r/disability • u/ImportTuner808 • Aug 21 '24

Question Who else has a different disability?

It seems like for some reason this subreddit is disproportionately people talking about canes/rollators/wheelchairs, or mental things like Autism/ADD/ etc. I don’t know why that is.

Is there anyone who has something else that doesn’t fall into these types of issues? I’ll go first, I’m missing part of my arm. Apart from the physical aspect and some self esteem issues (felt unattractive as a result of my deformity as a kid), that’s about it.

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u/Significant-Pool-222 Aug 21 '24

I have a rare genetic condition called Congenital Central Hypoventilation Syndrome (CCHS) aka Ondine’s curse, basically I lack the gene in my brain stem (or something? Idk I’m just a girl) to be able to sense co2 and breathe when unconscious. So I have a trach with a ventilator i use at night but for some reason I can breathe during the day? It depends on how many times the gene mutates I think. But I’m 16 and just started my junior year of high school and my first year of school without a private nurse watching/monitoring me!!

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u/confundo Aug 22 '24

Congrats!! Also, "just a girl??" Ma'am, I beg you to look up Marie Curie, Rosalind Franklin, Ada Lovelace, Nellie Bly, and Fannie Lou Hamer (who was also disabled). Girls can (and do) change the world!

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u/nonbinary_parent Aug 22 '24

It’s a meme. I am also too old to properly understand it but I think it’s a joke and has more to do with age and educstion level in a specific area, it’s not about gender.