Tiffany & Co., Meet Hannah

You all know how deep my love for Starbucks is. It's the real deal. 

My cup holder on my wheelchair is critical in expressing my love for coffee. Recently, there's been an issue. My cup holder keeps breaking my Tiffany's charm bracelet. I know. It's a real problem. 

My cup holder has about ten places for my bracelet to get stuck and break. With the charms ranging from hearts to guardian angels, the cup holder is practically a death trap for my bracelet. It took me a while to figure out why I was breaking my bracelet every few weeks. Meanwhile, Tiffany & Co. did a wonderful job. 

I was going to Tiffany's about once a month, so customer service got to know Hannah Thompson. At first, I would make small talk and then I started explaining how my bracelet broke and why. They felt bad because this jewelry should last much more than six weeks and I was sad that my beloved bracelet kept breaking. Over the months, I started to realize I was starting to explain what my disabilities are. The dystonia was causing the bracelet to break, and my heart would break a little every time it broke. They became increasingly empathetic, not sympathetic, to my situation. I will point out that they did not charge me for replacing the clasp. Until I realized what was breaking the clasp, we had no idea.

I have ordered cup holders that are soft, and I am hoping that they work for the Starbucks baristas. It's fascinating what happens when you open up to people and how kind people will be. I know, customer service would be kind to the woman in the wheelchair, but it has turned to an authentic kindness that goes beyond the job. 

I cannot wait to get my bracelet back. I got it from my entire neighborhood on my 16th birthday. It represents everything good in my life. What a precious thing to own.

I hope you enjoyed a lighthearted story. Due to finishing finals, I was ready to write a simple story about kindness.

Love, 

Hannah! 

P.S. If Tiffany & Co. ever wants to fund raise for dystonia, I'm your girl!

This is Not a Time to be Quiet

I was blessed to have my parents and sister come to Washington D.C. with me to advocate for Dystonia. We expressed to elected officials how crucial it is for dystonia to be funded by the National Institute of Health, the Department of Defense, and the CDC. We just heard that Dystonia did make the Department of Defense funding list. This is terrific news and it makes me excited that a cure is in reach. This is great but there is something going on in DC that terrifies me among several things, but this gets personal.

The Washington Examiner states, "The bill, the ADA Education and Reform Act, would change the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act to give businesses accused of being inaccessible a grace period to fix structural problems with their facilities before they can be sued. Under the law, businesses must abide by specific regulations so that people with disabilities, including people who use wheelchairs or walkers or have other impairments, are able to enter buildings and use various facilities" (washingtonexaminer.com).

This all sounds warm and fuzzy, doesn't it? It isn't. The ACLU states, "The bottom line is that people who use wheelchairs or who have other needs deserve the same right to visit local businesses as any other individual. Forcing people with disabilities to wait months to visit a supermarket or bookstore is precisely the kind of discrimination the ADA was designed to prevent. Businesses have had more than enough “notification” to comply with disability rights law. People with disabilities deserve equal access today — civil rights should not be delayed or tied up in bureaucratic red tape" (aclu.org).

I don't want to wait six to twelve months to enter a business place. This is putting profit over people. 

If you wish to know more, please research it. I believe the Washington Examiner and the ACLU are trustworthy sources. I purposely didn't cite articles from organizations advocating for disability rights since they all have rightfully slammed this bill. Senator Tammy Duckworth is doing everything she can to stop this bill from being voted on by the senate. 

If you want to make your voice heard, you can sign these petitions: 

https://www.change.org/p/u-s-senate-stop-hr620-hands-off-my-ada
https://petitions.moveon.org/sign/the-ada-education-and

This post was not a break from real life and I feel bad about that because I like telling my stories to you, but this is not a time to be quiet. Pope Francis said it on Palm Sunday and I echo him. This is not a time to be quiet. 

Make Your Voices Heard, 
Hannah! 

The Everyday Errands

He and I did not speak the same language, but the dry cleaner understood I was dropping off a shirt to be cleaned. "I need number", he said. I tilted my DynaVox, so he could read my phone number off my screen. We communicated even though we shouldn't have been able to. I realized recently that I can run my clothes over to the dry cleaners independently. Why not? If I can do it independently, I sure will! 

Next, I walked the twelve blocks to the AT&T store. I was going to meet Kevin, my phone guy. Kevin happens to have a little girl who happens to have a disability. I remember the first time I met Kevin. We called customer service and they asked for me to talk to them so I could confirm my identity. His response was, "no, she cannot speak". Usually, people have no idea what to say but Kevin, sounded as if he had experienced this frustration multiple times. I think on the second visit to AT&T, he told me about Maggie, his daughter. His wife and I e-mail about communication devices when she isn't being a very busy mom. As for my phone needs, Kevin will spend hours and hours with me. We're looking at all the new phones and anything new that I depend on day and night is always a challenge.

In the wake of the Florida shooting, I’ve been trying to really ask people, “how are you”? Embrace the everydayness of life. Enjoy and treasure life.

Awaiting Adventures

Hawaii was amazing! We went to a Luau which was my personal highlight. They literally throw fire at each other. I don't think my family will ever forget that. The real gift of Hawaii was how many laughs we had as a family. Goodness! At every dinner, we probably laughed for 30 minutes of each dinner. David created a new way to carry me (pictured below), it reminded me of how precious my family is.

Best brother in the world!

Luau

On a volcanic mountain top

Back home, I was so excited to get back to Loyola. I missed my group of friends and the professors. When my professor announced that he had proposed to his girlfriend, I asked for every detail. When my friends and I didn't know the teams playing in the Super Bowl, I thought to myself, these are my people. When my winter coat falls off and a random student stops and helps, I feel at home. When the librarian hugs me and thanks me for the Christmas card, I know Loyola is my home.

In 2018, I know a lot of adventures a wait. I cannot wait for engagement announcements, invitations to weddings, and maybe some babies. My friends and I are in exciting seasons of life. I'm still waiting to meet a guy but that doesn't have mean life is any less adventurous. I am doing online dating which is interesting to say the least. However, my main focus is school and service. I mentor kids in high school and the little girl I met at the Hillary Clinton event. It's so fun!

I wish you adventures and blessings in 2018!

Love,
Hannah!

Thank You, Readers!

Dear Readers,
Thank you for supporting me every step of the way this year.

To everyone who supported the idea of graduate school, thank you.

To Loyola, thank you.

To the people who help me travel, thank you.

Everyone plays a critical role. I am in awe of you, readers. The fact that people are this interested in my life humbles me to no end. My heart explodes every time I think about how many people are reading this blog.

I hope to bring you more smiles in 2018! I can't wait for the adventures!

Happy New Year,
Hannah!