Navigating Life When You Can't Reach the Kitchen Sink

How to drive when you can't reach the pedals or see above the wheel...

Formal shoes toddler size 10 NO SPARKLES...

Is it dangerous to turn on stove with wooden spoon??...

Ah, yes. My frustrating (albeit entertaining) search history. Believe it or not, these Google searches don't yield a ton of results (crazy, right!?). Strangely, not a ton of people need to know where they can find job interview attire that would fit the average 4 year-old or if wooden utensils are flame-retardant (they aren't btw). But I do.

In order for absolutely any of this to make sense, allow me to give a bit of background. My name's Rachel, and I have a bit of a *unique* life situation. I was born with a rare genetic disorder called Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI for short), otherwise known as brittle bone disease. Among other things, this means my bones break really easily (like sneeze and crack a rib easy), I use a wheelchair to get around most of the time, and I'm 3'4". I was actually supposed to die before I was born, and when I survived, people joked that my parents should encase me in bubble wrap and tuck me away for protection, but my family and I had other plans. In tandem with living life as a person with severe OI (an experience that includes hundreds of injuries, surgeries, therapies, and countless other life upsets), I'm also a 19 year-old college student attempting to transition into adulthood in a world that wasn't built for me. And it's HELLA complicated. From driving to cooking to dealing with DNRs, it's exhausting sometimes. Growing up, I constantly wished there were more resources and role-models available to help me navigate and enjoy a semi-normal life, and above all, make me feel less alone in my experiences.

Now I'm a college student, and I still have a longgg way to go, but I like to think I've finally figured a few things out. I want to share my tips, tricks, and stories with the hope they might resonate, educate, or help someone, whether or not they come from a background like mine. Follow along as I explore different aspects of navigating life even when I can't reach the kitchen sink.