Carol Schaufel

By the Grace of God and You: a Chair Does Not a Person Make Carol Schaufel

Carol is a person who walked on her knees from the age of four until she needed to use a wheelchair at the age of six. She never remembered a time when she could dress herself or go to the bathroom without assistance. She experienced life's highs- romance, marriage, kids, grandkids, a Master's Degree, travel including Europe and Central America, nine years of teaching math, 31 years of rehabilitation counseling, faith in God and people... and the lows-illness, deaths of multiple peers, loss of parents, loss of savings, and unspeakable things like rape, a needed abortion and even the paranormal. She was the Person of the Year in her home town of Kenosha, WI in 1982 and has received various recognitions. Her real success, however, is about and from the people and support around her. One of her doctors encouraged her to write this book because many people with severe disabilities don't even try to work. Carol's chronological inspirational story leaves you with the message that only you are responsible for your own life. Everyone is just a person. Life happens to everyone, prepared or not! Having a disability doesn't mean your life will be worse than another person's, just different. Above all, live life. Don't just exist! Be yourself! Be! How did Carol find her way to success? We all have to find our own way! We are all more alike than we are different. If you are curious how a person with a disability may see herself as a child, a coworker, a spouse, etc., this book is for you. There is not much that hasn't happened to Carol that hasn't happened to others without disabilities. Laughter and tears fill the book.