‘I think, to be honest, that was the thing that made me…it changed my life, because, without…if I had not gone on that trip, I know that I would not have gone away to school.

I had finished up my three years at the community college and I said, “ok, well, I’m done,” because I was a little bit afraid to leave, because I knew I needed attendant care and stuff like that. So, I was afraid to leave home, or far enough from home that I would not have my family around.

When I did that trip [to England] they offered to provide an attendant for me or to bring a family member. And I said, “ok, well, this is my chance” and I told them I wanted an attendant. For some reason, my family got all offended because I didn’t want to bring them along, (laughs) but it ended up being  the best thing, because I learned how to be able to direct my care to someone and, um, then I knew that I could do it and I could go away and so I went to school to the University of Arizona.’