Behind The Mic Book Review: Keeping My Balance A Memoir of Disability and Determination by Stephanie Torreno

Google is a girls' best friend when it comes to finding memoirs on disability, so a journalist such as myself, can wet your appetite to check these books out!  Google did not disappoint this journalist either!  Keeping My Balance A Memoir of Disability and Determination by Stephanie Torreno, is a book that shows just because you have a disability or special need, doesn't mean you can't accomplish your goals or dreams. The key is to explore and consistently push yourself out of your comfort zone, to see how you handle the ups and downs of life that everyone experiences.  Stephanie is incredibly candid in expressing her hurdles, struggles and humor.  I couldn't put this book down!  She had huge hurdles to overcome.  Her speech was difficult to understand and she needed note takers in school and throughout college.  Transportation needs were addressed, sometimes her mom would take her places, sometimes her Nana, then MetroLift....each time she talks about MetroLift though, all I could do was shake my head!  They were always late!!  It's never comfortable to be late, even if you're fashionably late!  Home health care nurses helped with prepping meals, but it was hard to find and keep good help.  The next couple of challenges Stephanie faced were some of the most heartbreaking.  The tragic losses of her Dad to suicide and her Nana to cancer.  Depression and anxiety became her new normal on top of the challenges of cerebral palsy.  She had to come to the realization that no one caused her dad's suicide, so she didn't have to feel responsible.  I really resonated with how she felt, wondering if depression would ever loosen it's grip so that I would feel like myself again, too.  The most wonderful transformation, though, was how through all the challenges, even the ones I haven't covered in this post, Stephanie never stopped moving forward, even when the obstacles seemed impossible!  It was all about mindset when it came to accomplishing the task of college, family life and loss.  This book underscores the fact that no one is "special" or immune to what life can throw at you.  The true success of anyone is all about navigation of the hills, valleys and boulders. Stephanie Torreno NEVER gave up and never gave in.  She kept her balance always with grace and determination...The moral of this story: "You never know how strong you are, until being strong is your only choice"----Bob Marley

Michelle Fischer is host of A View from My Window, a podcast produced by The Arc of Indiana

Behind the Mic Book Review: a special education by Dana Buchman

 "What was going on inside me - what still sometimes goes on - was a frightening identification with my daughter and a feeling of being revealed as less than perfect.  On the outside, I project a very together exterior; hard-working fashion designer of a popular label, happy wife and mother of two, with any unpleasant feelings neatly tucked in.  But on the inside, I am messy.  I am insecure, incomplete.  I always feel I'm not the best I can be, not an "A." Underneath the glam exterior, I'm vulnerable, flawed.. I have always been afraid of these very human emotions, and I've always done everything in my power to block them out" ----Dana Buchman

Well, this pretty much ends the writing of this book review, doesn't it?  Period. Ok, blog finished!  Ok, ok.. really, there is just a couple more paragraphs to this review, I promise!  I couldn't help but totally relate to the sentences above when thinking about my challenges, but the cool thing about having someone like Dana Buchman, one of the most recognized designers in women's clothing write a book and share her story, is that it shows she is made up of the exact same things we all are..flesh and blood.  That flesh and blood makes us all human.  No matter your situation in life, famous or not, able-bodied or not, married or single, black or white..the list could go on and on, we all have stories of triumph over difficult hurdles and obstacles.  Dana writes about discovering herself, which helped her in understanding that showing you're not perfect in every aspect is what makes you more relatable, and in the end, more comfortable with yourself.  You can't give to others from an empty cup.  In my own personal circumstances in coming to terms with cerebral palsy, I was ALL about denial and burying my head in the sand. Just like Charlotte though, no matter how hard I tried, it was there like a glaring eye sore..in order to cope, I had to face my challenges head on..Me, Me and only ME! That's the way Dana had to approach the roller coaster of challenges that would characterize her daughter Charlottes' journey with learning disabilities.  Fear, anger, confusion, deep sadness and pain.  This was not how Dana usually lived life... she was very in control, the driver of her own success.  Just when it seems that there is a boulder that wants to shatter her life in pieces, Charlotte slowly but surely proves that learning differences will not define her or those around her, especially the love and bond of her family!  This book was published in 2006, but the moral of the story is the same: Whatever your destination, there's a million beautiful, ever-changing ways to get us there!

Michelle Fischer is host of  A View from My Window, a podcast produced by The Arc of Indiana

Behind the Mic Book Review: Where the Light Gets In- Kimberly Williams-Paisley

The brain isn't called a ''super computer'' by accident, it really IS a super computer!  In it, we store memories that shape us as people, make us happy, make us laugh, smile and sometimes shed tears. We can reflect on these memories and they can give us confidence and strength, facing life with the most positive attitude when life gets rough.  What, though, if your ''super computer'' got a virus that completely erased all of your memories and changed you, in the worst way, so your not even close to the person you once were?  What if the person who is dealing with this condition is your mom?  The closest person to your heart whom you've relied on much of your life for advice and support... for everything!! In this heartbreakingly candid, yet positive memoir, Kimberly Williams-Paisley shows you a very personal battle that she and her family are fighting.  Her mom, Linda, being diagnosed with PPA.  "Primary Progressive Aphasia is a progressive loss of language function.  Language is a uniquely human faculty that allows us to communicate with each other through the use of words. Our language functions include speaking and understanding what others are"  Kimberly describes how her mom went from being the pillar of support, her ''private applause section", to someone who was easily frustrated, emotional, and finally left with no ability to communicate.  It became increasingly apparent that life was not going to be as easily lived like it once was.  Once the initial sadness and hopelessness left, the family banded together, supported one another, and have made the best out of life, for as long as they can!  Through the struggles and the pain, Kimberly and her family have accomplished the task of looking for the smallest silver lining.  Looking for where the light gets in, because Linda is not her diagnosis of PPA.  She is a person, and most importantly....she's MOM!

Get the book here: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/where-the-light-gets-in-kimberly-williams-paisley/1122312815?ean=9781101902950

Michelle Fischer is host of A View from My Window, a podcast produced by The Arc of Indiana

Being Thankful: It's all about perspective...an everyday effort.

I always love getting to spend time with my Grandma!  For as long as I can remember, she's been one of the biggest influences in my life.  My mom has, over the past couple of years, started to take on the role of caregiver, which involves taking care of everyday things for my grandma - making sure she has meals, new clothes when needed, doctors’ appointments, paying her bills, filling out paperwork, etc. - it’s a never ending list, actually.  Each new day brings the same routine and what has amazed me is my mom’s dedication to her mom.  She's told me countless times she doesn’t want my grandma to feel alone.  I see why she feels that way.  Her parents never left her alone or with nowhere to turn.  When my sister was growing up, she was with my grandparents whenever mom needed someone to watch her.  When I grew up, I was never always cared for, as well.  Both my grandma and grandpa made it part of their routine everyday, like clockwork, to be at my house to get me off the bus...always bursting with love and smiles to greet me.  My grandma would fix snacks as we talked about the school day.  I was always helped with my homework (translation: I am not and never was a math genius!)  No matter what it was, they were always there.  Holding me up, cheering me on and building me up.  Returning the favor is only the right thing to do. Being supportive a thousand times over.  For years, my grandma did well on her own and then we realized for her own safety and well-being she needed a little more assistance.  Transitioning there was rough, so the supportive reinforcements were built up.  Reassuring her that she would be in a safe place and able to do what she wanted so she could find more joy in being in a community that would welcome her with open arms and help her through the tough spots of moving into a new phase of life.  Every once in awhile, she would say she wants to come back to the home she lived in.  I started off by saying that I could really relate to her.  I haven’t done all I want to in my life either, but if we get too focused on what we don’t have, we'll miss out on the blessings we do have.  Mom and I both tell her how much we love her, and that moving her to where she lives now is because we want her to be safe, happy and healthy!  She just happens to be all those things, now that she has gotten settled in her new home!

My grandma continues to teach me that you may not have the most ideal situation, but you can be happy in adjusting to a new situation...and come out smiling on the other side!  That’s what my grandma does every day and I’m determined to do the same. Being thankful is an everyday thing. That way everyday can be sunny and bright!!  Make it part of your everyday routine!

Love you Grandma!! :)

Handicap This: Promoting Cerebral Palsy Awareness and giving you a glimpse into a real deal friendship!

Every interview I do has an impact on me, and when I interviewed Tim Wambach and Mike Berkson of the wildly successful stage show, Handicap This, it was no different. The impact has been a very positive and personal one.  Tim and Mike have a way of inviting you into their company and making you feel like you've known each other for years. They wanted to meet me and I reeaally wanted to meet them, so it was a very easy comfortable flow when we met and said hi and what made it even more unbelievable was that our interview was over the phone!  I really related to one of the things Mike said... he said that he didn't know if anyone outside his family would accept him for who he was.  Enter stage left, Tim, a 27 year old who became Mike's aide when he was 12.  Soon after, Tim began to realize that his job as Mike's aide was turning into a friendship!  This is a friendship that transcends any barriers!  It's inclusion at it's best! Mike and Tim are BEST friends and it doesn't take you long to recognize their unbreakable bond.  In fact, I was honored that I got to hear it with my own ears! Handicap This helps you understand that there is more to a person than just what's on the outside, it's what's on the inside that counts.  Tim decided that he was going to open his mind and his heart and get to know who Mike really was, which meant Tim would see Mike go through rough, painful times and happy, incredible times... But, no matter what, Tim showed that he would be with Mike through it all... He wasn't going anywhere!  He values Mike's friendship and Mike values his!  Now, and since 2010, you can see their journey play out on stage, where you will laugh, cry and be INSPIRED!

This interview will be one of the ones that will stay with me through my career as an anchor!  Improvise. Adapt. Overcome.

Tim- 
Thank you for opening your heart and your mind all those years ago and having a passion for helping those with disabilities and special needs and continuing to make minds "handicap accessible"!  You truly are a one-of-a-kind person!  Thank you for being you!

Mike-
Thank you for showing all of us what having a physical challenge can look like. We don't have to let limitations define the possiblities of what we CAN DO!  Because you ponder the infinite possibilities, all of us who have the privilege of meeting you, also ponder our own possibilties!  Thank you for sharing your positive journey that is the essence of you!

Listen to Mike and Tim on my podcast! We had so much fun! http://www.arcind.org/a-view-into-handicap-this/
Want a sneek peek of the show? Watch Mike and Tim's TEDx Iowa speech! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfVCgRVMBRc
Michelle Fischer is host of  A View from My Window a podcast produced, by The Arc of Indiana