[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 24 (Thursday, March 7, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E305-E306]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                      OVERCOMING PHYSICAL HURDLES

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                       HON. JANICE D. SCHAKOWSKY

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 7, 2002

  Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, I want to extend my congratulations to 
Taina Rodriguez, a Chicago resident and member of my staff who was 
recently featured in ``Latina'' magazine. Her boundless energy and 
enthusiasm make Taina a star. Taina has Marfan's syndrome and has 
overcome a tremendous number of physical obstacles. This has made her a 
powerful advocate. Taina was an intern at Access Living, a Chicago 
group fighting for people with disabilities, and now I am proud to have 
her as a member of my staff. I am proud that Taina will be able to use 
her fighting spirit to benefit the residents of the 9th district. I 
urge all of my colleagues to read the inspirational article about Taina 
in the January/February issue of ``Latina'' magazine.

                       Real Love Starts With You

                          (By Anamary Pelayo)

       Some people have a knack for blaming everyone but 
     themselves when things go wrong. Others have a flair for 
     always finding fault in something that they think they did 
     wrong, then feel burdened by guilt. What would it take to 
     release all of that guilt? The answer may lie in learning to 
     love yourself, experts say. ``You have to be ready to look in 
     the mirror and see all the positives and the negatives,'' 
     says Araceli Perea-Salas, a domestic-violence counselor in 
     southern California. But that's not always easy. Once self-
     love disappears, it takes a lot of reflection and 
     determination to get it back, says psychologist and author 
     Ana Nogales, Ph.D. ``The key is took within yourself to find 
     your good qualities and build from there. If

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     you don't you'll never be capable of extending love to 
     others.'' Still, the process is difficult and can sometimes 
     take years. It's why thousands of women find themselves stuck 
     in unhealthy situations for long periods, unable to take 
     control of their lives.
       The following woman confronted adversity, found the 
     strength to pull herself out of the dismal hole of self-
     blame, and emerged with a shared revelation: The key to 
     turning your life around is learning love yourself. Despite 
     this woman's hardships, she says her life is better and more 
     hopeful than ever.


       OVERCOMING PHYSICAL HURDLES--Taina Rodriguez, 21, Chicago

       My wheelchair has been one of my accessories for 11 years 
     now. We go everywhere together. The chair is as much a part 
     of my life as the Marfan's syndrome that put me in it. This 
     genetic disorder caused my spine to curve and damaged my 
     corneas. As a child, I wore thick glasses, and my body was 
     tall and lanky. I was a prime target for teasing. I remember 
     being called everything from four eyes to banana back. For 
     years I was ashamed of my appearance, my wheelchair, and my 
     inability to do things for myself.
       Then, in high school, I met Mari. She would do my hair, and 
     she and I would go shopping together. We would even go to 
     clubs, and I'd wiggle in my wheelchair while she danced next 
     to me. My friend was never embarrassed by me, she didn't seem 
     to care that I was stuck in a wheelchair, so why should I? 
     Instead of feeling ugly, I felt lucky. Maybe I couldn't do 
     everything Mari did, but I almost always found a way to 
     participate, even if it had to be as a spectator at times. 
     For the first time in my life, I felt like a normal teenager. 
     Unfortunately, my health wasn't as resilient. Three years 
     ago, a grueling 18-hour surgery to repair a ruptured heart 
     valve left my in a coma for five days, near death. When I 
     woke up and learned that I had almost died, I was shocked. I 
     couldn't believe my body was strong enough to pull itself out 
     of a coma. I realized what I had slowly been coming to terms 
     with for the past two years: that I had great inner strength 
     and that there was more to my body than its attachment to a 
     wheelchair. Instead of hating my body for its weaknesses, I 
     felt blessed to be alive and eager to get back to my new 
     life.
       I learned to drive and bought a car. I also got an 
     internship at Access Living, a nonprofit organization in 
     Chicago that champions rights for the disabled. There, two 
     women and I started the Empowered Fe-Fes, a group for young 
     women with disabilities to talk about issues such as body 
     image and sexuality. I later won a national award for my 
     service to the disabled, and my internship led to a job as an 
     assistant in the Chicago office of Congresswoman Jan 
     Schakowsky (D-Illinois).
       I don't think my relationship with my wheelchair will ever 
     be perfect. I still wish I could dance and drive with the 
     full use of my legs, but I have made peace with that. My 
     wheelchair is, after all, a source of mobility, and it 
     doesn't hold me back from living the life I love.

     

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