A photo of Malissa as a teenager, sitting in her wheelchair and scowling at the camera
The teen years

This Malissa didn’t have anyone ever ask her out like her friends, she didn’t get favourable responses when she told boys she liked them, and was really craving that male attention as her Mum and Dad were divorced, her grandfather was dying of skin cancer and she was being bullied in school. She thought she’d try to take a ‘sexy’ photo to make herself look older and like what she saw in the magazines of the time (whilst having a broken leg you can’t quite see).
A close up of Malissa as a woman, wearing little clothing, with wet hair and a slight smile
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This Malissa was newly divorced from her husband and had two small children, but was ready to date again. So she looked on a dating website and saw all the photos that other women had up there and tried to take one accordingly, all the while hiding her disability as much as possible but showing her boobs! Little did she know...
Malissa in her wheelchair and her groom on her wedding day, facing the altar
The big day

This Malissa couldn’t believe this day was actually happening. Her first marriage was at the baby shower as a surprise to the guests. But today she hated being the centre of attention and was really nervous about her dress. She just wanted to disappear into the background and hop on a plane in eight hours time to her honeymoon.

5 pregnancy tests indicating pregnancy
11 days past 3 day transfer

This Malissa was relieved to see the series of positive tests continue and get stronger.  This was going to probably have been the last IVF cycle for her and her husband. But they didn’t need to worry any longer...  This baby continued to grow and measure all the correct measurements.
Malissa's baby bump at 36 weeks, while sitting her wheelchair
36 weeks

This Malissa was looking forward to a new bundle of joy coming soon. Showing her size was scary for her but after publishing this photo on Facebook, she got really great supportive feedback from friends and family.

Bath time with a toddler, in a pink bathroom, with Malissa leaning over the bathtub
An empty wheelchair on a beach with 5 camels walking past
Ups and downs

Life is dynamic with ups and downs, regardless if you have a disability or not. You’ve got to create your own journey, not live someone else’s.
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