Buffy recently posted a picture of her French braid to the Living One-Handed Facebook page and the comments made it clear that people wanted to see how she did it! So, I reached out to Buffy and asked her to share a little of her story with us and she also made a video of how she does a French braid with one hand! Thanks, Buffy!
I’m Buffy and I’m a 33 year old photographer! I was born without my left hand just below the wrist. My parents always said doctors figured the umbilical cord wrapped around my wrist in the early stages of development.
Buffy
I was raised to always at least try and if that didn’t work I was made to try harder until I figured it out. My parents took me to specialists of all kinds when I was very young where they suggested I be put in Special Education classes because they didn’t feel I’d ever cope the way NORMAL kids did! Thank god my parents let me figure it out for myself! They raised me to be unique! I wasn’t an honor student but I graduated with an academic diploma!
I wasn’t picked-on too awful much in elementary or high school because I grew-up in a small town where everybody grew-up together, so if it happened, a friend would stick up for me! The harassment and humiliation came more in my adult life with college and jobs and more than anything, DATING! You learn how to handle it more gracefully with each dig and to laugh, but I’d be lying if I said my feelings aren’t sometimes hurt!
I don’t like saying that I’ve overcome obstacles because there aren’t many things I can’t do! I’m a photographer, I do hair and makeup for a lot of my shoots, I make most of my props and I think it’s hilarious because people always say, “I can’t do that with two hands!” I think that’s the most annoying thing I hear!
Having one hand has taught me so many things! A few would be…PATIENCE! That’s number one! I’m the most patient person at times! Perseverance! I won’t give up til I figure it out! Creativity! Being born this way makes me use my imagination daily! If I can use my elbow or tape something to my arm I’ll find a way to do it! I’ve got an obsession with my hair and I’m always doing something different and most of the time I have my hair dryer taped to my arm with painters tape, or my curling wand Velcro’d to my arm. I just recently perfected the French braid on myself!
I was so excited when Ryan asked me to write a guest post about my story and to share a video. I’ve gained so much from this group and I’m so happy to help others!
Best,
Buffy
Go like Buffy’s photography page on Facebook – Buffy Fabrizi Photography!
Wow! That’s quite a feat! I’m a guy and I keep my hair short but that’s remarkable.Because of a stroke I am without the use of my right arm. I know, sort of, what you must be going through! I’m amazed at how well “we” all do when faced with all the mundane tasks (that everyone else takes for granted). You have taken it over the top, this is no easy task!
Thanks Douglas! Its definitely a chore to got it perfect but we all do our best! Its funny because i taught myself a new tick while videoing this!
Please never shut down your blogging site!
I hope to share amazing pages, like this one, one day like this with my daughter – to show her that there are other people in the world just like her and they don’t see their life full of obstacles!
I to, hope to move out of the big city and move to a small country town where i hope she will gain support throughout those hard time in your child hood!
I just recently stumbled across this and am so thankful to see others just like myself. I too was born without my left hand, and have learned to overcome challenges and adversity and laugh in the face of those who think I can’t. In fact, many people I work with currently, STILL don’t know about my hand. Thanks to an incredible Mom who went to the ends of the earth (taught herself how to tie her shoes with a “fist”) and the numerous people I have been blessed to have in my life (my computer teacher who set up and taught me special keyboarding positioning for one hand) I have become the person I am. And now I have two daughters of my own, I would really like to learn how to do more with their hair. Thank you for this and thank you for being you. You are amazing.
I was playing soccer with my brother and he pushed me. I fell and hurt my arm. We didn’t tell my mom because we didn’t want me to be taken to the ER. We thought it would have gotten better in 3 or 4 days. I can move it better. I can not straighten or bend my arm. My grandma is visiting in a couple of hours and I need to have nice hair. But I can’t do my hair so I have to learn how to do my hair with my left handed.