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My Story: Jessica Niziolek

Jessica Niziolek
Freelance Blogger, Founder/Writer of The Abler Blog
9.12.17
Welcome to My Story
My name is Jessica. I am 35 years old. I was born with Spastic Hemiplegia Cerebral Palsy which affects the left side of my body. By the age of four, I was put into a wheelchair. I had a major growth spurt which threw off my center of gravity, and I never regained the ability to walk on my own again. In school, I flourished and by the time I graduated from high school in 2001 I had a 4.0 GPA, making high honors all 4 years of high school
 was mainstreamed in all but two classes by my senior year. When I graduated high school, I struggled with the reality of how the world and the state in particular treated young adults with disabilities. The assumption that all disabilities are the same was a rude awakening, and the way they abandon ship the moment you’re placed in a job, or position where things are settled for the time being and then that’s it, you’re on your own. It wasn’t until a year ago when I decided to write a blog that I realized where my talents and passions for both people and writing came together and thus The Abler was born.
I remember it like it was yesterday, my boyfriend and I were talking and I had said, “I am going to start a blog. It’s going to be about the disability community. Both visible and invisible. And I am going to have other topics that have far too much stigma attached, and not enough education or knowledge about them. It’s time someone spoke up. But what do I call it?”
He said, “What about The Abler?”
And a year later I have done roughly 8 interviews, covered 12 topics (so far). The Abler also has its own social media presence with it’s own FB page, FB group, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, and StumbleUpon. And this summer, I continue to grow as a writer, and spread the message of The Abler by being allowed to share my story as a contributing writer for MEDIUM.COM, The Mighty, Project Wednesday, Scripted Sweetz, and (soon to be contributor) for the Easy Stand blog, and now I am sharing my story on Molly’s Zone. I have learned that whatever plans you have for life aren’t as worthy as the ones God has planned for you.
How my journey with The Abler began was so simple and pure. My precious baby sister was diagnosed with a very serious neurological disorder called cluster headaches. This disease is not widely known amongst the medical field and because of that, my sister wasn’t being believed about her illness or the severe pain she goes through on a daily basis. You can imagine being the older sibling and wanting to protect my sister, and how helpless and frustrated I felt.
I am a big believer in turning your mess into a message. The chronic pain, illness, visible, and invisible disability communities have a message that not only needs to be believed but most importantly heard. And they need a non-judgmental and safe place to do that. And I hope I have accomplished that with The Abler. It took me a very long time to be okay with the fact that I was not going to be on the exact path as everyone else my age, and I realize that was because God had better things in store for my life.
My work with The Abler has helped me to embrace change more, and grow as a woman, writer, and human being. I have learned so much from the amazing people I have met while doing The Abler. And I am so fortunate for the many doors that have opened so far for me. I’d like to take a moment and thank Molly’s Zone for allowing me to share my story with her and her readers. I greatly appreciate the opportunity to speak with you all today.
Here is the link to The Abler if anyone would like to check it out: https://seetheabled.blogspot.com
As well as the other social media platforms you can find The Abler on.
Facebook group: The Official Facebook Group For The Abler Blog: https://www.facebook.com/groups/326291217746986/
Facebook “Like” Page: https//www.facebook.com/seetheabledtheablerblog/

Pinterest: https//www.pinterest.com/angelluv2write/the-abler-official-board/
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