Hello I’m Ayden. I am nine and I was born with bilateral cleft lip and palate. My first surgery was in my mouth when I was only six months old. I have had about…
Rheumatoid Arthritis doesn’t run in my family. Where and why I got it is still an on going mystery. But I did. Growing up I had what my family called “happy hands”. They…
All my life I’ve been a big kid. I was born a whopping 8 lbs 6 oz at a length of “I don’t remember”inches. I also come from a large family; I am…
Bus Driver: [after noticing Mrs. Doubtfire had hairy legs] I like that Mediterranean look in women. Natural, healthy. Just the way God made you. Mrs. Doubtfire: [modestly] Well, He broke the mold when…
During my Junior Year English class this past year, my teacher challenged us to follow in Ernest Hemingway’s footsteps and create a six word story that represented the entirety of our lives. Many…
Preface September 1986 “Do you want to take it untimed?” I was taken aback at the question, not knowing exactly what it meant and its implications. I looked up with…
Phantom Pain: An often-painful sensation of the presence of a limb that has been amputated. (Merriam-Webster) Preface August 1978 “C’mon, honey– smile. It’s not that bad. Here, let me measure your…
Preface June 1976 “Help! Can anyone hear me?”I shouted out as loudly as my seven-year-old body could possibly scream. While our younger brother Teddy stayed with my parents in Manhattan,…
Being friends with Ethan is just as fun as being friends with anyone else and actually even more. Ethan (“E”) and I met when I was three and he was two. Ethan has…
Preface April 2009 As I entered the colorful yet extremely loud party room at a nearby “My Gym”facility, I glanced over at the cubbies where rows of little pairs of socks and shoes…
Preface August 23, 2011 “What was that?” Ethan looked at me, as uncertain as I was. The room unquestionably had begun to shake, and as I peered through the glass window,…
I look different than most kids at my school. The color of my skin and the texture of my hair are different, and this makes me stand out. Many kids are curious about…
Preface March 1986 I sat comfortably on my couch in our house in Urbana, IL with my pajamas on and fresh-made popcorn in my (one-fingered) hand. I looked over at my parents…