March 2024

For the past three blog posts, we’ve been talking about women, particularly disabled women, being superheroes, as well as the strength it takes to be a woman struggling with a chronic illness. I want to continue this conversation in this blog post, because I realize that there is one woman who’s defined a woman’s superpower and strength over a course of two decades, and that’s Kelly Clarkson. While doing research for my previous post, I came across an interview Clarkson did with Lindsay Lohan on her show where the two women talked about the joys of motherhood. This made me think of Clarkson’s personal life and everything it entailed, specifically her divorce from Brandon Blackstock and all the good that came out of it.

Lindsay Lohan’s new Netflix movie, ‘Irish Wish’, is a St. Patrick’s Day version of ’13 Going On 30′. It’s a hit as it’s the #1 movie in 46 countries and is in the top 10 worldwide. Regardless, it’s been panned by critics for being just another typical rom-com, and it’s not very surprising. I, however, saw the premise of the movie on a more in-depth analysis, especially as a writer, which is the career path that Maddie, Lohan’s character, aspires to be. I also compare this movie to another Netflix hit, ‘The Players’. Here, I tell you how changing your story is never the answer to your true happiness, through the eyes of ‘Irish Wish’.

This entire blogging website’s motto is mental health. I talk the talk when it comes to mental health, especially one relating to disability, illness and now more on a frequent basis, motherhood. But the real question is, do I walk the walk when it comes to mental health? Sometimes I wonder and question it myself. I have my bad moments of doubt and despair. I even have my bad days. It’s hard enough to be a woman who has a physical disability and a chronic illness. It’s even harder to be a mother who has a physical disability and a chronic illness. Christina Applegate’s recent interview with People Magazine gave me an entirely new perspective on my life as a disabled mom, as well as my journey to become a mother as a whole…

I was recently reminded of the 2016 flick, ‘How To Be Single’, which starred Dakota Johnson, Rebel Wilson, and Alison Brie. In the movie, the main character, Alison, breaks up with her boyfriend of 4 years for no reason at all other than her curiosity as to what life is like as a single woman. But it made me think long and hard of breaking up with someone for the sake of starting over following a chronic illness diagnosis. No, not with a romantic partner (though it’s not uncommon as 75% of marriages end in divorce when one of the two struggles with a chronic illness), but rather breaking up with your old self.

A recent conversation exchange between my family about me that didn’t even include me in the room got me thinking a lot about something – what makes a disabled woman a superwoman? Let’s analyze…

A recent outing with friends was really like no other. I got an entire different perspective on someone I used to know, and that day, and a specific conversation that I had with his spouse, brought me a whole new light on those people who aren’t disabled living a disabled life vs someone like me, who’s disabled aiming to live an able-bodied, ‘normal’ life…