“If I gave into it, I wouldn’t be the person I am today,” states Rachel Perkins, a 52-year old from Burgettstown, Pa. who is living well with Tetralogy of Fallot (teh-TRALL-o-gee-of-fal-O).
Rachel Perkins at her desk.
Due to her condition, Rachel is missing a flap that allows the blood to properly pump through her body. All four chambers of the heart malfunction, making it difficult for blood to get to the lungs. Shortly after she was born with Tetralogy of Fallot, Rachel became partially paralyzed down the right side of her body, causing her to develop a walking limp and no use of her right hand.
As Rachel grew into her teens, she and her parents were presented with challenges by school systems, friends and others. However, along with her mother, didn’t ignore the challenges, but instead, they worked together to face them. They advocated for things like getting the same kind of education as children without disabilities. She also learned how to write with her left hand instead of using her right hand.
Rachel continued her education after high school at the California University of Pennsylvania as an early childhood education student. Following graduation, she wasn’t able to find a job in her field, but she became an administrative assistant. She also volunteered for six years at a local hospital in a lab and medical office. Her volunteerism helped her realize she also had a real knack for numbers. She moved on in her career and worked for a trucking service in their billing department for 11 years.
Today, Rachel is still working hard and making sure other people are living well with a disability too. She is the first face you see, and the first voice you hear, when you visit or call Tri-County Patriots for Independent Living (TRIPIL). As TRIPIL’s receptionist, she handles many different projects from assisting in editing TRIPIL’s newsletter and answering phones, to planning for events and directing people to whom they need to speak to. Since TRIPIL offers Living Well With A Disability, she is also involved with taking calls for those interested in the program.
“I’ve never really thought of myself as being disabled. I have a great family and group of friends to support me and that’s key,” states Rachel. She lives with relatives and is looking forward to moving into her own home in the near future. She loves playing on the Internet and visiting the ever popular Facebook site to stay connected to friends and family. And, one thing that keeps her really busy is being an aunt of 10 nieces and nephews!
As Rachel continues her journey, she added, “It’s important to remember to not let anything slow you down; you only limit yourself.”