The only people I'd want to make decisions about my life are those who truly care for me.

One of my closest friends was born with cerebral palsy in the mid-1950s, and doctors told her mother to place her in an institution and forget about her. Her mother refused and raised Pat as "normally" as possible. When we were little, I used to think her mom was mean. One day we were both lying on the floor watching television, and her mother told Pat she couldn't watch TV until her room was cleaned. It took the poor girl 30 minutes just to get up off the floor, but her mother never gave her a break. She wouldn't even let me help clean the room.

My friend attended a school for disabled kids when she was young, but it wasn't enough for her because all the kids there were severely disabled. She had trouble with arm/leg mobility, but she was very intelligent. None of the public schools wanted her because they said her appearance would upset the other students. Her mother fought hard and got her placed in public schools.

My friend's mother knew what she was doing. She and her husband were older and knew they wouldn't be around long. From the beginning, she taught my friend to be independent.

Both of my friend's parents are gone now, and my friend lives alone in that house - along with her pets. She's able to drive a car with hand controls, graduated from college, and now teaches at a Catholic school that wouldn't take her as a student years ago. For recreation, she rides HORSES.

My friend learned special skills through special programs, but it was the love, strength and dedication of her mother that allowed my friend to succeed in life. I'm glad they were never separated from each other.