Stink is going to talk to his third grade class tomorrow about what it is to have T.S.. It's been a long time coming. He's lucky in many ways:

1. He doesn't mind his tics at all, so he's comfortable talking about them.

2. He's not teased about them at all. "No one ever mentions them" his teacher swears.

3. My dear friend, Ellen, is going to stand next to him and give a talk about living with disability.

In Ellen's case, "stand" is a relative word, as she's been in a wheel chair for over 30 years due to an auto accident that snapped her spine.

Her "quad" status didn't keep her from getting a Masters degree and teaching at our local university.

It didn't keep her from marrying a great guy and birthing the beautiful Zoe, one of Stink's dearest friends.

It didn't keep her from being the first disabled woman to do a full nude spread in Playboy twenty five years ago.

And perhaps, most lucky for me, it doesn't keep her from having myself and about five other gals over to her house every Friday night for a communal Whine and Wine.

I love my son.

I love my friend Ellen.

I love my family and my community who keep me strong even when I'm ready to keel over from exhaustion and fear. (Thank God for Fridays!)

And I love that we live in a world where different is the new normal.

* Picture: One of my favorite photos of Ellen. I tease her constantly that she can never seem to do a photo shoot without getting naked. Um, ya'll won't ever find that true of me!

Your Kick in the Pants: What did you do for yourself today to take your mind off of tics? I hung out in Malibu with the ever fabulous Topanga T and her two puppies. Nothing says happiness like writing, a bull dog and Pumpkin spice latte.
 


Comments

Daria
10/20/2011 19:41

That is such a loving and beautiful act of kindness for Ellen to be next to Stink in solidarity for his discussion. Ya, totally got me choked up. Darnit!

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