles can also lead to spasms. Realistically, I have them all the time. Some of them I can notice and feel, while others I do not even realize are occurring unless someone points it out to me. Trust me though; those ones I am aware of are quite painful. Due to the high intensity of the pain, I rely on a Morphine patch and other medications for pain control. Sadly, at 31, I am addicted to pain medications. I walk with crutches and sometimes use a wheelchair when a lot of walking is involved. I am also supposed to wear braces on both feet for ankle support, but I am stubborn and have not worn them since September. However, I have been a good girl and made an appointment to get my braces adjusted and to get some new shoes to fit them. As for my hips, they are affected as well. They are rotated inward and I limited flexibility with them. I recently saw a specialist associated with the Easter Seals Foundation and soon I get to try two new treatment options available. The first, is Botox injections. These injections will loosen my adductor muscles and give me some mobility as well as some relief from the pain. You see, my adductor muscles were loosened as a child so I have no problems with the keeping legs together or spreading department. (Once again that sounds so wrong). However, since that has been over twenty years ago, I am experiencing very painful hip problems, which may be help with a brace and or the Botox treatment. In addition to the problems I already noted, I am also near-sighted and wear glasses. My intelligence was completely unaffected by the condition. To me, that is a true blessing from the lord above. I owe thanks to him just for existing regardless of whether I am perfect. I like me just the way I am. So that is pretty much the medical part of how I am affected.
The Rest of All About Virginia
As far as the rest of my life I am just like everyone else. I refuse to use the word "normal." It is not in my vocabulary and I do not think the concept of it exists. I also hate the word "crippled." You can call me peg-legged, gimp, disabled, whatever just not that. I often make fun of myself so such expressions do not offend me, but the "C" word makes me growl!
I had a fairly normal childhood, even though most of it was spent in a hospital. I graduated high school 11th out of a class of 400. I later graduate college and earned a Bachelor's of Arts degree from West Virginia State University. Since obtaining my degree I have self-published a book of poetry. It is one of my proudest accomplishments to date.
As for my social life, being disabled has not affected my relationships. I dated a guy for over 18 years and was engaged until last April. Now I am with a new guy and we have been together for two and a half years now. My boyfriends name is Kenny and he is awesome. He may be a little bit of a geek who loves video games, but he is ultimately really one of the kindest people you could ever meet. I fell in love with him the night he texted me saying, "You will never be disabled to me!" Not to mention, he was the first guy not to immediately ask if I could feel my legs when we met. Of course I can feel my legs! I hate it when people assume that just because they see a wheelchair occasionally. Just ask the person. I love to answer questions about my disability. Kenny however, was not like all the other guys I had encountered. He humorously asked if I could drive. Sadly, I cannot. It is possible with an adaptive car, but I am way too nervous to drive, so I have made no effort to obtain a license. Trust me; the roads are safer without me being on them. In the meantime, I am content with Kenny hauling me around.
Kenny and I are currently living together with his five year old little boy who is anxious to help at a moments request. He saved my life actually. To keep a long story short, when we met, my home life was pure hell. I was beaten on a daily basis. I was repeatedly told I was a burden. I was taken advantage of for my disability benefits. Yet, I still managed to smile through the torture of living with drug addicted parents who only wanted me for what profit I brought to them. That however, is an entirely different story altogether. I have since let go of all that pain and forgiven them even though there is no contact between us. I am safe now with Kenny and his amazing family who has showed what true kindness really is.
Now I live in a small, rural town in West Virginia known as Ansted. It is the home to Hawks Nest State Park. Our home is two minutes from the park itself actually, in the middle of the woods. We just recently got city water here a little over a year ago and our phone lines suck. They are comparable to paper cups connected with string. Due to this, our Internet connection is not the best or cell phone service for that matter. Thank goodness, that Sprint has unlimited roaming or Kenny and I would have outrageous phone bills. We also recently got DSL Internet, which thrills me to death. In Charleston, I had cable Internet and the fastest speed available, so it is a big change.
In fact, living in Ansted period is quite an adjustment for me. Living in Charleston, I was literally five minutes away from everything. Here however, we must travel at least a half an hour to a grocery store, which happens to be a Wal-Mart. For entertainment activities such as the movies or going to the mall, we have two options. One, we can travel over an hour to Beckley, WV and do thing there, or two, travel two hours to my hometown of Charleston. Due to the distance I do not go to Charleston much. I try to go once or twice a month for doctors appointments and to see some of my family. As I mentioned previously, most of them are drug addicts and I have since cut ties, but I am however, still close to my maternal grandmother, biological father, and two of my aunts.
Currently, Kenny and I are quite busy. We are in the process of helping Brandon adjust to Kindergarten, all while getting ready to purchase our first home together. Until then however, we living with Kennys parents and three siblings. So all together there are eight of us in one small house. Not to mention, we have over 20 cats and one dog. So it is pretty cramped to put it mildly. In time though, I know our life will be everything I have ever wanted. Nothing is perfect, but right now my life is as close as it could be to it.
Reaching Out for Help
There are many things in life people take for granted. One of those things is the ability to walk. I haven't been able to use my crutches for three years now and let me tell you it makes me teary eyed thinking about how much I miss taking steps to make it across a room. I started the "Help Me Walk After 3 Years" fundraiser to give me that gift back. With the new medical device known as the "WALKAIDE" system, drop foot which is common in Cerebral Palsy patients like me is prevented greatly improving their gait. Having such a device would make my dream of walking again a reality! Want to learn more about the "WALKAIDE" system, then go to the following website: Learn About the WALKAIDE Stimulation System
Contribute just a dollar and instantly I will smile knowing that my feet are one step closer to moving across the room again. To participate in the fundraiser visit the following website: HELP ME WALK AGAIN!
For each person that donates they will not only be helping me achieve my dream of walking independently, but they will also be entered into a separate drawing for a $50 Amazon gift certificate and many other random prizes, at the conclusion of the fundraising event. Sound like a good idea to you guys? Yea. I thought so too...Happy donating....You can also send donations to my PayPal account which is: VirginiaMTucker@gmail.com
Much Love,
Jen
My name is Virginia Marie Tucker. I hate my name, so my friends call me "Jenny." I am 31 years old. I grew up in the capital city of West Virginia, which is Charleston. Some consider it to be a Southern state, while some call it Appalachia. All I know is that my accent is really strong. I am a true Southern girl in all sense of the word. I am polite, courteous, and I am a really prissy. I like to look my best regardless of the situation. I am a severe neat freak. I have to have everything organized and on schedule. I am a complete Type A personality. However, besides these personality traits that I mentioned, I believe the most noticeable thing about me is the fact that I was born disabled. I am always hesitant to mention this right away. Why, you ask? Well, I do not think my disability should define me. Also, sadly there is often a stigma that comes with the word, "disability." So I wanted to take the opportunity to educate the rest of world on what I have to live with every day. Not for a pity party, because I love being the way I am, but to ensure that an understanding is made so that others are accepted. Once I do this, then I will continue with a less medically based autobiography. So bear with me, please. There is going to be a lot of medical jargon, but I will try my best to make it understandable for all of you. Most importantly, I hope you enjoy my story. The last thing I want is to bore everyone Leave it to me to make this essay difficult.
The Birth of Virginia
Back in October 1981, my 16 year old mother went into labor four months early. She was hemorrhaging pretty badly and once she arrived at the hospital, her family was informed that both of us were more than likely not going to make it through the traumatic ordeal. My grandparents and father prepared for the worse. Hours later however, at 6:02 am I was born. I came out telling the world to, "kiss my behind," basically because I was born breech, or feet first. More accurately, I was still in the fetal position. I had not even begun to turn in the womb to make my journey into the world.
Once I was born, things got progressively worse. I weighed barely two pounds. Both of my lungs collapsed. I was not breathing on my own. They had to put in chest tubes to give me oxygen, in addition to putting me a special incubator with lights and even more oxygen. I was jaundice too, apparently. So it seems as if I am all in the clear, right? Nope! When the doctors decided to put the chest tubes in they noticed that I did not have enough skin to close the wound. They basically worked with what they had. Due to this, now I have a huge, disfiguring scar under my left armpit near my breast. I would notice this much later as my body began to grow.
I spent two months in the NICU. I was born so early I had no fingernails, no eyelashes, and a heart murmur. I also went from 2 lbs at birth down to only one pound. It was looking as if the odds were against me. To be quite honest, it was 1981 after all, and technology was not the greatest. Realistically, I was in trouble. My life was hanging in the balance. From what I have been told over the years by family, I died five times over those two months, and my mother never gave up on me. However, I eventually began to show improvements. I had somehow beaten the odds. It truly was a miracle in all sense of the word.
Finally, on Christmas Day 1981, I was able to come home. However, I was not out of the danger just yet. I was still quite ill. So ill in fact, I was constantly attached to a breathing machines and a heart monitor. It appeared as if I had a chance. My true quality of life was still uncertain however. For example, as the weeks progressed certain members of my family were noticing I was not reaching certain milestones that all children meet. One deficit in particular, was noticed by my grandfather. One day he noticed I wasn't focusing on objects or people. Also, I was not following things with my eyes like most children do at that age. This made my grandfather question my mother about it and after some lengthy discussion, they both decided to see if they could make me blink. Both of them literally touched my eyeballs and I did not flinch. It was if I did not even know it was occurring. Naturally, this frightened both of them, so they immediately made an appointment with my pediatrician. Little did they know this would lead to me seeing multiple doctors and two years passing before anyone really had any answers as to what was really wrong with me.
First, an ophthalmologist in Charleston, WV, established that I was blind. The blindness was due to bleeding on my brain that was caused by the trauma of my premature birth. The blood was collecting behind my retinas and was therefore prohibiting me from seeing. Due to the presence of bleeding on the brain, the ophthalmologist suggested that my mother take me to a neurologist to see if there was any other damage to my brain. The neurologist simply said I was autistic. I would never talk, walk, and had a great probability of being mentally delayed, perhaps even considered mentally "retarded." (Sorry, I hate that word among many others I will share with you later).
Soon my mother gave birth to my sister. It was now 1982. I was over a year old. I was not sitting up. I was not rolling over. In fact, I was basically just lying motionless anywhere I was placed. However, things were about to change. Within a few months we would realize that miraculously I could now see. The blood had drained from behind my retinas without any intervention. More improvements followed this. Before I was two I was speaking complete sentences. Even though I seemed highly intelligent, I was still unable to sit up on my own. I wasn't trying to crawl or walk and had a very unusual, floppy appearance. My mother was only 18, and was only going on what the doctors had told her, but at this point she realized that I could not possibly be autistic. I was doing things they never expected me to do. I was beating the odds that had been against me all along. So with much hope, she decided to get a second opinion. This time she decided to go to an orthopedic specialist. She knew the answer had to be hidden in my floppy appearance.
Finally a Diagnosis
At the age of 2, the greatest orthopedic doctor in the world diagnosed me with Cerebral Palsy. Cerebral Palsy is a birth defect that is caused by brain damage. This damage usually occurs around the areas of the cerebrum and the cerebellum. More so, in most cases the cerebellum is most affected, which is at the base of the brain stem. Damage in this area usually impairs motor function, coordination, balance, and movement. All of which, were areas in which I was experiencing deficits. This led the orthopedic doctor to run just a few more tests before cementing the diagnosis in stone. In the end, it was confirmed that I did indeed have Cerebral Palsy. Now I would like to explain to you in a little more detail the effects of the birth defect and more importantly how I am affected by it.
Understanding Cerebral Palsy
It is important to understand that Cerebral Palsy comes in many forms and can affect each individual differently. Rather than bore you with a bunch of boring medical jargon, I will stick to the form I suffer from and explain it to you in detail. The test confirmed that I had Spastic Diplegia Cerebral Palsy. Below, I will explain all aspects of this form of Cerebral Palsy. I will also include how I am specifically affected by the birth defect.
Spastic Diplegia is the most common form of Cerebral Palsy Statistically, 70-80% of Cerebral Palsy suffers have this form. It is characterized by the lower extremities being affected, with little to no upper-body spasticity. Most people with spastic diplegia are able to walk to some degree and by all medical definitions fully ambulatory. However, these individuals usually have "tight" muscles and have a scissors type gait. A scissor gait basically means that our legs like to cross over each other sometimes. In addition, these individuals also have flexed knees and hips joints to varying degrees. In my case, I have a little knee bend when I walk and my hips are rotated inward and locked. I do not have much flexibility or mobility in my pelvic region.
I hope by this point that I am not boring you. If so, then feel free to stop reading. If you are still interested, then I have some more medical knowledge to share with you about the birth defect. Like I said previously, it is very complex condition. It is not something that I can describe in one or two sentences. Anyhow, let us continue on to more medical stuff.
Individuals with this form of Cerebral Palsy may also experience moderate to severe adduction (stemming from tight adductor muscles and comparatively weak abductor muscles). What is an adductor muscle you ask? Well, it is basically your groin area around the sides of your legs. Some people have difficulty spreading their legs (Sorry, I am going to giggle because this sounds so wrong), while others are unable to keep their legs together. Due to issues such as these the monitoring of walking techniques and development are started early in life and are continued on a semi-regular basis. Often assistive devices are often provided like walkers, crutches or canes. Braces such as any ankle-foot orthotics may also be utilized and usually go on both legs rather than just one. Suffers of the birth defect many also be nearsighted. The intelligence of a person with spastic diplegia is unaffected by the condition. Over time, the effects of the spasticity sometimes produce hip problems and dislocations. In three-quarters of spastic diplegics, also strabismus (crossed eyes) can be present as well.
Living with Cerebral Palsy
Now that the condition is understood from a medical standpoint, I would like to take the opportunity to better explain how I am affected by the condition. Primarily, I have the typical "scissor" gait, but I happen to refer to my walking style as more of a "sexy" strut. If you see me walk, then it just looks like my legs are trying to cross over each other in a crossing fashion. Also, I suffer from severe spastic muscles and as a result, I have to rely on muscle relaxants to maintain mobility. The tightness of the muscles can also lead to spasms. Realistically, I have them all the time. Some of them I can notice and feel, while others I do not even realize are occurring unless someone points it out to me. Trust me though; those ones I am aware of are quite painful. Due to the high intensity of the pain, I rely on a Morphine patch and other medications for pain control. Sadly, at 31, I am addicted to pain medications. I walk with crutches and sometimes use a wheelchair when a lot of walking is involved. I am also supposed to wear braces on both feet for ankle support, but I am stubborn and have not worn them since September. However, I have been a good girl and made an appointment to get my braces adjusted and to get some new shoes to fit them. As for my hips, they are affected as well. They are rotated inward and I limited flexibility with them. I recently saw a specialist associated with the Easter Seals Foundation and soon I get to try two new treatment options available. The first, is Botox injections. These injections will loosen my adductor muscles and give me some mobility as well as some relief from the pain. You see, my adductor muscles were loosened as a child so I have no problems with the keeping legs together or spreading department. (Once again that sounds so wrong). However, since that has been over twenty years ago, I am experiencing very painful hip problems, which may be help with a brace and or the Botox treatment. In addition to the problems I already noted, I am also near-sighted and wear glasses. My intelligence was completely unaffected by the condition. To me, that is a true blessing from the lord above. I owe thanks to him just for existing regardless of whether I am perfect. I like me just the way I am. So that is pretty much the medical part of how I am affected.
The Rest of All About Virginia
As far as the rest of my life I am just like everyone else. I refuse to use the word "normal." It is not in my vocabulary and I do not think the concept of it exists. I also hate the word "crippled." You can call me peg-legged, gimp, disabled, whatever just not that. I often make fun of myself so such expressions do not offend me, but the "C" word makes me growl!
I had a fairly normal childhood, even though most of it was spent in a hospital. I graduated high school 11th out of a class of 400. I later graduate college and earned a Bachelor's of Arts degree from West Virginia State University. Since obtaining my degree I have self-published a book of poetry. It is one of my proudest accomplishments to date.
As for my social life, being disabled has not affected my relationships. I dated a guy for over 18 years and was engaged until last April. Now I am with a new guy and we have been together for two and a half years now. My boyfriends name is Kenny and he is awesome. He may be a little bit of a geek who loves video games, but he is ultimately really one of the kindest people you could ever meet. I fell in love with him the night he texted me saying, "You will never be disabled to me!" Not to mention, he was the first guy not to immediately ask if I could feel my legs when we met. Of course I can feel my legs! I hate it when people assume that just because they see a wheelchair occasionally. Just ask the person. I love to answer questions about my disability. Kenny however, was not like all the other guys I had encountered. He humorously asked if I could drive. Sadly, I cannot. It is possible with an adaptive car, but I am way too nervous to drive, so I have made no effort to obtain a license. Trust me; the roads are safer without me being on them. In the meantime, I am content with Kenny hauling me around.
Kenny and I are currently living together with his five year old little boy who is anxious to help at a moments request. He saved my life actually. To keep a long story short, when we met, my home life was pure hell. I was beaten on a daily basis. I was repeatedly told I was a burden. I was taken advantage of for my disability benefits. Yet, I still managed to smile through the torture of living with drug addicted parents who only wanted me for what profit I brought to them. That however, is an entirely different story altogether. I have since let go of all that pain and forgiven them even though there is no contact between us. I am safe now with Kenny and his amazing family who has showed what true kindness really is.
Now I live in a small, rural town in West Virginia known as Ansted. It is the home to Hawks Nest State Park. Our home is two minutes from the park itself actually, in the middle of the woods. We just recently got city water here a little over a year ago and our phone lines suck. They are comparable to paper cups connected with string. Due to this, our Internet connection is not the best or cell phone service for that matter. Thank goodness, that Sprint has unlimited roaming or Kenny and I would have outrageous phone bills. We also recently got DSL Internet, which thrills me to death. In Charleston, I had cable Internet and the fastest speed available, so it is a big change.
In fact, living in Ansted period is quite an adjustment for me. Living in Charleston, I was literally five minutes away from everything. Here however, we must travel at least a half an hour to a grocery store, which happens to be a Wal-Mart. For entertainment activities such as the movies or going to the mall, we have two options. One, we can travel over an hour to Beckley, WV and do thing there, or two, travel two hours to my hometown of Charleston. Due to the distance I do not go to Charleston much. I try to go once or twice a month for doctors appointments and to see some of my family. As I mentioned previously, most of them are drug addicts and I have since cut ties, but I am however, still close to my maternal grandmother, biological father, and two of my aunts.
Currently, Kenny and I are quite busy. We are in the process of helping Brandon adjust to Kindergarten, all while getting ready to purchase our first home together. Until then however, we living with Kennys parents and three siblings. So all together there are eight of us in one small house. Not to mention, we have over 20 cats and one dog. So it is pretty cramped to put it mildly. In time though, I know our life will be everything I have ever wanted. Nothing is perfect, but right now my life is as close as it could be to it.
Reaching Out for Help
There are many things in life people take for granted. One of those things is the ability to walk. I haven't been able to use my crutches for three years now and let me tell you it makes me teary eyed thinking about how much I miss taking steps to make it across a room. I started the "Help Me Walk After 3 Years" fundraiser to give me that gift back. With the new medical device known as the "WALKAIDE" system, drop foot which is common in Cerebral Palsy patients like me is prevented greatly improving their gait. Having such a device would make my dream of walking again a reality! Want to learn more about the "WALKAIDE" system, then go to the following website: Learn About the WALKAIDE Stimulation System
Contribute just a dollar and instantly I will smile knowing that my feet are one step closer to moving across the room again. To participate in the fundraiser visit the following website: HELP ME WALK AGAIN!
For each person that donates they will not only be helping me achieve my dream of walking independently, but they will also be entered into a separate drawing for a $50 Amazon gift certificate and many other random prizes, at the conclusion of the fundraising event. Sound like a good idea to you guys? Yea. I thought so too...Happy donating....You can also send donations to my PayPal account which is: VirginiaMTucker@gmail.com
Much Love,
Jen
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Have a great weekend and good luck with your fundraiser and keep the faith too xxx