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Julie Windle Bryant-Scroggins lives in Orlando, FL with her husband Rod. She obtained a post-masters degree in the mental health field and now sees clients in her private practice. Her practice specializes in Bi Polar disorders. She is an author and accomplished inventor. She was born and raised in Alabama where she also attended the University of Alabama, and moved to Orlando in 1992. She has received numerous awards for her work in overcoming her disability and has worked laboriously to promote handicap access to all public facilities.
Julie has two children, Christi and Randall and one grandchild, Kylan. Christi currently lives and works in Alabama with Kylan and Randall is currently working throughout the country. Julie’s parents, Bonnie and Bobby Windle still live in Julies’ childhood home and she is fortunate to be able to visit there at least twice a year.
Julie fought for her life back in 1984 and was not expected to live through the surgeries after her accident due to the damage done to her body. Not only did she live, but lived with a new lease on life and an appreciation for every day that most people will never have. Some days are still a struggle and there are times that medical issues keep her from doing some of the things that she would like to do, but she knows all to well that life is too short to not take advantage of everyday.
Julie loves to travel to warm places. Her favorite travel locations are anywhere with a bright sun and beautiful beach. She enjoys cruises and the relaxing, yet fun atmosphere of the cruise ships.
She felt not just a desire to write this book but a need to write it to try and help others deal with the speed bumps that life throws their way. Her mother taught her at a very young age that God would never give her more than she could handle and He would always be there to help her carry the load. She has lived that philosophy to help her get through the tough times. While she doesn’t believe its possible to write each emotion, shortcut, trial and answer, she wants to offer hope to those struggling with disabilities, their caregivers, families and friends who now find themselves in a different lifestyle, caring for someone while teaching them independence. And also to therapist and other professionals to give them an inside view of life with a “handicap”, and to those able bodied people who are afraid of us because we aren’t like them.
More than anything, she hopes to bring a little laughter into everyone’s life by giving them a funny, tearful, loving account of the issues that she faced in learning to live her life and continuing to live her life on four wheels.
“For 25 years now I have lived as a paraplegic. I do not believe it is possible to write each emotion, shortcut, trial and answer acquired in the pages of one book. With that being said, I believe it will take books to come.
I hope to reach those who are struggling with disabilities. To share with them the coping skills and shortcuts I have learned about this “new” life. It is because another female, without embarrassment, shared with me, that I search further each day for shortcuts, coping skills and living each day with no limits.
I also hope to reach their caregivers, families and friends who now find themselves in a position to need to be firm to create independence, but with a loving and honest attitude. Accepting that person for who they are on the inside and now, who they are on the outside.
This book is also for therapist and other professionals who can gain knowledge from an inside view. How for them to better assist someone disabled. It is true that some things you must live to understand. I believe this book can serve as a much-needed guide to better treatment outcomes.
It is also targeted toward those in the able-bodied population who need to know we are real, intelligent, and normal people. Many of these people are just curious as to how we function. Many, I believe, wonder why we function. And I hope to reach those who seem to believe that disabled people are just a blur in their vision. I truly think that lack of knowledge and the reluctance to admit such lack, leave them seemingly rude and uncaring.
If this book can help one person live a better life, that would fulfill it’s purpose and be the ultimate reward.
While there are other books out there on similar topics, I believe they fail in allowing the reader to see themselves on every page. This is a true account of my life before and after the accident, but more importantly, it is an account of my life from the day of the accident to present which has been full of heartache, tears, joy, sadness, frustration, accomplishment, failures and rewards. It also allows the reader to realize that it is ok to feel the emotions they may be feeling and most importantly, that there is a light at the end of every tunnel."
New Perspective...Same Dreams
