“There is no greater disability in society, then the inability to see a person as more.”

Robert M. Hensel

Everyone has a story of humility, i.e., being humbled by our modest suffering when talking with someone who has truly suffered. ‘I stubbed my toe’ vs  ‘I had to cut my leg off with a pocket knife to escape the rock slide alive’.

While everyone may suffer setbacks, not everyone is fortunate to be surrounded by the love and support that is needed to make it through those tough times. While waiting in line with a like-minded group of Comic Con nerds a conversation turned to the trials and tribulations some face based solely on their physical appearances. I would like to share some of their stories with you.

Jeff, a man in his late thirties, was just diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Multiple sclerosis, otherwise known as MS, “is a potentially disabling disease of the brain and spinal cord (central nervous system).” (1) He was born a paraplegic and uses a manual wheelchair to get around. He was very open about what his experiences are with the outside world. He spoke about people not seeing him as a person with thoughts, feelings, aspirations, and many meaningful accomplishments but instead as a man confined to a chair. He spoke about people meeting him for the first time and instead of a traditional greeting of, “Hi, how are you?” they ask “What happened to you?” He was angered by some who met him and insist on wanting to heal him. He feels it is comments like those that are a bit insensitive. He doesn’t feel broken or in need of healing, he is just a guy, who uses a wheelchair merely for logistical reasons. He has a team of doctors that can help him for MS, he just wants strangers to greet and treat him like everyone else. Jeff said, “Just say, Good Morning. Beautiful day to be out and about.”

Bill interjected, “How about, Good Day to be waiting in line.” Bill then mentioned that his girlfriend has lupus. “Lupus is a systemic autoimmune disease that occurs when your body’s immune system attacks your own tissues and organs. Inflammation caused by lupus can affect many different body systems — including your joints, skin, kidneys, blood cells, brain, heart and lungs.“(2) He was thrilled to announce that in the last week she had not had any flare ups. “If you saw her today,” he explained, “You wouldn’t know that she was in the battle of her life.” He described her flare ups as being overwhelming and hard to bare. She needed to use leg braces to walk around. She was highly fatigued and, at times, had trouble breathing. He was thankful for the good days and for the modern technology that enables his cell phone to monitor her medications and if one is missed he can respond to make sure she is alright.

It was during this conversation with complete strangers, that I opened up about being diabetic and being asked if my insulin pump is a pager. Needless to say they were appalled and glad I shared. I spoke about the awkward feeling of standing in the early entry line at the airport gate surrounded by people with canes, people in wheelchairs, helmets on babies heads, etc. and feeling a thousand eyes staring me down as I do not appear to need any extra support boarding the plane. However, that day, I did. The night before I had my first grand mal seizure. I needed to make sure that I had my sister, Serena, next to me on the flight home, in case anything happened during flight. I learned that day that due to being diagnosed with seizures I could use the early board line to have a better chance of being able to stay seated next to Serena on the flight. I have never used my seizures as a way to get special treatment, but as hard as it is, there are times, it needs to be addressed in a conversation for my safety. That was one of those times.

I enjoyed the open and honest conversation. You can learn a lot in long lines and in the audience at a Comic Con guest panel –  like the power of television and its ability to help others feel powerful, accepted, and escape reality. I learned that we all suffer in our own ways, but embracing it and finding a way to laugh about it can make a difference. I enjoyed hearing the humbleness in a Lord of The Rings actor’s voice when an audience participant told them that their character had a profound impact on the her life and her ability to see herself in a brighter light. Comic con can provide Good Nerdy stuff for the heart and soul.

Moral: 1) Not all struggles are visible. 2) Respect our differences. 3) Stay Humble.

Resource:

(1) https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/multiple-sclerosis/symptoms-causes/syc-20350269

(2) https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/lupus/symptoms-causes/syc-20365789

Just remember the attitude you wake up determines the kind of day you will have.

Krysta Oberg

Every fishing trip comes with its own misadventures. The first time I went fishing I was five years old. My parents had taken my brother, Justin, and I up to see the Arizona State University football practice at Camp Tontozona. We had just arrived back at the cabin and I was determined to catch my first fish.

My dad got the monster fly fishing pole ready for me and went inside to take a nap. Come to find out later, he didn’t think there were any fish in the foot of water in the creek.

I found a nice open spot along the creek and on my first cast, caught my nose. Dad was sound asleep so mom removed the hook. After my second more carefully place cast, I howled, “I got one, I got one.” Justin looked at me in disbelieve while I dropped my fishing pole and ran to tell my dad that I caught a fish. He was shocked to see my pole on the ground with a fish on the end of my line. He immediately instructed Justin on how to get the fish into a net while I reeled it in before the fish had a chance to change its mind. We laugh about it to this day, that I was able to catch a big fish where only little fish usually play. He later had to explain to me the importance of not dropping my pole because that fish was big enough to lose it down stream.

Since my first catch, I have still continued to catch fish in unlikely and whimsical ways. A year ago my dad and I were trolling Big Lake near Pine Top, AZ, when I caught a fish. We tethered the fish on a stringer tied to the back of the boat and continued trolling. About five minutes later I yelled at my dad, ” I got one, I got one.” He sighed in disbelief, but stopped the boat, to see a fish at the end of my line. We both started to giggle with excitement at the quickness that I caught my second fish. However, it was quickly discovered that I actually hooked the fish on the stringer. We still laugh about me hooking the same fish twice. I just wanted to make sure I caught more fish than my dad.

My latest fishing adventure was no different. This past weekend I caught several fishing lines and trees at Woods Canyon Lake. I may have spent more time putting on new weights and hooks and worms than fishing. While shivering in 45 degree weather and watching the storm clouds roll in, I reeled in my line ready to call it a day as it started to snow. My dad and I looked at each other in awe because it was snowing in the middle of May. While my dad waited for me to reel in my line I turned and said, ” Not again.” He laughed because it appeared I had gotten it stuck on another fishing line one last time. A second later my dad questioned, “Is that a fish on that other line?” I looked at him with bewilderment, but there was no denying there was a fish on the line, whose line was it was yet to be discovered. After several minutes we were able to get the fish reeled in and to my astonishment it was caught on my line. That was the first time I caught a fish and didn’t know it. Of course, if you look at that catch in the picture above, you may understand why I didn’t feel the hit on the worm. My dad who failed to even get a bite, tried to claim the worm was bigger then the trout.

Moral: 1. You may get what you want, just not in the way you expected. 2. Even a little bitty fish counts when you are fishing with your dad or your brothers.

Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak. Courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.

Winston Churchill

First, thank you to everyone who is reading this. It means a lot. Despite being told daily that I needed to start a blog, I was still worried no one would read it and if they did they wouldn’t follow it. I am glad to say that is not the case…… thanks to you.

I have always enjoyed learning. I enjoy the feeling of pen on paper. I enjoy the smell and feel of books. I enjoy learning new and useless facts that I can share at the most random times. One such fact being, that jelly fish have survived for over 650 years without a brain, so all is not yet lost.

School was my happy place. Thus, it was hard when I would get teased by peers and worse when I got picked on by my second grade teacher. I was raising my hand every thirty minutes or so asking for a bathroom break. It felt like every time I got back to the classroom, I would need to ask for another hall pass. This happened for several weeks. I was not happy.

My teacher was less happy. She told me one morning that I could no longer go to the bathroom. When asked “Why?” The reply, ” I know what you are doing and you will no longer be ditching class.” I was furious that my teacher would think that I would ever ditch class. I was obsessed with learning and maintaining a straight A average. I was also worried about peeing my pants in front of 24 other second graders. After several hours, I begged and pleaded with my teacher to let me go as my biggest worry was about to come to true. She would not. I had her call my mother to explain the situation and if I wasn’t allowed to go to the restroom quickly, a new pair of pants would be needed. My mother showed up and had a frank talk with my teacher. This was the first time my mom heard about my need to use the restroom at such an alarming rate.

She not only took me out of school but took me straight to our doctor. After several hours and several tests the doctor reported that the recent flu virus I had seemed to have attacked my pancreas and caused it to shut down. I was born with a 50/50 chance of getting the autoimmune disease, diabetes, and the flu made sure I did. I was taken to the hospital to stabilize my sugar levels and to learn more about how to handle it. I was told that I would have to take at least 3 shots a day and more if necessary. I would have to poke my finger to get blood readings several times a day. I told my mom that I would rather die than be diabetic. I felt that I was given a death sentence on top of the lingering distress of my teacher’s rebuke.

It was discussed later with my teacher that constant urination is a sign of diabetes along with dry mouth, fatigue, irritability, blurred vision, etc. My teacher felt horrible for the way she responded and regretted not contacting my mother sooner about my frequent bathroom breaks.

My diabetic misadventures did not end there. Awaiting the after school bus in the sixth grade, I started to feel dizzy. Not being sure if I was dizzy from volleyball practice or my blood sugar being low, I decided to test myself. When I had the test kit next to finger ready to draw blood, I was stopped by one of the teachers who grabbed my shoulder and raised her voice stating, “Stop playing video games.” I looked up in confusion. I attempted to explain that I was not feeling well and was just about to test my blood sugar to try and gain answers. However, she insisted I was playing a video game. Luckily, an eighth grade friend of mine, Frans, was near by and yelled at the teacher, “She is not playing a video game, she is diabetic.” It’s funny how some memories are burnt into our brains. I can remember his voice coming from behind, I remember turning to see him step forward and then hearing the teacher’s voice, “Carry on.”

To this day I have never heard anyone say,”Carry on,” nor do I remember carrying on.

I would like to say that things have gotten better as I have gotten older. I no longer have to stick needles in arms, thighs and mid-section thanks to the invention of insulin pumps. I now just have to deal with looking like an IV fluid station and finding a way to make that work with my wardrobe. I do get a chance to educate others not only on what diabetes is, but what it feels like living with it day to day. I still hear comments about my insulin pump, about being too skinny to be diabetic, and once, you should only eat salads. I now laugh it off as another – misadventure.

Moral: 1) It is important to keep communication channels open, especially listening. 2) If you have a chance to stand up for someone or back them up, do it. You will be remembered.

Happiness is Mother and Daughter Time! – Unknown

As today is mother’s day I find it only fitting that I write about the first misadventure that I had with my mother. I was about 2 months old when I decided to play a game with my mother during diaper time. The game was fine your wedding ring. Was the ring in my hair? Was the ring on my toe? Was the ring under the table? Oh Where o Where could that ring of love be? Where you ask… somewhere it will be safe… my dirty diaper. Being the master of both finding and hiding things, I decided the dirty diaper was the one place no one would suspect. Turns out, I was right. The ring of love got thrown out with a pile of other dirty diapers never to be seen again.

My mom received her new ring on my thirteenth birthday….how appropriate. That was a great day in my household. On that day my dad was proud and excited that he finally found a ring worthy of my mother. I got a ruby heart shaped ring from my dad that day too. I resolved to never take off (unless diapers are involved) because it expresses his love for my whimsicality.

The morals: 1) Don’t wear jewelry around infants if you ever plan to see it again. 2) Laughter is always the best medicine. 3) Family memories are always being created; it is up to us to choose how we remember and share them.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers who read this post. You are an inspiration.

A special “Thank You” to my mom for putting up with me through the years. You have grown to be more than my mother, but my best friend. I am truly grateful for the bond we share and I feel some of it is owed to that day we played hide the ring. You have filled my life with love and laughter.

I love you (—————————————————————————-) this much.

Thanks for joining me!

One way to get the most out of life is to look upon it as an adventure. 

— William Feather

Hello world, I am Linzie. At the present time, I am a juggler.  I am juggling time as I work on advancing my career, as I strive to maintain daily workout and relaxation exercises that will reduce the health risks of a diabetic life and as I dedicate the other free moments to being the biggest Arizona State University fan the world has ever seen. Go Devils! While hectic, it is an exciting time.

My time on this earth began on an unusually warm April afternoon in 1987. While I was born and spent my first 7 years in Phoenix, I consider the island of Aruba home. I grew up there immersed in diversity and the warm Caribbean trade winds. I returned to the states to attend high school in the small central California town of Clovis. It was life in smaller communities, ocean views, and a chance to learn log rolling that drew me to Arcata, California and Humboldt State University. Set on a redwood covered mesa overlooking the rocky Pacific shore, Humboldt offered the small comfortable environment where I could, not only, pursue a degree in Child Development, but also, become a member of the marching band despite not knowing how to play a musical instrument (I shook an Egg and tambourine until learning and earning my spot as a bass drummer) and became a member of the crew team. Humboldt trivia:  the creator of SpongeBob went to Humboldt and studied Physics.

While my work is a major and serious focus, I also have a rather whimsical side. I love to wear color and dress up as my favorite comic book heroes, watch reruns of Monk, and am perfectly satisfied being addressed as Z. I can get lost in the details of scrapbooking, as well as, the rigors of a bubble run or Flagstaff Extreme Challenge. I enjoy the feeling of the music coursing thru my veins at concerts. I have often been told that I have a flair for misadventures to the likes no one has ever seen before. It may be because of my caring nature or my need to find a good story in each day. Treasured adventures surround me daily and not just on my light rail commute to work. Having traveled for seven summers throughout the Caribbean and South America from Macchu Picchu to the Galapagos’ Archipelago, from Angel Falls to Atlantis I am always ready to welcome another misadventure.