Profile of Annalyn Peele - An Essay from 2007

Below you will find an essay I wrote after interviewing and receiving permission from Annalyn Peele. Currently, Annalyn is enrolled in the Medical College of Georgia as a medical student. She has came a long way and is still an inspiration to many people including me. Annalyn is truly a living testimony of God's love and faith in him.

It was the summer of 1999, and the Peele family had just loaded up their white mini-van and was headed toward Macon, Georgia to visit a fellow church member in the hospital. Just in the outskirts of town, they were heading around a curve and saw a large gas truck coming directly towards them. The truck had just topped the hill traveling at eighty miles per hour in a fifty-five mile per hour zone when the driver saw a car in front of him stopped. The driver slammed on brakes causing his trailer to jack knife into the opposite lane in which the Peele family’s van was traveling. The Peele’s van hit the side of the truck with a very hard force of impact.

            Annalyn Peele was born in January of 1986. She has two wonderful parents, Jerry and Karen Peele, and is blessed with two younger twin sisters, Kristen and Kellie Peele. As the daughter of a preacher, she was given the opportunity to live in more than one place throughout her childhood. She lived in Alma, Georgia, for a year, followed by Orlando, Florida, for seven years, and then Eastman, Georgia, where her family currently resides. Annalyn stood at five feet five inches tall, and she was a cheerleader during her first two years of middle school. She loved to tumble, stunt, and cheer at football games and pep rallies. Annalyn has been about four feet six inches tall since the summer after her seventh grade year due to injuries from the car wreck. During her family’s car accident, the impact of the gas truck hitting their van shattered the lower L-4 vertebrae in her back. Annalyn was slung very hard, and her head hit the window, causing a concussion. She also broke her ankle and sustained internal damage to her intestines. Both Annalyn and her sister Kellie were airlifted to Macon, Georgia. Annalyn was there for about a week. Annalyn stated, “I did not wake up for about a week, almost in a drug induced coma. I would wake up, but I do not remember it; they were trying to suppress my pain.” The doctors told Annalyn’s parents that she would be fine, and she would be able to walk again.

After the week in Macon, Annalyn was transferred to Shepherds Spinal Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia. While in Atlanta, Annalyn had major back surgery. The doctors put three rods in Annalyn’s back, took some of the bone from her hip, and put it over the rod. Following surgery, Annalyn had to learn to sit-up by herself, and she began to lift two pound weights. The doctors soon told her parents that Annalyn would have to be in a wheelchair due to paralysis of the lower extremities. Annalyn said, “I am paralyzed in my hips and the back of my legs from my knees down. I can move my quadriceps, but not my waist.” Annalyn stayed in Atlanta for three months doing rehabilitation and trying to learn to move the muscle that she did have in her leg. Annalyn stated, “I started with braces that came to my hip, trying to walk. It was very hard. Eventually, I had braces that came to my knee; I was just very slow with those. This experience was very difficult for me because before the wreck I was a cheerleader, and I loved it. That was probably the biggest devastation when they told me I would not be able to walk again.” Annalyn also stated, “Some of the simplest things soon became the most difficult to overcome, such as sitting up, moving from my wheelchair to my bed, and putting on clothes. They began to get easier with time though.”

After speaking with Annalyn, I asked her how someone in her situation is still full of joy and acts as though nothing is wrong, and she replied,

Honestly, I know that you know this has not been easy for me. But being a Christian, it has just put a totally different perspective on this. I was upset and all, but while I was in Atlanta, my dad and I prayed every day. We kept reading the Bible; Romans 8:28 states, ‘And we know that God causes all things to work together for the good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.’ I know that God has a purpose, and God had a purpose for me being in that accident. I have faith, and I know that I will be able to walk again when I get to Heaven, and that is why I am not totally discouraged. For us, at first it was hard to accept that things would be the way they are. It is all about God’s glory. If he gets more glory out of me being in a wheelchair, then I know it is best this way. Being in a wheelchair has taught me to trust God and everything he does. Every time a person asks how this happened, I get a chance to share my testimony. People ask me all the time what happened; some people are very rude about it and others are not. I do not mind them asking, because I would want to ask too if I was them. I tell them I was in a bad car accident and I have paralysis in my leg. They always tell me that I seem so happy, and I tell them that it is because of God and I cannot help that my joy overflows with hope and faith in God.

In high school, Annalyn stayed busy. She had a 4.0 grade point average, she was the class president for four years, student council member, first runner up on Homecoming court, Prom Princess in eleventh grade, and Prom Queen in twelfth grade, a member of the honors classes, a Senior Superlative, and she was voted “Best All Around” by her fellow classmates. After she graduated with honors, she attended Middle Georgia College in Cochran, Georgia, for two years, and then she transferred to the University of Georgia, where she is currently enrolled. She said, “Now, I am at UGA majoring in Nutrition Science. I want to be a Physician’s Assistant. I have always wanted to be a doctor. I just want to help people and not only medically, but I want to be able to relate to them. After UGA, I will go the Medical College of Georgia to PA school.” Annalyn currently resides in a handicap accessible room at the University of Georgia. She recently traveled to Hawaii with her family, and also she spent nine weeks in Daytona Beach, Florida working with the University of Georgia’s Campus Outreach group. She is also a member of Alpha Zeta and she holds a grade point average of 3.9. She will be quick to tell you that she stays busy. She works out four times a week, goes to class, attends prayer meeting, Campus Outreach groups, has study groups, and goes to the football games on Saturdays. She also spends a lot of time with different people.

One may wonder how Annalyn exercises. When I asked, she replied,

I cannot run, do gymnastics, or anything like that, but there are a lot of things I can do with what I have. I can now walk a mile in about thirty minutes on a treadmill. I hold onto the sides and slowly walk. Actually, this summer, I learned how to do handicap equipped wakeboarding. It is adapted for a person in a wheelchair. It is a lot of fun. I also love to have slip and slides at my house. My sisters and I get a tarp and lay it out on the huge hill in our backyard, and we wet it and put soap on it. Then we invite people over, and it is a blast!

 Annalyn also told me, “I absolutely love practical jokes. Someone who has never met me will see me go flying in my wheelchair. I will fly by in it and quickly flip myself out of it and start laughing. I also love to go roll houses with toilet paper in my hometown with my friends. That has always been a fun pastime.”

I have always wondered how someone who is confined to a wheelchair could drive a car. Annalyn explained,

I was the youngest kid at the hospital in Atlanta. I did not even think about driving then, yet all of them had to learn to drive. I knew when I did begin that I would have to get hand controls. Now, I love them. I can drive fine and even if I could use pedals, I love my hand controls they are so much fun. They did take a while to get use to, but now I can drive just like anyone else can.

I also asked her how many wheelchairs she had, and she answered, “I currently have four, but I have gone through about five. I love putting Christmas lights on my wheels at Christmas time!” I asked Annalyn, what kinds of changes at her home were made in order for her to be able to get around, and she replied, “We had to build a ramp, adjust doorways, and eventually we bought a new house. In our new house, we put in an elevator, and I have a walk in shower with a shower chair.” I also asked, “Do you still go to doctors and therapy?” She responded, “I went to therapy a total of nine months, and I really have not had any complications, and I currently do not go to any doctors unless I get sick.”

Annalyn Peele is a living testimony. I do not know a single person that is as energetic, smart, humorous, lively, pretty, and as happy as her. She is an amazing person and a strong Christian. By just simply watching her, one can see all of the amazing things that she can do in her situation. She acts as though nothing is wrong. Her situation has not stopped her from reaching her goals and continuing to live her life. She simply does her best at everything she can and puts all of her hope in God. She stated, “I just totally rely on God, and apart from Him, nothing else matters.” Annalyn has truly been an inspiration to me, and she is a wonderful example and a role model for anyone who has ever had any experience they thought they could not overcome. Through talking to her, one can come to understand that any individual can truly get through any situation if they simply have faith and rely on God.

Where I'm From

Where I’m From

I’m from a simple, small town,
from the jokes and kindness of my grandparents,
and the daughter of Tony and Kathy.
I am from the coffee bean smell and the smoke,
from a great family full of diversity.
I am from cornbread and chicken,
where everyone knows everyone.
I am from barefeet that ran across the ground
and a swing set that’s legs couldn’t stay in the ground.
I am from Jimmy Buffet and Rod Stewart fans,
yet my papa still sings Well My Mama Done Told Me.
I am from “It turns to fat after 6:00” and “Burping is impolite,”
and the golden rule always applies.
I am from Achy-Breaky Heart and Dixieland Delight
to Hey Good Lookin’ and Gimme Three Steps.
I am from decorating the Christmas tree that stands in our living room every year,
and coloring Easter eggs the night before we hunt them.
I am from “Don’t worry what others think” and “Don’t say nothing you can’t take back.”
I am from rushing in the shower to watch Power Rangers,
and getting in trouble for leaving the floor soaking wet.
I am from love and kindness, of a mother’s kind heart,
and patience and teaching from a father who drives a trucks point of view.
I am from a family that has had both rough times and good
I was raised in the church and learned to pray,
I think that’s what got us through everything and made it ‘til today.
I am from Sunday afternoons watching the NASCAR race,
and Saturday college football games on the television sitting in the living room.
I am from sleeping in the middle of my parents, to scared to sleep in the room by myself,
and finally getting the courage to say, “Nothings under my bed!”
I am from “God, thank you for this day…take care of me and everyone else through the night...forgive me for my sins…and helping me realize you’re always right…thank you for sending your son to die for me…I love you...Goodnight.”
I am from the times in my past and present.
They have made me who I am,
and always will be.

NASCAR and Family

            Growing up with a father who loved NASCAR was exciting. I never had to guess what would be on our television set on any Saturday or Sunday during the race season. Although each family member likes a different driver, we all had one in common, Dale Earnhardt. I still recall seeing that number three car racing around the track on our television set that was definitely not a flat screen. My dad would be “a hoopin’ and a hollerin’” as I called it. He would get excited as Earnhardt took the lead, and get angry if Gordon was even close to him.  I never realized the depth of my love for the sport of NASCAR until I had to argue with my Dad that Dale Earnhardt had really passed away after that sad day in Daytona.

            I always found it amusing that NASCAR began by the men racing cars with huge trunks to see who would get to haul the moonshine that night. These men probably never knew that racing would become such a competitive and popular sport. Now that I am older, I have went to several races, and in person, it is a lot different that the television makes it seem. The cars go extremely fast, the turns are very steep, and the drunken rednecks are way more loud and crazy than they seem. I truly find NASCAR to be amusing, entertaining, and fun.

            Seeing that my dad was driving a truck most of the time when I was young, he was not home the day of Earnhardt’s wreck. I remember sitting in the chair that Dad sat in to watch the race. As the final lap of the race was taking place, Earnhardt was in third place, protecting the lead of Michael Waltrip and his son, Dale Earnhardt Jr. As the black number three car slammed into the concrete wall, I sat there staring at the television screen. The race had ended and Michael Waltrip won, and immediately, Dale Jr ran to his father’s car as the ambulances arrived at the scene. Later on that night, my dad arrived and began to ask about the race. I could not come to the point of telling him that one of the best NASCAR drivers in history was no longer going to be racing. My mama on the other hand, had no problem blurting out that he was dead. My dad was in utter shock. He did not believe us; he was angry and said that he was not dead. Mama walked into her room and pulled up the website with the video of the crash, and the news article stating that Dale Earnhardt had passed away.

            I know that Earnhardt would have won that race in Daytona. Even to this day he is appreciated and missed by many. He was a genuine man, he did not live a high class lifestyle nor did he change his ways because of his fame. He was a driven man, who was determined to win. He was and still is to this day known as the intimidator. No one will ever drive a car in NASCAR with his number on it. His son, Dale Earnhardt Jr continues to race to this day and has been very successful in carrying out his father’s legacy. Dale Earnhardt is a legend, and I would love to be able to meet him, even though he has passed on, he will never be forgotten.

Get Your Plate in Shape for National Nutrition Month

Get Your Plate in Shape for National Nutrition Month

Good nutrition is essential for good health. Not only is nutrition a preventive measure for many chronic diseases and problems, but nutrition is a science that is constantly changing as new evidence and new research appears. Registered Dietitians (RD’s) are the professionals that are required to stay up to date and in the know about current nutrition which is evidence-based. RD’s are professionals who have an undergraduate or graduate degree in nutrition, food science, and/or dietetics from an accredited program, followed by a 1200 hour minimum internship that is packed with different rotations in the field of nutrition, followed by an exam that has to be passed in order to legally use the term registered dietitian (RD) behind their name and counsel others. After all of this, in order to maintain their license in the state of Georgia, a RD must meet requirements of completing 30 continuing education hours every two years and in order to remain a registered dietitian, one must complete 75 continuing education hours every 5 years. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is a large organization filled with food and nutrition professionals in all fields of nutrition. They also are an advocate and educator for evidence-based practice and reliable nutrition information you can trust. They also promote National Nutrition Month. National Nutrition Month is in March each year. This year’s theme is “Get Your Plate in Shape.” In case you are not aware, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has created an icon known as MyPlate. Its predecessor, MyPyramid, ended in the summer of 2011. This icon is always based on the current Dietary Guidelines for Americans which are updated every 5 years. This new icon also places an emphasis on mealtime and the recommendations are for children two of age or older. Although the MyPlate icon is only one symbol, it is a recommendation for everyone. However, the portion sizes do vary based on one’s age. Portion sizes developed for you can be found at ChooseMyPlate.gov.  MyPlate is a colorful icon that represents 5 essential components of a plate: fruits, vegetables, grains, protein, and dairy. The goal is to make your plate into four sections. Half of the plate should be filled with fruits and vegetables. For example, a lunchtime salad can meet this recommendation by having a spinach salad with dried cranberries, dried strawberries, diced green pepper, and raspberry vinaigrette dressing. The other half of my plate would be filled with protein and grains. MyPlate recommendations state that protein should take up 1/4^th of your plate and grains should take up the final 1/4^th of your plate. The final component is a low-fat dairy product or a 1% or fat-free milk product. 2% milk and dairy products do not count as a low-fat dairy product; these are reduced-fat products. This is not drawn on the plate divided into four sections but it is drawn as a cup sitting to the side of the plate. If you are lactose intolerant or have a milk allergy, the recommendations are for you to replace this product with a food product that is high in calcium. MyPlate recommendations also recommends drinking less sugary drinks and replacing it with 100% juice, water, or low-fat or fat-free milk. The MyPlate icon is not something that has to be followed three times a day, you can spread out the recommended amounts between three meals and two snacks, five small meals, or however you choose to divide up your daily intake. Following the guidelines set by MyPlate and controlling your portion sizes will have your plate in shape in no time!

For more information on the MyPlate recommendations, visit www.ChooseMyPlate.gov. For a referral to a registered dietitian and for additional food and nutrition information visit the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics website at www.eatright.org.

Prepared by Morgan Sanders, Cedar Crest College Dietetic Intern

Global Nutrition

The following was an assignment completed for my dietetic internship. I find global issues to be interesting. I never thought that I would enjoy International Studies but while in school during my undergraduate career, I took that course and I could not quit talking about things that was going on in the world. You may or may not find the following interesting, but I thought it was worth posting!

Enjoy!

Global Nutrition Assignment

1)      Of the numerous causes of hunger identified in this week’s readings, choose one that you believe would be particularly surprising to most people in the US. Describe to your reader’s how/why this issue impacts hunger.

As I was reading this week, I came across a statistic that reported that stated that greater than 35% of food emergencies across the world are due to human causes such as war, oppression, and displacement. I believe that this statistic would surprise most people in the U.S. because it even surprised me. According to Santa Clara University (2010), “little benefit is derived from aiding poor nations. Aid sent to developing countries rarely reaches the people it was intended to benefit. Instead, it is used by oppressive governments to subsidize their military or spent on projects that benefit local elites, or ends up on the black market.” To hear that help is offered to countries yet authority is keeping it from the people who needs it most is shocking. While in college I took an online course called International Studies in which I had to learn about a lot of different global issues. I remember watching scenes from the movie Black Hawk Down and reading about how the UN sent food to Somalia and sent soldiers there to help this country. However, a lot of food sent to this country and when it was directly delivered to the people, it was beneficial. However, when the UN relied on the authority in the country to distribute the food, it was withheld from the people who needed it most. It is hard for me to comprehend that people who are in charge of a country would want to harm others. Here in the United States, we have all sorts of programs that aide those in need and it is easy to forget that other places are not that fortunate. When food is withheld from those in need, the situation only gets worse which makes the global hunger issue worsen.

2)      Discuss the role of women in the issue of global hunger. Be sure to address both how women are particularly impacted by hunger as well as the potential role of women in combating hunger worldwide.

The World Food Programme (2012) states that pregnant women have special nutritional needs and if they can receive proper nutrition while pregnant and while breastfeeding, they can prevent a lot of issues that may arise and increase the number of children and women who are malnourished. The organization also mentions that it is extremely important for women to receive proper nutrition that were malnourished before pregnancy because the women are lacking essential vitamins and minerals. Feeding America (2012) makes a great point by stating that “the immature immune systems of young children, ages 0-5, make them especially vulnerable to nutritional deprivation and as a result, the ability to learn, grow, and fight infections is adversely affected.” If a mother is properly nourished during pregnancy and after, she can exclusively breastfeed her child, especially mothers who do not have a safe water supply for formula mixing. If this would happen, women could help combat the global hunger issue. However, not only would nutrition during and after pregnancy have to be fixed, but breastfeeding education would be beneficial as well.

3)      Describe for your readers the potential impact they could make themselves on global hunger by personally practicing sustainability in their own lives. Be sure to make the connections between the two very clear.

If everyone practiced sustainability such as recycling, reducing food waste, donating unwanted food, cutting down on paper usage and waste, composting, and other small changes, this world would see huge changes. George Kent, writer for the Huffington Post (2010), states that the main issue of world hunger is “there is plenty of food. The problem is that more than a billion people are so poor that they cannot afford the food that is out there. The food is available, but not accessible to them.” Supporting agencies such as Samaritans Purse and Feeding America are great ways that we can use that extra change in our pockets of that money that we throw away on excess food to help those in need. Instead of running the water while you brush your teeth, cut the water off and save on your water bill. By during this you can take the money you save over time and put it towards an organization that helps those without a way to access safe water get water that is safe to drink. According to the World Food Programme (2012), the world has enough food to supply the entire population; however, it is not easy to get the food to people in need. Some countries try to control the population of their country, while the issue remains that poor countries have a large population with large problems such as disease and hunger. Without proper nutrition, one cannot fight off diseases and many are dying from malnutrition and diarrhea in third-world countries while wealthier countries are combating obesity and over population. Where do we draw the line? Where does government need to step in? Where does authority need to dictate who can have children and who gets to eat? These are all questions that need to be answered. Sustainability is something everyone can practice in their own lives. A sustainable practice may be something as small as not wasting food or not overeating, but if everyone would practice small changes, the world would see a large difference in issues such as global hunger.

References

Feeding America. (2012). Impact of hunger. Retrieved from http://feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/impact-of-hunger.aspx.

Kent, G. (2010). Huffington Post. Achieve sustainability or end hunger?. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/george-kent/achieve-sustainability-or_b_669304.html.

Santa Clara University. Andre, C., & Velasquez, M. (2010). World hunger: A moral response. Retrieved from: http://www.scu.edu/ethics/publications/iie/v5n1/hunger.html.

World Food Programme. (2012). Nutrition for mothers and young children. Retrieved from http://www.wfp.org/nutrition/mothers-children.

This blows my mind...

“Today, one in seven people do not get enough food to be healthy and lead an active life, making hunger and malnutrition the number one risk to health worldwide -- greater than AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis  combined.”

-World Food Programme, 2011

Songs = Memories

This morning it came across my newsfeed that CMT was playing a new video by the Eli Young Band called "Even If It Breaks Your Heart." I love music, especially country music and if you know me, I love to know all of the words to every song.

Somehow, I relate every song I hear to a memory or to a time period in my life and when it plays, I begin daydreaming. Sometimes a song brings me back to a good time and sometimes a not so good time but no matter what, I remind myself that the time, place, or memory that a song brings me back to has led me to where I am now.

The new Eli Young Band song states
"Some dreams stay with you forever,
drag you around but bring you back to where you were.
Some dreams keep on gettin better,
gotta keep believin if you wanna know for sure."

This is one of the truest things that I think anyone can relate to.

Some dreams do stay with you forever, one example for me is a wedding. Yes, I am married, but I still have this dream of my dream wedding that I began planning as a little girl. I know it is not realistic due to the price it would have cost, but I still can see that picture in my head. When I hear Dusty Drake's song "Say Yes" or Tracy Byrd's "Keeper of the Stars" it always brings me back to that dream.

No matter what I dreamed or wanted in my dreams, I am so thankful that I am where I am today. All of the wishes, hopes, and dreams has led me to where I am today.

Always dream. Dreams help you to keep believing and to keep goals.