Disabled Mom Shows Us All Up By Changing Diapers With Her Teeth

Just when I thought caring for a 16-month-old while coping with a brutal sinus infection was the worst, I encountered the story of 25 year old British mom Trish cares for her three children without the use of her arms or legs.

The Daily Mail reports:

She has a rare condition called arthrogryposis, which has completely paralyzed her limbs. She has to do everything””from brushing her children’s teeth to, eek, changing diapers””with her teeth. She says, ”The amount of times I’ve tasted poo”¦it’s so much easier to do a newborn’s nappy because they can’t move they can’t run off from you!”

Mothering is intensely physical work. I remember gaping at my arm muscles in the mirror a couple months after having my daughter””I was amazed how much they’d buffed up since I’d started toting around my chunky monkey. And then there was the excruciating back pain from endless hours swaying and bouncing baby to sleep. Over a year into my motherhood journey, I still get achy when my daughter wants to be held for extended periods of time. And don’t cross me if she wakes me up in the middle of the night””I’m the equivalent of an angsty hormonal teenager during the day that follows these midnight adventures.

But Trish’s story really puts my challenges into perspective. Things that are difficult for me to do with full control of my arms, like, say, getting my daughter dressed when she’s fussy, must be a complete nightmare for this woman.

She gets all the regular challenges of motherhood: unpredictable sleep schedule, cleaning up bodily fluids and picking up a tornado of toys.

But she does all of these things in a chair. With her teeth.

And I only have to change a handful of diapers a day, considering I only have one child (and she’s in daycare for many of these diaper changes). Trish, and I’m presuming from the videos that she’s a SAHM, takes care of three children: a school-aged daughter, toddler son and newborn baby as well.

Despite her challenges, she still defines motherhood as supremely rewarding. ”It’s problem solving,” she says, ”I find it harder but it’s rewarding. It’s more rewarding than it is challenging.” That’s incredible to me. I just hope her husband, who isn’t very visible in the video footage, does his share around the house. And if he doesn’t, my amazement and respect for this woman just multiplied tenfold.

(photo: margouillat photo / Shutterstock)

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