Who is Naomi?

Hi, my name is Naomi. I am a 16 year old girl from Maryland. I love to read, write, watch TV, hang out with friends and family, and help others. I am a junior in one of the best schools in the state and have had a 4.0 GPA all of high school, and that includes my four AP classes this year. I was the president of my local chapter of BBG, an international youth-led Jewish organization. I am the Girl Up club president, in addition to holding various other leadership positions. I have read the whole Harry Potter series close to ten times and read 125 books just last year. I have a crazy twelve-year-old brother who won his school's geography bee as a 6th grader and a crazy Airedale Terrier named Bree who was supposed to be a show dog (that would never have worked out, she’s too crazy). I have great friends and family and enjoy going shopping, going out to eat, and seeing movies with them.

And did I forget to mention that I have Muscular Dystrophy?

I was diagnosed with Muscular Dystrophy when I was six months old. I was my parent's first child, and they became concerned when as a baby I failed to hit normal milestones, like sitting up and crawling. When they found out my diagnosis, they did not know what to expect. My doctor told them I might never walk. Since then, I have overcome expectations and limitations one step at a time. I'll talk about that more in a future post. This introduction serves to show that I am more than just the girl in the wheelchair. There are so many other parts of me that matter much more. That being said, I am starting this blog for two purposes: to show the non-disabled community what it is like to have a physical disability, and to act as a resource for fellow teenagers with disabilities. There is not a guide to being a teenage girl with a disability. I hope to change that.