I started this series because I found that while there are lots of stories about being the parent of a kid with a disability, there seemed to be a dearth of stories about parents with a disability. As the deaf mother of three hearing children, with a hearing spouse, I have the usual parenting challenges but my deafness adds another layer of complication to my relationship with my family. I’m always in search of my fellow mothers.
If you are interested in sharing your story of parenting with a disability, I’d love to have you! I welcome stories from parents with any kind of disability or chronic illness. Send your story to nancy@therealnani.com
A Blessing and A Curse, No. 4: Mothering with Limb Difference
Welcome Back to A Blessing and A Curse. In this 4th installment of A Blessing and a Curse, I welcome Lila Diller. Lila shares with us the challenges of having a limb difference. Insight from a Mom with a Limb Difference I really resonated with Nancy when she talked...
Published.
I wrote a story, an essay, and submitted it for publication in an actual print magazine. Actually, I pitched my story idea, it was accepted and I was left with the daunting task of having to not only write it, but meet a deadline. I’ve mentioned this before but...
A Blessing and a Curse, No. 3: Mothering with an Invisible Disability
Welcome Back to A Blessing and A Curse. I took a not-so-brief hiatus but I’m excited to bring you more stories of mothering with a Disability. In this 3rd installment of A Blessing and a Curse, I welcome Olivia DeMoray. Olivia shares the particular...
My Cochlear Implant Story: Part Two
Why a Cochlear Implant? Well, why not? But let me back up. I had a list of reasons that kept me from getting a cochlear implant sooner. 1. Too old. 2. Too invasive. 3. Doing alright with my existing set-up. It’s a pretty short list, yeah but I guess the whole...
My Cochlear Implant Story, Part One.
I have a pretty little clay bowl that my mom’s friend Sonny gave me last year. It took me a while to figure out how best to use it because it’s too precious to dirty up with food. It finally landed on top of my dresser, as a catch-all for my jewelry, which...
On the Outside, Looking In.
http://thinkingchild.org.uk My eyes got watery, on the verge of tears, as I sat there, stone-faced, willing myself to not succumb at that moment to what I was feeling. Frustration? Loneliness? Isolation. All of it. And I felt stuck, having realized too late that THIS...
On Sleep and Silence.
Did you see that article a few weeks back about how deaf people suffer from fatigue? How about all those hours spent processing what you are hearing, and doing cognitive gymnastics to make deductions multiple times in a single conversation, is just flat out tiring? As...
A Blessing and A Curse, No. 2: Mothering with Type 1 Diabetes
In this second installment of the interview series, it is my pleasure to welcome Cheryl, who I met on Facebook through our mutual friend Justine of Full Belly Sisters. Though I initially intended to focus on physical disabilities, I decided to expand my scope after...
What She Said.
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A Blessing and A Curse, No. 1: Mothering and Deafness
{Editor’s Note: A couple of years ago, I was offered the opportunity to write a piece on mothering with a disability for a major publication, but I froze and couldn’t write it. For a long time, I struggled to understand why I couldn’t write about...