Canes, Crayons, and Comebacks

Tag: Trauma

  • A Few Things About Me Before You Get Comfortable

    Mandee with long, dark wavy hair and burgundy lipstick, smiling at the camera.

    Hey, I’m Mandee—a North Carolina transplant from New Jersey. I had a few ideas about how my life was going to go. Life apparently had other plans.

    I’m legally blind, but I wasn’t always. Up until about a year ago, that wasn’t part of my story. We’ll get into that another day.

    I’m also raising a toddler. Ollie keeps me busy, makes me laugh, and gives me plenty of reasons to figure things out as I go. We’re both learning a lot around here.

    The last two years have been more than I ever imagined I’d have to get through. I’m still healing from some of it, and I’ll share more when I’m ready. No need to fit every plot twist into the introductions.

    Through all of that, recovery has been a big part of my life. Having people I can be honest with, who understand and show up, has helped more than I can explain. I’ve needed that support, and I’m grateful for it.

    It’s also part of why I’m giving this college thing another go. I want to help people who’ve had their own detours and need a little help figuring out where to go from there. I’ve been that person. Sometimes I still am.

    And that’s how we got here, to Canes, Crayons & Comebacks. There’s a lot happening in my life at once, and I figured there had to be other people out there trying to make sense of their own version of it. So I wanted somewhere we could talk about it—the parenting, the disability stuff, recovery, healing, and the everyday life that keeps happening through all of it.

    You don’t have to have a story that looks like mine to be part of this. Maybe you’re a parent, maybe you’re disabled, or maybe life threw you a curveball and you’re still figuring out what comes next. I’m sharing a little of my world here, and I’d love to hear about yours, too. That’s what I hope CCC grows into: people sharing what they’ve been through, what’s helped, and feeling a little less alone along the way.

    x, MM 💜

    Your turn: When life takes an unexpected detour, what helps you find your footing again? Tell me in the comments.

  • Welcome to Canes, Crayons & Comebacks

    Apparently, parenting wasn’t enough character development. Life added vision loss, recovery, starting over, and a college syllabus.

    Very generous. Would’ve preferred a gift card.

    I’m Mandee—a blind mom raising a toddler while navigating recovery and healing from trauma, one day at a time. I’m also giving this college thing another go. I’m rebuilding a life that has taken some turns I definitely did not approve in advance. My sense of humor has gotten darker along the way. It’s been useful.

    I wanted a place to talk about what that actually looks like while I’m still figuring it out. There’s a lot happening between having your life turned upside down and knowing what to do next.

    That’s where the three Cs come in.

    Canes are part of how I navigate the world now. Losing vision has meant learning new ways to do familiar things, planning around transportation, and asking for help with things I used to do without thinking.

    Some days, I feel capable. Other days, one more inaccessible app might become my villain origin story. I’m learning how to trust myself again, including when I need support.

    Crayons are for parenting. My son, Ollie, is a toddler, which means he has his own plans for how any given day should go.

    Parenting while adjusting to blindness means we’re both learning as we go. He’s discovering the world, and I’m finding new ways to help him explore it. There’s plenty of love, laughter, and growing together along the way.

    He’s a huge part of why I keep building this life. I want to make room for who I am beyond being his mom, too.

    Comebacks are for recovery, starting over, and letting myself want a future again.

    Before vision loss, my career was headed in one direction. Then the universe decided it was time for a detour, and I had to find a different way to help others. That’s what brought me back to school to pursue social work. I know how much it matters to have someone in your corner, and I want to be that person for someone else.

    My own progress can be pretty ordinary: finishing an assignment, asking for help before I’m overwhelmed, or giving a rough day another chance. My sponsor reminds me that I can restart the day as many times as I need to. I’ve made good use of that policy.

    Here, we’ll gradually grow as a community and share stories about disability, parenting, recovery, and rebuilding life during and after trauma. The hard stuff, the ridiculous stuff, and the small wins we’re learning to give ourselves credit for.

    Maybe you’re navigating disability or parenting. Maybe you’re in recovery, healing from trauma, or finding your footing after a hard chapter in your life. Our experiences won’t all look the same, but we can listen, learn from each other, and offer the kind of support we’ve needed ourselves. Whatever brought you here, there’s room for you.

    Over time, my goal is to grow CCC into a collective effort, with different voices and perspectives shaping what this space becomes. Guest stories, shared experiences, and practical ideas from people living this stuff every day. I’m starting with my own story, and I hope you’ll eventually bring yours.

    If you’re figuring out your own next chapter, pull up a chair. We’ll probably have something to talk about.

    Welcome to CCC. If you find my last functioning nerve, please return it.

    x, MM 💜

    What’s one thing you’re rebuilding right now?