What the Blog

Each year I try and reflect today on what happened and what could have been. New Year's eve for me is a day that I think about what I could have done differently and what I can do differently in the upcoming year to grow and make myself a better person. I do not believe in "New Year's Resolutions" I believe in bettering myself and those around me if I can. I try to live my life as a series of lessons to learn from. This year has tried my faith, my semblance of life, and my patience. 

2016 was a hard year for me, perhaps the worse to date, but I learned so much more about myself. I learned I have an incurable autoimmune disease called Myasthenia Gravis, most people (doctors and nurses included) have no idea what it is or what it means to have MG. I learned that while I may not always have muscular strength to get something done, I certainly have not lost my inner fight to overcome and power on. Somedays I am fine and can do everything I want to do and others I cannot even get out of bed I am so weak. When the company I worked for let me go after I was diagnosed because they couldn't work around my new limitations, I said no, not gonna let you just walk all over me and I filed an EEOC and ADA complaint. We settled without a trial after mediation. I learned there are still good companies out there and I was able to find a full time job working from home with benefits that understands my needs and limitations. In today's economy this is a rare gem. I just celebrated my 6 months with them. 

I learned more about my family this year than any other, my mother, father, sister, brother, and husband all stepped up to help us out. My mother and sister sat with me daily for months before and after a major surgery I had. They cooked and helped around the house while my husband was at work. I never expected them not to but after reading the lack of family support in some of the MG support groups online, I have learned that I am lucky for the family I was blessed with. They all researched what I have and what it means for me, they understand that some days will be good and some days will be bad and nothing can be done for it. 

I learned I really am a feminist this year. I have always believed in equality, freedom of speech, freedom of religion but this year I watched countless bills put into office to restrict women of their reproductive rights, to restrict women of their religious freedom, to restrict women in general. I have watched in dismay all year at the potential of a woman in the white house to have my hopes dashed and I have read the horror stories of women who are afraid to openly wear their religious clothing in public with our President-Elect. I created a page for women only, to support one another, to love one another and to build each other up. While I am not an overly religious person, I am Catholic, and I will be covering my hair on 1/21/17 to stand in solidarity with all my Muslim sisters as a protest to who our incoming President purports himself to be: Anti-women, Anti-color, Anti-religion, Anti-LGBTQ+, Anti-disability, Anti-immigration, Pro sexism, Pro-white privilege. My father worries I am making myself a target, but also is proud of me for standing up for my beliefs. These are beliefs my parents instilled in me when I was young, these are not liberal or conservative views, they are my beliefs that ALL women and men are equal and therefore should be treated as such. 

I have made many new friends with similar views and a few with opposing views, I cherish their differences and have learned from them. This coming year I will continue to stand for my beliefs, I will continue to fight for equality and for those with disabilities such as myself. I will continue to speak up and speak out for those who are beaten down by the system, for those who have lost hope and for those who need a voice. Everyone has a voice, but we have to be willing to use that voice to truly see change. This year I will become more active in my local community politics. I will keep calling and emailing my state representatives to express my dismay at their antiquated views on equality and I will keep being me. I will keep growing and learning to make this year a better year than what 2016 has felt to me.

Till next time
T.