Today on TV I watched a young girl born with no legs and only one arm compete in a swimming contest. She hopes to win to go to France to compete. It brought back good memories of a woman I worked with in Marshfield who had surgery to remove the bottom half of her body.
the doctor asked me to help her adjust to the change. she was born with spina bifida which resulted in cancer. She couldn't walk so dragged her legs around. the surgery brought her relief and a faster way to get around.
She didn't need the help to deal with this the rest of us did. She was well adjusted. Some nurses had a hard time and asked if she was a person since she would loose half of her body. She didn't loose her soul.
Some couldn't take care of her as they got too upset with her calm ways. Some had to deal with their own body image. Betty brought much healing to others. she has cone made which her body fit in so she could sit which she never could do before. She has had a little flat platform with wheels which she scooted about on.
Accepting her was very hard for alot of people. She became a dear friend to me and was a delight to know. She was editor of her local paper, wrote poetry and generally loved life.
It brought to my mind all those experiences and the hard time many had adapting to her disability and to know she helped them.
We can learn alot from those who seem to have a disability. Maybe we without a disability have the most disability in seeing not the soul of the other.
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