By Guest Blogger Jennifer Lynn Unrein, Founder & Owner, JennyLU Designs
My name is Jennifer Lynn Unrein. I am 23 years old and I have Williams Syndrome. I like to draw and I am very thankful to have my art business. I like to work as a team together with my stepmom, Wendi Unrein. I have been doing this business for more than four years. I like making a difference in peoples’ lives.
I always liked to draw pictures on cards for my family and for special people in my life. My mom and I came up with the idea of making artwork together to donate to fundraisers. We showed it to my transition coordinator at Washburn Rural High School in Topeka, KS, and she showed it to my teachers and they bought my artwork. We decided to also sell cards and t-shirts, too. My transition coordinator told us about a special grant that the Kansas Council on Developmental Disabilities was offering to people like me who wanted to start a business.
It took my mom almost a year to put the business plan together, but unfortunately, we were denied. I was very upset, but we didn’t quit. My mom and I went to see a man named Jim at the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation. He helped me get started by funding our art supplies, furniture for my studio and even travel expenses for our first show in Salt Lake City!
We also talked with Wendy Parent at the Kansas University Center on Developmental Disabilities. She was in charge of the “Girls at Work” program and helped me with my business. We also went to our local small business planning center, and we reapplied with the Kansas DD Council and received grant money to buy a Mac laptop which we use for our presentations and business.
Then we started to go to art shows and special needs conferences all over the U.S. My mom made up a website and a Facebook page, and now we have sold my artwork all over the world. I like that!
I am very excited about JennyLU. I think it is fun that my mom and I get to work together, that we take it to heart. It’s motivating to me, so I can get “more better at it.” I try to do the best I can. I like to draw and make people happy. I like that I can get ideas for my artwork. My favorite part is seeing the people and seeing their reaction to my art. I like to put my “stamp” on this world - make my own statement!!
Jenny Unrein is a 23-year-old artist who happens to have Williams Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder. Jenny, like others with Williams, is a very loving and empathetic individual who constantly strives to help others. She is the heart and soul of JennyLU Designs.
Wendi Unrein, her stepmom, has worked in the art world for most of her life. She uses this expertise to add the color to Jenny’s artwork (even though Jenny is starting to change this) and to assist Jenny in developing a product line from her artwork.
Thanks all.
It seems that I benefited from the QP pilot program. Not long ago, I applied for VA disability and received a response much more quickly than I had in the past. So whatever the details about these pilot programs, they are being done right! Thank you so much for the continued information flow and the continued improvement of services, both to vets AND to all who are disabled!
Dear Jenny,
I am really glad for you, it is a very inspiring story of success. I wish you the best of luck with your creative work and business! I have checked out your website, and I have to say I am totally in love with your art!
And you are welcome to see my website, maybe it will be useful to you as an artist:
http://flvtoaviconverter.org
I like to write, draw and manage. Most of the time, I can figure out an idea for most problems. I worked in copier repair and sales. I came to Corpus Christi, Texas 10 years ago. I have COMPLEX PART. SEIZURES which means I have no ideal when I’m going to drop. I take medication for the seizures. Most jobs will not hire me because of my medical background. I can get a job today if I don’t tell them of my past. If you have a suggestions, please tell me. I need to pay my bills. Ideas makes this world roll forward.
What do these responses, above, have anything to do with the happy, uplifting story, above? It seems these comments are not listed in the proper place. Is this REALLY a moderated blog??
Hi Elizabeth. To answer your question: yes, this is a moderated blog. We review comments daily, except on weekends and holidays. We do try to limit comments to those that directly relate to content that is posted, but we also realize that sometimes people just need a forum to tell their stories and ask questions, and they may use the Disability.Blog comment section for that purpose. Our hope is that Disability.Blog can be a way for people with disabilities, their family members, caregivers, service providers and others to ask questions, tell their stories, find assistance and otherwise communicate with one another.
Best,
The Disability.Blog Team
No! No! No! I have life threatening adverse reactions. I do not want to be put into another murderous program. Can someone help? Where can I get legal and financial help???
Appreciate the dedication you put into your blog and interesting point of view you provide here. It’s good to find a blog that is not all the same unwanted rehashed information. Great work! I’ve saved your site and I’m including your site link to my Bookmarks now.
Thank you for your nice comments about the site. With regard to your question about advertising on Disability.Blog, we do not allow advertising on the site because it is a government operated website.
Best,
The Disability.Blog Team
Was there an advertisement in the above comment that you removed? They simply said they were adding this story to their favorites. A link to their favorite web pages. That way they can pull it up quickly to read again or share. If there was a misunderstanding, I hope you take out the comment about advertising here. They just said they thought this was one of their favorite stories. I’m confused by the reply. Can you please clear it up and explain what you meant?
Hi Danita – we apologize for causing any confusion with our reply to the other commenter. The person who wrote that comment inquired about advertising on Disability.gov. It appears that part of the comment was accidentally cut off or removed. We do not allow advertising on Disability.gov, because it is a website operated by the federal government, so we wanted to let the commenter know this information. We hope this clears things up for you!
I was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer last March. I have gone through 4 surgeries including 2 separate mastectomies. I was on short term disability from my employer in April, which converted to long term in October 2011. I still need the reconstructive surgery to replace expanders with implants. They advised me that I had been given 60 days more than the company policy regarding LTD. If I wished to stay employed, I needed to come back in two weeks. My FMLA is exhausted. I will have to wait to have my final surgery. I was told it is elective and I had the option not to have the surgery. Is this correct? I want to keep my job and I think they want me to stay. My physician gave me a release back to work note even though he didn’t want to. Physically I am still recovering. Psychologically, I am a mess. Can anyone help?
Hi Jean. You may wish to contact your state’s protection & advocacy agency (P&A) to find out what your rights are. P&As provide no cost legal advice to people with disabilities. To find your state’s P&A, visit http://www.napas.org/en/ndrn-member-agencies.html and select your state from the list under “Select a state!” on the right-hand side of the page.
Being the daughter and advocate of parents that are deaf, and a mother of a 5 year old son with unique challenges…lastly The CEO and founder of the James and Mary Foundation, I strongly urge each and everyone of you to eliminate the R word ****etarted (misspelled intentionally) from your vocabulary…it is a very insensitive word…stop trying to justify the meaning and eliminate it. For those that agree, please let’s get a billed passed to treat the r word like using any racial slur, it is that dehumanizing.
What a wonderful idea donating the art work. Thanks for having the courage to share your triumph with us.
Thanks so much for answering. I went insane for awhile, because no one would answer me. I was assaulted in the hospital over seven years ago. This was shortly after the FDA preemption, so I guess the specialists thought they had a “right” to murder me. Of course, the specialists threatened my life and my daughter’s life, then lied and lied and lied some more on my medical history. This assault involved a brutal assault and mega overdoses for multidrugs. I’m terrified of the medical industry. I’m terrified of the police, as they’ve come to my home to force me to use lethal drugs. I get soooo depressed I can’t think when I have to go to the court. I’m illegal because I can’t afford the mandated health insurance. I’m ineligible for SSDI, because they don’t have clue what adverse reactions are. I’m ineligible for all of the welfare meant for “disabled” people. I was fired for “disability” – though I was doing a great job. The insurance company took my job and my retirement (which they replaced with a unpayable debt). I worked (unpaid) for over two years for the VR and the SBA and then they denied me any services because I didn’t have enough income to qualify. This took my life savings. I was stupid and took in my brother, which is okay as the police haven’t shown up since he’s been here, but he keeps buying and buying and my home is knee deep in junk. Of course, the law prevents him from paying rent to me. I’ve been working myself to take care of him and my home and trying to save every dime, in the event that I can make it to 60. I don’t know the law well enough to know if that will help me to get a job, as I’ve been illegal for the past seven years. I’m cold, hungry, and I don’t know what else I can do. I need a lawyer and financial advice from someone who knows the “disability” laws. It would be very, very nice to get one of those unemployed laws to take their profession seriously. Thank you again.
I think you need to get help. Do you have a therapist? You need to look at disability.gov, go to your state and locate resources appropriate for yourself. If you cannot get the help you are seeking, you need to write to your state rep. There ARE people/organizations out there who are on your side. If you contiue to believe that everyone is against you, you will NEVER prevail. Positive effort and a positive outlook begets positive results. You need to break your cycle. Please get some therapy and check out the many resources available to you. Good luck.
I’ve had a surgeon change his story on my surgical report, saying everything went fine and that his initial diagnosis was correct. He told me he didn’t know how bad it was until he got in there, and the damage was so bad if I’d waited another 2 weeks I would not have my pelvis. He did do a great job of using cadaver bone to rebuild, and put in lots of metal and made a pelvis, but the surgery report does not say this. It said it went as expected and I tolerated surgery well, but I was in the hospital for 5 days for a hip revision. He told me I’d be back at work in 3 weeks, he was just going to replace the plastic cup in the hip replacement. I’ve been unable to walk or work due to extreme pain, though I tried. I woke up in such horrible pain, and I have had a hip replacement before. He said I did very well. Huh? I was very scared to go back to any doctor for any surgery, but did get help from my psychiatrist. Do talk to a therapist and get a second opinion. There is hope…the side effects of almost every drug are scary enough to make a person not want to take it, but if you have bad reactions, they can change the dose or medicine. There are also free clinics you could try. Tell them this, or better yet write it down so you don’t forget. Good luck, and get better!
I have epilepsy, chf, and PE, and I had an aura on the job Tuesday, but I took another dosage of my medication and I was fine; but I was lied to and tricked into going to employee health only to find out HR came to tell me I am immediately suspended w/o pay and was told I had to take a drug test, both urine and blood, if I refused, I would lose my job. I know my problems are not anywhere near the problems you all have, but I can’t believe I have been fired and told my work can be done sufficient. I was trying not to have a seizure. My drs changed my meds to generic; I told them the generic brand would hold my seizures; my job has let me go because I have been sick…it took my drs about 1 yr to find out I have blood clots in both my lungs; I can still work; I want to work; but they have FIRED ME. OH, I FORGOT I HAVE TO BE ASSESSED BY THEIR DR’S AND HAVE A CHEMICAL AND ALCOHOL PLAN OR GO TO REHAB. I DON’T DO DRUGS AND I DON’T DRINK. HOW DID I HAVE AN AURA AND END UP BEING ACCUSED OF BEING ADDICTED TO DRUGS? WOW…I KNOW THIS IS TELLING ME HOW MUCH THEY WANT ME OUT OF THEIR CO. ARE THERE ANY GROUPS IN PA WHO WILL STAND UP AND SPEAK FOR ADA?? GOOD NIGHT AND GOD BLESS!
I’m trying to get some help. I’ve been sick for a long time. My ex-employer has harrassed me everyday for yrs. I am on ltd disability for some time. I cannot do my old job at a public utility. They have it out for me. They have made my life hell. They have been outside our house everyday for a long time. They are trying to make me go crazy. They have no right to do this. I have rights. I do my 18 yrs of service and this is how they treat me? How can I ever try to get well?
I’m a 100% disabled veteran with several diagnoses. One of them is PTSD. There has been research done overseas, i.e. Canada, France, and Great Britain that indicate that marijuana helps with these symptoms. I live in a state where medical marijuana is not legal and I cannot gain access to it. I know that the government knows there is medical value to the drug because there are four people in the United States that receive 11 ounces of rolled marijuana cigarettes from the US Government due to cases won in Federal Court (a popular case from approx. 1976). Fourteen people were enrolled in this program and now there are only four people living. One of these people’s names is Irvn R. You can hear his story on YouTube. President George Bush Sr. cancelled the program, grandfathered those fourteen people in and would not allow any more. Yet there are four people still alive receiving marijuana cigarettes from the US Government. The FDA has approved the drug Marinol (THC Tablet) to be used for cancer and AIDS patients, and most recently on mood disorders.
My question is, though the government will not legalize marijuana to patients that the marijuana can help, why can’t all these patients be prescribed Marinol? In the popular general public, Marinol is being prescribed for the more serious “physical” ailments, such as cancer, anorexia, and AIDS, but NOT for mood disorders. When Marinol came out it was a schedule II drug and it could NOT be used off label. Now it has been reclassified as a Schedule III and it CAN be used off label. There are so many veterans out there that have PTSD and have stated that marijuana is the only medicine that works for them and gives them the ability to live a normal life. Yet our government won’t do any studies on this like they have overseas. And if they are doing studies, it has not been made public, therefore no authorization for the use has been released.
Instead the VA would rather put veterans in a zombie like state with other medications to where one cannot function properly, or live a normal life for the veteran and their families. When veterans try to apply for social security benefits because they cannot control their mood disorders with the “legal” medications, they are denied, stating that they are not disabled. I know this because I have tried this route.
I went back to the doctors and told them I wanted off of these medications which are mostly Schedule II drugs or anti-psychotics and have asked them to give Marinol a try. I cannot find one doctor in my state that will even discuss this with me and the VA won’t prescribe Marinol off label. Express Scripts reinforced the same thing: Marinol could be used off label and I just needed a doctor to prescribe it to me. I did not need prior approval. Instead, the VA only uses generic drugs. Some will work on me and some will not. The VA doctor has to write a prescription every three months for a schedule II drug to be filled outside the VA because it’s a medication that the VA doesn’t carry. In order to fill these prescriptions, I have to get prior authorization from Express Scripts. The schedule II drugs are hard on me and have many side-effects that I do not care for, both emotionally and physically. The side effects affect not only me, but my immediate family relationships as well.
I know that for myself, marijuana does work very well for PTSD, as do other veterans with the same problem. I believe I should get the same chance that the Allied Veterans overseas are getting. I have been in combat with these fellow Allied Veterans, fighting for the same cause. I am trying to do things legally by trying to get a prescription for Marinol because it contains the same ingredient as marijuana. But in Idaho they won’t even talk about it, even though it is legal. Instead, doctors here will put me on drugs that are hard on my body and put me and my family on a “roller coaster ride”.
I am questioning whether or not I can take the State of Idaho to Federal court for denying a choice in my medical treatment. I thought the whole point of practicing medicine was to find a cure for diseases; cures that enabled individuals a better quality of life so they could be functioning members of society and have normal lives. Instead, I’m getting the impression that it’s power, control, money, and politics that are preventing me from finding a cure. You now have many American soldiers coming back from combat with PTSD that are going to need help. If they go through what I have for the last 10 years, you’re going to have a high rate of suicides. By the way there is not one drug made specific for PTSD and everything they are giving me is being prescribed off label.
It does not make sense. The US government has been lying to the American people about marijuana for years now because they cannot find a way to control it and make their money off of it. The American Medical society has even come out and stated that there is medical value for marijuana. Your body produces canniboids and your body has canniboids receptor sites. Please start doing studies like they are overseas and help veterans with this problem. Please enforce to both the VA and the State of Idaho their ability to prescribe Marinol to patients with PTSD. This is legal and it could help many veterans that fought for this country. I think you’d be amazed with the results.
In closing, please listen to The American Medical Society, which stated that marijuana has medical value. Look at the journals of medicine overseas and look at their findings. It would be a kind gesture to those veterans who volunteered to fight for the United States, in an effort to improve there quality of life. Thank you for your time.
Respectfully,
Donovan D. II, USN Retired
Meridian, ID
You could try moving to a state where medical marijuana is legal. I heard the VA has approved it in those states. Check on it to make sure, and good luck! Marinol is just synthetic THC, the psychoactive ingredient and too strong for most patients. Sativex is a drug that is legal in several countries – Great Britain, Canada, Germany, are some I know of that legalized it. It is made by Bayer in some countries. It uses the whole plant to make a spray for use under the tongue. It has been well tolerated, much more than Marinol. It has been in trials here since 2006, though I haven’t been able to find any trials here in the US. The cannabinoids and cannabinols are what make the whole plant work better. Some actually offset the THC, as funny as that sounds. Some are anti-inflammatory, with many different parts all working together. Seems like that would be the best choice here too, because it is standardized, and can be prescribed by doctors. We even have cannabinoid receptors in our body, head to toe. You may just look into moving to give you and your family a better quality of life. Talk to other PTSD troops there to see how it is there first, though. Warning, though a state may have legal medical marijuana, a company can still refuse to hire you for failing the drug test, even with a license.
I need LEGAL help to untangle the horrendous and discriminatory laws concerning the so-called “disabled”. PLEASE HELP!! I’m starving, cold and dying. HELP ME PLEASE!
Kathy G.
Sounds like you’ve just applied for disability benefits and have discovered that it’s a process. Please respond to my e-mail. There may be other resources to help you in the meantime…been there.
- PC
I am a parapeligic that worked for the US Postal Service for 18 years until I was blackballed. I was a union steward for the APWU for 8 of those years. What type of disability trouble are you having? Work, housing, benefits? I know quite a bit about the ADA and how it pertains to the disabled.
Sincerely,
James T.