Hi. Welcome to my website! Thank you very much for checking it out! I'm Sara Pyszka. I'm an author, public speaker, daughter, sister, lyricist, friend, pain in the ass, along with being a person with a disability.
Let's get this disability stuff out of the way. I have cerebral palsy. When I was coming into this world, I was without oxygen for about three minutes. Those three minutes drastically changed my life forever. I am unable to walk, talk, or use my hands. Some people like to think my story stops there. However, I am a writer. If a story has a beginning, it must go on!
I have been driving a power wheelchair since I was five years old. Because I don't have any control over my hands, I drive my wheelchair with my head. I have switches in my headrest and one by my knee. My wheelchair also has armbands to hold my arms down. The more strapped down I am, the more control I have over my body.
I also have been using communication devices since I was about five years old. However, it wasn't until I was thirteen and at a camp that I found one that I actually liked to use and actually wanted to use. The DynaVox. I talk with it with the switch by my head. The device scans through words and letters on the screen, and whenever it gets to what word I want, I just hit my switch by my head.
Some people don't know how I do it. They think my disability is just so horrible. They praise me for going out to eat and writing a book. To me, my disability is just another part of me that I'm not even conscious of anymore. I have no idea what it is like to walk or talk, so how can I miss it? And besides, what would I be doing if I didn't do all of the stuff that I do? Sitting at home being bored to death. Who really wants to do that?
Let's get this disability stuff out of the way. I have cerebral palsy. When I was coming into this world, I was without oxygen for about three minutes. Those three minutes drastically changed my life forever. I am unable to walk, talk, or use my hands. Some people like to think my story stops there. However, I am a writer. If a story has a beginning, it must go on!
I have been driving a power wheelchair since I was five years old. Because I don't have any control over my hands, I drive my wheelchair with my head. I have switches in my headrest and one by my knee. My wheelchair also has armbands to hold my arms down. The more strapped down I am, the more control I have over my body.
I also have been using communication devices since I was about five years old. However, it wasn't until I was thirteen and at a camp that I found one that I actually liked to use and actually wanted to use. The DynaVox. I talk with it with the switch by my head. The device scans through words and letters on the screen, and whenever it gets to what word I want, I just hit my switch by my head.
Some people don't know how I do it. They think my disability is just so horrible. They praise me for going out to eat and writing a book. To me, my disability is just another part of me that I'm not even conscious of anymore. I have no idea what it is like to walk or talk, so how can I miss it? And besides, what would I be doing if I didn't do all of the stuff that I do? Sitting at home being bored to death. Who really wants to do that?
Now, on to the fun stuff! I went to Wright State University in Dayton Ohio. I have a degree in Rehabilitation Services which basically allows you to help people with disabilities find jobs. I am not doing anything with that. I decided to go the disability awareness route. Specifically, I want to spread disability awareness through my writing.
I guess you can say I started writing when I was a teenager, however, my stories back then were put into lyrics. I went to yet another camp. I kinda had a thing for camps, and still do. I attended the Notes from the Heart music camp in Wexford, PA. There, I programmed the National Anthem in my DynaVox as well as wrote a few original songs.
Because of the music camp and programming the National Anthem in my DynaVox, I started singing at local sporting events . . . and more local sporting events . . . until I got the opportunity of a lifetime. I was the first person with an augmentative communication device to sing for, not one, but two Major League Baseball teams, the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Cleveland Indians.
I guess you can say I started writing when I was a teenager, however, my stories back then were put into lyrics. I went to yet another camp. I kinda had a thing for camps, and still do. I attended the Notes from the Heart music camp in Wexford, PA. There, I programmed the National Anthem in my DynaVox as well as wrote a few original songs.
Because of the music camp and programming the National Anthem in my DynaVox, I started singing at local sporting events . . . and more local sporting events . . . until I got the opportunity of a lifetime. I was the first person with an augmentative communication device to sing for, not one, but two Major League Baseball teams, the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Cleveland Indians.
I thought I would share just a few fun facts about myself. I am a huge dork. No, really, you think I'm kidding? About 80% of what I eat is pasta, like mac and cheese. I absolutely love Nicholas Sparks books / movies, particularly A Walk to Remember and The Notebook. . . Oh, can't forget about all the Disney movies I have. . . Aaaand on any given day, you can probably find me rocking out to Taylor Swift. Or Glee.
See?
Told you.