Women's Empowerment Month Collection: Anne Stenkjær

 Through a writing group online I met the funny and creative Anne Stenkjær. She also has Cerebral Palsy. She was one of the farthest people I interviewed as she lives in Denmark. We hit it off pretty easily. 

Kaylyn Gabbert: I was wondering if we could talk about your Cerebral Palsy since I'm finally starting to meet other people with Cerebral Palsy like me. And you, like another woman with Cerebral Palsy, you are a force to be reckoned with. 

*she nods*

What is your Cerebral Palsy like?

Anne Stenkjær: My Cerebral Palsy is mild.

KG: How does it affect your life?

AS: It affects my legs, balance, and coordination.

KG: Have we talked about my Cerebral Palsy, and if not, would you like to know more about mine?

AS: I think we talked about it a bit. 

KG: I have a similar Cerebral Palsy to you. It affects my balance, legs, and coordination. Next question, I remember you telling me you've broken bones. How many bones have you broken?

AS: I've broken both arms; left three times and the right once. I once had a metal rod put in my left arm to help it heal, and my bone healed so fast around it that they had to rebreak it and take the metal rod out. 

KG: Ouch. That sounds like it hurts. How'd you break the right one?

AS: I fell off a Shetland pony because I didn't want to fall the other way and fall into an electric fence. 

KG: Would sharing one of my Cerebral Palsy stories help?

AS: Yeah. 

KG: Okay, where I never broke a bone, I did get a brutal scar I was insanely proud of. I got it from a motorcycle.

AS: Don't like where this is going…

KG: I just moved to my Dad's right before I turned fourteen, and I wasn't yet used to the differences in my parents' differences in parenting styles. But there's a rule that when you ride a motorcycle you wear jeans… We thought I was protected because I was wearing shorts down to my knee and leg braces up to my knee. As I hopped on my leg had a spasm and hit the battery box. My dad said it was a scratch, and I wasn't an idiot. I knew it wasn't but I really wanted the ride. So after an hour, hour and a half ride I hop off and I have a second degree burn. The scar lasted like two years. 

AS: Ouch.

KG: Worst part of it was my moms saying, "Boys don't like girls with scars." And me having to retort, "Well then I don't like them."

AS: That sucks. 

KG: *shrugs* I have one other CP story you may like.

AS: Yes?

KG: Well, once, when I was like 10 or 11 I was walking down the hall at Dad's. We were set to go somewhere exciting with the family when I lost my family and let out a blood curdling scream. Most of the family mistook it for laughter. My dad wasn't sure so came to check. And I had slammed my head so hard against the wall that I was bleeding everywhere. He thought I'd need butterfly patches. I needed 6 staples in the back of the head. Still got the scar. And it hurts from time to time. And if someone ya know lightly hits you upside the head but gets the scar it hurts so baaaad 😅😂

And it's been almost 20 years

AS: I have hit my head so many times, that I’ve got a bump that always interferes with my riding/bicycle helmet

KG: Ouch. Can you get a specially made helmet?

AS: It just leave a light mark, but red enough to get attention from people😅

KG: Damn. I'm sorry, man. That sucks 😅

AS: Meh, it doesn’t hurt, I just need to expect people’s “Oh my gosh, what happened to your forehead?” when I take my helmet off.

KG: I kinda picture you rolling your eyes at this point 🤣

AS: Haha 😆 yup

KG: What got you into the world of creativity?

AS: A lot of maladaptive daydreaming. I used to draw and paint a lot but eventually I just started writing more. I'm gonna be a bit of a downer here, I believe the world is going under and writing gives me something else to think about. Then people really like it, and I'm glad they do. 

KG: What's your favorite genre to write?

AS: I love writing fiction. Just fiction. I like writing high fantasy, sci-fi, and historical fiction. 

She writes a lot about Amadëus -just another “celebrity chick”, one of her pet chickens. He's a bit spoiled. Trust me, I've seen pictures. You can read more about him here. 

https://www.facebook.com/Amad%C3%ABus-just-another-celebrity-chick-104270231974105

Note: Some of the writing is English, and some of the writing is Danish. If you scroll down enough you'll get the posts in both English and Danish. According to Anne, in all due time everything will be translated into English as well.