HEY! I AM MANDI

 

 

Hi everybody!  I am Mandi. I was born with several different health issues including Spina Bifida, both my hands and my feet were clubbed, one kidney, Scoliosis, Hydrocephalus, and born blue, floppy, and unresponsive.  I was in the hospital for the first month of my life and I had more than $700,000 worth of surgeries in that time frame. After a month full of surgeries, I went to a foster family and waited to be adopted. 

 

 

One destiny filled day my future family walked into the same church my foster family took me to. My future big sister promised my future mom that she would always help with me and my medical issues if she adopted me. My big sister Nikki has been loyal to that promise since forever and always. My mom or as I like to call her "momzy" has always been there for me through thick, thin, sticky, stinky, and many other forms of chaos. My big sister Nikki has also been through so much chaos brought on by my issues, other's issues, and life itself. Her, my momzy, and little sister are so inspiring. 

 

 

 The doctors told my momzy that I would never walk, eat without a feeding tube, or even swim. My birth mother did drugs while she was pregnant with me and I have no doubt that it left her with almost as many issues as I have, whether that is physically, mentally, or spiritually I pray that she is at peace.  Now, looking back on all I have overcome in Him (the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit), I see that my momzy's constant faith that God had a bigger plan for me than the limits that the doctors predicted. Yes, doctors have a lot of knowledge on medical issues, but He has the first and last word. He is the beginning and the end, the Alpha and Omega, our Creator, the Good Shepard, and many other things in our time of need great or small. 

 I am not just a paraplegic; I have walked through the arch in St. Louis with the help of RGO (Reciprocating Gait Orthosis), I have swum with dolphins at Dolphin Cove, my wheels have made tracks in situation I thought I would never get out, but with Him all things are possible. God made me to be more than just handicap, He made me to be more than just Mandi, I am capable of so much more. I am MANDICAPABLE💪🦽👊!

Until next time, remember! You are BEAUTIFUL! You are CHOSEN! You are LOVED! You are CAPABLE of more than what the world and the enemies that live around you say!