My blurred opinion

wrestling with disability

Matt was a guy I met on Facebook, and as soon as we started talking, I loved his energy and his positivity. He suffers from a learning disability, but when you talk to him you honestly can't tell. He is a good spirit, and he has a loving attitude, it completely makes you forget all about whatever it is that is visible that shows his disability. He is a real hidden gem in this world, and his disability is one of the least important things about him.  He talks about how his diagnosis of dyslexia was a good thing for him, because he finally found out what was wrong with him because it was something that was always in the back of his mind.  He talked about being in school and being kind of a bully, having this anger deep inside of him, and at the time he didn't really know where it came from, but he would take it out on others. And it showed his first real understanding of mental health, and how his staying to himself, and not sharing what he was in pain about, He was a detriment to his health. And I love when he shares about how people pray on the week, and how that translates to his anger, because he never wanted to be weak, and he never wanted his disability to define him. We eventually get into him being an entrepreneur and a wrestling promoter. I personally love this part of the episode because I'm an old-school wrestling fan, no I do not watch wrestling anymore, I love to talk about the sport because it brings me back to my childhood of comfort.
And I believe wrestling was a real outlet for him to be himself, not only as a promoter but also a wrestler as well. https://m.facebook.com/SuperClashUK/
 

therapy time

This episode is with Mindy Rogers, I'm very happy that we met each other at the time that we did because she was feeling very low about herself, and her disability.  One of the reasons why I try not to listen to someone's story all the way through before I interview them is because I like to have real emotion, I like it to have a genuine flow, and I don't want to know everything going in. As she described her story I really started feeling her pain, not just her physical, but her emotional, and mental pain as well. She's had a multitude of diagnoses, and back surgeries which causes her to spend most of her time in the house. Just about everything that she has been diagnosed with is hereditary, it started from her fibromyalgia to different forms of arthritis, to depression, and more. And because of all of that she has been diagnosed with, she has had so many surgeries to try to correct or help alleviate the pain that she is in her current state. Always like to give the audience visualization on what people who are going through a horrific struggle, how they think, and how those stats affect their daily living, for instance, Mindy had thoughts of people judging her because of her appearance, and that she would be ridiculed for being lazy and fat, even though she has a legitimate reason for why she is the way she is. One of the things that I really wanted to stress with Mindy was the fact that she is a very strong person, and that she doesn't have all the capabilities, and mobility that she would like, there are still ways for her to find happiness, enjoy in life. Mindy even taught me a lesson on being more grateful for what I do have, because there's always someone who is struggling more than you, but now she is struggling in some ways, she is such a strong and powerful person, and I'm glad I got to tell her story because people should know who she is. Another person that should be mentioned is her husband, he's very devoted and loving, and he's always there for her anytime she needs something.  The one thing I didn't see coming in this episode was the therapy part of the whole thing, we just talked, I gave all the advice I could, and we developed a bond over an hour and a half of time. 

The electrifying C Bunny

When I first met Christine, or as she likes to be known C bunny, I immediately noticed her positive energy, and how she is super motivated, and she doesn't let much get to her. She's partially deaf in both ears, but it does not stop her. She's really into dancing to hip-hop music, she's a professional DJ and a wrestler. She talks about the misconceptions of people not thinking that she is partially deaf, based on her appearance, and how idiotic that is. She discusses her mental health, and at one point really feeling alone, but also talked about the journey and how she turned into the person she is today. What are the things that I never thought of during this whole pandemic, how people who are deaf could communicate with masks, and she explains the struggles that she has had over the last few years? She talks about how she is a very active person and how being an example for the disability community is really important to her, and that she just doesn't wanna be another statistic, she wants to show what we can do. her Instagram is @DJcbunny

The Steiners pain part 2 Mark’s view

This episode is with Mark who is our last guest husband. Darci and I were discussing her husband, how much of a caregiver, and a supportive figure in her life, and how he stood by her no matter what, and we discussed the idea of him being a great guest for the show, and I agreed. What I most admire about Mark is his honesty, how he says the unfiltered truth, even if it is the most palpable thing to digest. We talk about the very beginning when they first met, their connection, and how true love is actually possible.  As the story starts to evolve, we get into the psyche of a married man's mind who signed up for marriage but does not know all of what he would eventually be getting himself into. He tells us the tough times of wanting to give up, but also the realization of seeing his true love at her worst, and realizing he couldn't give up. This episode really touched me, because I care for both of them, but to hear it from two different angles, and to know they made it through together, and that they would stick it out together no matter what, gave me hope for love.

The Steiner’s pain part 1 Darci’s view

When I first got to know Darci I instantly knew she was a really good person, and that she had been through a lot, as time went by and this interview happen, I knew I was right, and that I hadn't even scratched the service on what she had been through. She suffers from a condition that we have covered in the past called chronic regional pain syndrome or CRPS, but unlike the other two that I've had on my show, she hasn't lost any limbs, but she is always in pain and agony. She talks about her first trigger when she fell down the steps by slipping on a piece of paper from a drawing on one of her children, and how her life was completely different and turned upside down at the time. She actually end up recovering most of the way, until a chair fell on her, and triggered it again, but this time worse. Now this description is the short version, she goes into much more detail, but one of the things I loved about her most, is how upfront she was about her contributions to her marriage because she was always an amazing mother, and an amazing wife, but tragedy kept her in bed, and she couldn't give the same effort as she once could. As you see this is part one, and part two I get to talk to her husband Mark, or he gives his side of it, and how he felt about her and what she could, and couldn't do. Darci and I have become good friends since the show, and every time I talk to her she is nothing but a kind woman, she gives good advice, and she always makes me feel good about what I'm doing. I think that's what makes her so special, she's dealing with so much and she's in so much pain, but she still has time to give love and good advice.
 
Instagram @Darcijstein.writer
Twitter and LinkedIn @darcisteiner
Website
http://Www.darcijsteiner.com
Her book
https://www.amazon.com/Beauty-Beyond-Thorns-Discovering-Suffering-ebook/dp/B09DHVFCP3/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?crid=1IZFOOJ63STUZ&keywords=beauty+beyond+the+thorns&qid=1649642733&sprefix=beauty+beyond+the+thorns%2Caps%2C166&sr=8-1
 

I can’t control my brain

For the longest time I was trying to find a person who represents the Tourette's community properly, and I came across this woman name Becca Braccialle, I didn't know the severity of her Tourette's, and I didn't know a whole lot about the condition, other than just some of the ticks, but she open my eyes and made me realize how much she has to go through. She explains how they're certain words that aren't even in her head, such as racist, or sexual verbiage, but she may say them randomly without any thought of it. There are also physical ticks such as hitting herself, and even times where she put herself at risk to do something, simply because her brain just doesn't sync properly sometimes. One of the things that really stood out to me was when I was watching some of her videos about how she carries herself, and how she shows such strength to speak her truth, even though the ticks. She taught me all the misconceptions on what people feel Tourette's is, and how people misunderstand most people with that condition. 
Please follow her on Instagram and Tourette's @tourettesbian

Facing yourself

This episode is a real emotional roller coaster, when I first discovered Lindsay, I had to have her on the show, and when she told me her entire story, I was flabbergasted at how much this woman has endured in her life. I will not tell you too much, because I want you to listen for yourself without any judgemental ears, but I will highlight some things that she has been through. She was molested at a young age, she's seen a lot of death, drugs, and she's felt a lot of pain. She has tried many drugs herself, and relapse many times, she has been in abusive relationships, and has been raped a few times. I don't know how this woman is still around, but I have a lot of love for her, and I'm so happy that she is currently clean, and her way men focus is to be the best mother possible. She is in a better place, and that's all that matters.
http://Facebook.com/lindsay.jewell.3576
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsay-jewell-287b8a232
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09JLFJDNT/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_9V2XYQQ74KGS3CDFABJB
 
 
 

The bionic brunette

Rachael handler what is the recommended guest from my friend Jade, she is a person I met through a Facebook group, and we stayed friends and we support each other shows. She thought Rachael would be a great acquisition to the shell, and of course she end up being right.  Rachel's story starts with a rainy day on a highway or she gets into a minor car accident, which eventually turns into a tragic and a situation, one another car would slide into her and eventually cause her to have her leg amputated. She was a person I was very active and she loved to perform on Broadway, but after her accident she wasn't sure if she can continue on, due to the fact that she had never seen a person with a disability on Broadway. She talks about the miss treatment of people with disabilities, and how for a while she lost her love for performing because of how she was treated. And one of the things that I gathered from this episode was that her car accident really change the trajectory of her outlook on things she never really considered, and it made her a much stronger person, and strong willed person to never give up, and to fight for those who don't want to fight. She's not only a strong person, but you can tell she's actually very happy, and she has come to terms with her disability, and she very much so wants to continue to make changes for people with disabilities. 
Her website   http://rachelahandler.com
Her Instagram @bionicbrunette
 

How to get whole

Marcia is a Stroke Survivor, she had her stroke back in 2014, and for the next six years, her mission was to figure out how to go on, and how to figure out all that happened to her. She discusses the morning of her stroke when she wakes up and just feels like something is wrong because of the pain she was in, and when she went to read, her vision was all scrambled. She learned after her husband had come to check on her that she also lost the ability to speak. Her recovery took a long while for her to heal, she had people come to the house and constantly work with her, but nothing was easy, because she had to learn how to walk, talk, and every other normal function that we all take for granted. One of the things that I really admire about Marcia is her strength, she would set a goal like wanting to run a 5K run on her one-year anniversary of the stroke. Though maybe it was a unattainable goal at the time, just the fact that she wanted to put herself to the limit, and never did she short change herself and her thinking. She also has a condition called aphasia, which has to do with her ability to speak after comprehending what another person would say. Everything changed for her when she found a website that explained neurofeedback. She explains the procedure that is neurofeedback, and how after her first time though she didn't feel anything, she did notice a small difference in her speech. Now after a multitude of that same procedure, she regained the ability to say what she wanted to say perfectly. Even though it's not a reality for a lot of people with disabilities to almost fully recover, I am very happy for Marcia, and now I just hope she can enjoy the rest of her life to the fullest.
marcia@strokeforward.com
http://www.LinkedIn.com/in/marciamoran/
 
 
 

Backstroke

Grace hell is a person I met through a Facebook group, she reached out to me when I was looking for guests. she's a very sweet person, she likes to swim, paint, and she started her advocacy when she was 14 years old, which is when she had her stroke in the ocean in between the mainland and the island. Her brother had to come and rescue her,  once they finally got to dry land, he had to even perform CPR. She talked about how she didn't feel that she could ever have a stroke because she was so young and it's very rare for a group. She talks about her loss of functions to her limbs and how her face droped when she was in the hospital, and there was a difference of opinions between her family and the doctors on what was actually wrong with her. After the stroke, she also had many different mental issues, addiction issues, and even to this day she still has problems with the right side of her body even though it has gotten a lot better. We go deep into a lot of the challenges that she faced and continues to face to life with her mental health, but how she pushes through it through her advocacy.