Christmas Time

Merry Xmas to everyone and I hope everyone is able spend the holidays with loved ones. My Xmas is coming early for my family and me.  It will be wonderful to spend time with my parents and my two sisters and their families in Banff.  My family and I are having our Xmas early because my dad has to work over the holiday. I want to wish everyone a Merry Xmas and Happy New Year. I will do more blogs next year. Happy Holidays!

The New Year

Next year will be good year for me. I feel like I really know what I want do with my life. I know that I always say, “what if I didn't have CP” but I know now that I have to stop thinking “what if”! I’ve wanted to try to change my life for a long time. I was on a road and now I’m figuring out if this is the right path for me. I have three things that I want to do next year.  I want to get a job in web design and nothing will stop me. I also want to do more freelance work for web design and get my book publish in order to get out my story.  It is time for me to move on and show people that I have a disability and that not will not stop me from getting what I want for my life.

Job Search

After working at Edebit Global Corp. for two years, I’ve spent the last four months off because they didn’t have any work for me. I made the hard decision on Monday and I email my boss to tell her that I wanted her to let me go. It is not right for me to keep working at a company after being off for four month without work. I did not quit before now because I was waiting to see if my boss would give me more work. At first, my boss gave me time off because I was working for my twin sister and her hubby. And then I started send out resume to look for a new job when there was still no work at Edebit. I redid my web portfolio and then put an advertisement on Kijiji to see if I could get more freelance work doing websites. I still kept looking for a new job and I won't stop looking until I find one, but a little part of me is scared that I won't get another other job like Edebit. My co-worker at Edebit taught me like one of the team so I am scared if I get a new job the people won't teach me like a normal person not a girl who has a disability. I know in my heart I will get another job but it will take time to fine the right job for me. When I get it, I have to show people who I am and what I can do with my disability. I am Shawna Mattinson and I am aiming for a brighter future in web design!!!

Summer

It is summer time and I am having a great summer already.  My roommate has gone to BC for the whole summer she left on July 7.   After living with my roommate for over a year, we needed a break from each other so I am here in Calgary by myself but I have three ladies who come over and help me out and stay with me over night.   I am having a great time hanging out with these three awesome ladies and meeting news friends.   My twin sister got married and it was a wonderful wedding and it was a lots of fun to see friends that we all went to school together.  This summer that I am having it is the best that I have had for a long time.  I feel that I am a normal girl having a good time!!!!!!  I hope everyone having a wonderful summer tooJ      

My Life Story

I think I am ready to publish my book and get my story out there. I always felt that my writing was bad and not good enough to get published and to let people read it. I started writing my life story when I got out of high school and took my time on my writing through the years. After 12 years I feel that my book is finally done and I want to see if I can get my book published. I changed my mind on publishing my book because I did a blog on a show that Dr. Phil did. It was about a mother who has two kids and they have a disability and the mother wanted to end their life. And then I saw a video on this young girl who was like me in the way that she has a disability. She also has a twin sister like me and she wrote a book about her life and she also has a blog. I also watched on Anderson, he had this lady on the show. She feels like she was meant to be in a wheelchair but she was a normal lady who can walk and do anything that she wants to do. I was hurt by that, because I wish I could be a normal lady who doesn’t have C.P. and get out of my wheelchair. So it is time for me to get my story out there and see what happens. Can I say this - we are all normal whatever we are in the world.

Handi-bus

 I started using the Handi-bus when I moved to Calgary in 2000. There was a Handi-bus in Aidrie and I used it when I was growing up. Now I take Handi-bus 5 days a week. Mondays and Wednesdays are vocational trips where I’m supposed by an organization and work trips on my own Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. Sometimes I use them on the weekend if I go out with friends. Handi-bus is a big part of my life and I rely on it to get around Calgary. My wheelchair is a power chair and only fits in accessible vehicles. I can go from point A to point B but they’re not a good service. Handi-bus gives me a 20 minute window of time when they will pick me up and I need to be ready for that but they can also run late.

One of my worst experiences was when I worked downtown at Coles Book Store and it was time for me go home. Coles is upstairs and I needed to wait downstairs. I went to wait for the bus but they never showed up in the window of time. So I went back to get someone to call for me. They called for me to see where they are and Handi-bus said they were running late and will be there in next 15min. But they didn’t get there. After calling them a few times, it was closing time and there weren’t many people left in the mall. I saw a van cab and thought “finally they’re here!” but he was there for someone else and couldn’t find him or her. I asked him if he could please take me home. It was around 7 and I was done work at 5. All I wanted was to go home and he agreed. I want to thank him because if he hadn’t come, I don’t know what I would have done. And then I was in a bad situation with a Handi-bus driver. Before that happened I thought I was safe on the bus but now I am cautious with anybody who comes into my life.

Sometime I wish I had an accessible van so I don't have to use Handi-bus anymore but that is not the case.