 |
| This is Me! Pic Is A Few Years Old, But Will Have To Do For Now! |
I am 28 years old and I am on Social Security Disability, and have been for about 5 years. I suffer from a very severe case of Scoliosis(click the link for more information on Scoliosis). I was diagnosed at just 7 years old. Through the years I spent time in what is called Clamshell Back Braces to try to straighten the curvature of my spine, but my back only got worse and worse.
When I was 17 years old, it was discovered that the "S" curve in my spine had progressed to a 66 degree curve, and surgery would be required in order for me to breathe properly (I had 1/4 capacity of one of my lungs because it was being crushed by my curve.) and if I wanted to avoid ending up in a wheelchair. It was a very serious and long surgery. They put 2 titanium rods in my back, attached to my spine, with 8 hooks that went under my vertebrae to help hold the rods in place and straighten my spine. The recovery was long and painful, the physical therapy tedious.
I did great for about 5 and a half years, then my back quickly deteriorated and I was no longer able to work at my job as a 911 and Police Dispatcher. (Dispatching is where I was initially introduced to the Cricut Create, the first machine released. A fellow dispatcher brought it in one day and let me play with it on my breaks. But I did not purchase my first machine until January 1st, 2014) I ended up having to leave me beloved job, and had to apply for Social Security Disability.
After about a year, in September 2011, I ended up slipping into a coma after unknowingly going into liver failure. I was taken to the hospital just in time. I spent 5 days in the Shock/Trauma ICU in a coma, before finally waking up. I spent the next year working with an occupational therapist(OT) as well as having my parents help me with my OT at home. We worked long and hard to get my brain back to where it had been prior to my coma. I still have some damage to the critical thinking/judgement and short-term memory parts of my brain.
I then found out that due to metal fatigue and just too much pressure my titanium rods BROKE!! So that required another surgery and a stay at a rehabilitation center for 30+ days to get me healed up and back on my feet.
-Finding Cricut-
Through all these years, really the past 5 years, I have felt like a rudderless ship, just floating around, with nothing to do and nothing to contribute. I suffered from a very deep, deep depression and at times, rarely could get out of bed. Then I found CRICUT!!!!! I am not exaggerating one bit when I tell you that finding Cricut and their machines has literally changed my life, and for the better !! I first bought a used Cricut Create, the first machine they released. Then I heard some rumors about a new machine that was going to be released, and slowly learned more and more about this machine they were calling the "EXPLORE", and the more I read about it, the more I fell in love. I have always been a crafty person, and consider myself fairly computer savvy, and since I had mastered CCR and my Create in such a small amount of time, I new I was ready for this bigger, better machine!! So I got a loan from my dad, who was kind enough to loan me the money because he saw what I saw, which was a whole new world and life for me!! I just knew that having the Explore would change my life, and boy has it ever !! I now have something to get me out of bed, every single day. I have something to look forward to. Something to create with. Something to be proud of. I am able to make things no one else can, and I can be PROUD of that !! For so many years, I was so ashamed of my self, and felt so betrayed by my body. I was ashamed because I could not work and was only bringing in a very small monthly income, half of which goes to rent, because I had to be on Social Security Disability. The Cricut Explore and the Facebook group I started for the Cricut Explore, Circut Explore Lovers Helping Each Other, gives me pride, and has quite literally lifted me out of my depression and has given me something to look forward to each and every day. The joy that my Explore brings to me is not something that can be measured, but I can tell you, I will always have a Cricut Machine in my life !! I hope someday soon to buy a sewing machine that works well, as I can already imagine and see the ways it will help in my Paper Crafting and General Crafting over all.
Thank you for taking the time to read this,
Corinne J. Klinetop
If you are interested in making any sort of donation, please see my Donations Tip Jar page. This is not a requirement nor a request, just an FYI. Thank you :)
No comments:
Post a Comment
I would LOVE to hear from you, please leave your comment here !!