ALWAYS keep trying!

---

_My name is Jessica, I was b__orn in a small town named Shelton, Washington to parents whom were told I had Arthrogryposis and that I would never walk or talk and that they should just place me in a home and forget about me because I would never amount to anything. Thank God they didn't listen and chose to bring me home and raise me as their own. I am now 36 years old, I can walk though not very far. I use a power chair for the long distances, around the house I can walk from the bedroom to the bathroom or from the bathroom to the living room, etc. I went to normal school, I was never in special education classes at all. There was a few years where they tried to give me study hall classes or extra help to get my work done, but that soon got taken away because my mother told them point blank, "Jessica is just like any other student, she does not need special attention she can get her work done just as well as any other student." My mother did not allow me any special attention or special help. I thank her for that because it really did help me to realize that I was really not any different than anyone else and I did not want to be treated differently than anyone else. I would love to help anyone and everyone that seeks my help, I am an open book when it comes to questions and answers so don't be afraid, anything goes and I mean ANYTHING! __I now live in my own apartment in Olympia, Washington with the aid of caregivers that come in twice a day, once in the morning to help me get up and get ready for the day and then at night to help me get dinner and get ready for bed. Other than that I am pretty self-sufficient and do my own thing during the day. I love meeting new people and hanging out._