Learning From the Memories of the Happy Wanderer

Abstract

In interview passages placed as a found poem, Marie, a U.S. gold medalist skier and Paralympian, and transpelvic amputee, speaks directly and eloquently about her intense efforts to maintain her abilities, her independence, and her joyful self-direction over three decades of gradual disability. To this she brings her love of life and family, ingenuity, spiritual insight, and desire to live a meaningful, contributing life. Marie’s voice originates in interviews from a qualitative study undertaken at Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare during and after the fittings of her transpelvic prosthesis, from 2007 to 2013. During this time, Marie shared her remarkable experiences and interest in encouraging others. Through the use of narrative in poetic representation, our intent is to share Marie’s story to inspire readers of all abilities, to see themselves and each other more positively, holistically, and compassionately, within the context of their evolving stories.

Keywords

disability studies narrative methods of inquiry investigative poetry

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Berger

R. J.

Quinney

(2005). The narrative turn in social inquiry. In Berger

R. J.

Quinney

(Eds.), Storytelling sociology: Narrative as social inquiry (pp.1-11). Boulder, CO: Lynne Reinner.

Olafson

Anderson Sathe

Sanchez Valdes

Heimann

(2011). Learning from a Paralympian: Lifestyle considerations for a transpelvic amputee. In Holdsworth

, (Ed.), Alignment 2011, The Official Publication of the Canadian Association for Prosthetics and Orthotics. Vol. 1. (pp.86-89). St. Ann’s ON, Canada: TD Publis.

Richardson

(1992). The poetic representation of lives: Writing a postmodernist sociology. In Denzin

N. K.

(Ed.), Studies in symbolic interaction: A research annual. Vol. 13 (pp. 19-27). Greenwich CT: JAI Press.