Diagnosed with Muscular Dystrophy at Age 2 | Alfonso Reyes (@musculardystrophywarrior) | Digital Activism

Episode Show Notes:

Hello beautiful people!

In today's episode, Caden had the opportunity to speak with Alfonso Reyes, a.k.a @musculardystrophywarrior on social media! We discuss whis Muscular Dystrophy diagnoses, navigating public school and college, favorite video games, best friends, and what shoes Caden should by next!

Learn more about Muscular Dystrophy here: www.mda.org/disease/duchenne-muscular-dystrophy

Follow Alfonso on socials:

Instagram: ⁠instagram.com/musculerdystrophywarrior/⁠

YouTube:⁠youtube.com/@mdw1999 ⁠

TikTok: ⁠tiktok.com/@musculerdystrophywarrior⁠

Threads: ⁠threads.com/@musculerdystrophywarrior⁠

Episode show notes & transcripts can be found here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.digitalactivismpod.com/⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠

Follow Caden!:

Caden IG:⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/obviously_its_caden/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Caden TikTok:⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠tiktok.com/@wheelchair_king⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Caden Threads⁠:⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠threads.com/@obviously_its_caden⁠⁠⁠

Email Caden: ⁠cadennelmsofficial@gmail.com⁠

Follow the Pod!:

YouTube:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠   / @digitalactivismproject  ⁠

Pod IG: ⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/digitalactivismpod/⁠⁠⁠

Love y’all! <3

Episode Transcript (approx.):

Caden Nelms (00:16)

hello, beautiful people. Welcome back to another episode of Digital Activism. I'm here with Alfonzo. Alfonzo, can you introduce yourself and just who are you and what are you doing on social media right now?

Alfonso Reyes (00:27)

Yes, so my name is Alfonso Reyes I'm 26 years old from fresno california and I was Born when Muscular Dystrophy Duchenne and to answer your question. What do I do on social media? Well, I talk about Muscular Dystrophy a little bit about my life story besides social media I have my own youtube channel called Muscular Dystrophy Warrior where I talk about different topics about Muscular Dystrophy And also bring guests from the disability

community. I have done right now seven interviews with seven individuals some have a disability or like my last interview was with a family who had a son with Muscular Dystrophy and before that one I interviewed someone who used to be a coordinator for the MDA which is the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

Caden Nelms (01:21)

Yeah, so I think I I'm trying to think where I saw I saw you on Instagram, I believe I don't remember where I started following you or when that was but I remember just seeing your stuff and I when someone sees me, you know in the wheelchair and with a disability they assume like, do you have Muscular Dystrophy? I'm like, well, no, I have Spinal Muscular Atrophy. And but then they're like, can you what what's the difference and

Alfonso Reyes (01:46)

Mm-hmm.

Caden Nelms (01:51)

I can't speak on that as much on the side of Muscular Dystrophy. what can you describe, you know, what is Muscular Dystrophy? If you want to like the science behind it, you don't have to necessarily, but kind of what it is and how it affects your daily living and body.

Alfonso Reyes (02:08)

Yes, yes.

Yeah, I'm happy to answer any question. Well, Muscular Dystrophy is a neuromuscular disease. I mean, if we search it up, know, if you use medical terms, be neuromuscular disease, which is progressive, meaning over time it's gonna be progressing your muscles. Like I always say, I don't know how many muscles, know, are in our body, but every muscle, like, it's affected over the years, you know. For me, for example, I used to walk from, I was diagnosed at two years old.

They did a biopsy and from two years old I was able to walk until 11 or 12 years old. But people might see all he walked. No, like I didn't walk like like someone who doesn't have Muscular Dystrophy. I would lose my balance. A small shove I would fall. So then I started using a wheelchair, like I said, around 11 or 12. And from then on, I've been using a wheelchair. So I need help. Like the best way I could describe it is I need help 24/7.

365 days a year. I live with both parents so they're my main caregivers. So yeah, so basically my parents help me with everything. You know, get dressed, use the restroom, like everything everybody else does who doesn't have a disability.

Caden Nelms (03:25)

We are, there is a lot of overlap, I would say, you know, in terms of Muscular Dystrophy and Muscular Atrophy. ⁓ I also live at home with my parents and they're my primary caregivers. And then my, you know, friends do a lot as well when I'm around them and not with my parents. And of course, it really is a family activity helping me out. It's everybody gets involved and helps out where they can.

So you said that you started using the wheelchair around 11 or 12. What were those signs and like, was there a moment where you were like, okay, it's time to start utilizing other assistive devices like a wheelchair?

Alfonso Reyes (03:58)

Yes

Yes, well the doctors I always since I was diagnosed they did a biopsy test first did the blood test but nothing would always come up normal so biopsy was like the thing they had to do but since there's several Muscular Dystrophy my genetics doctor was hoping it was Becker Muscular Dystrophy since it's the least aggressive one and I think affects you around 30 40 years old most of them live like ⁓ You know normal life until that point but sadly I got the most

Aggressive one well going back to your question on the wheelchair while they always told my parents You know your son is gonna use it around 11 or 12. That's like the statistics You know that say that almost every individual with Muscular Dystrophy use it around 11 or 12 I met someone who used started using a wheelchair at 7 so it varies and I do a little research before I do every topic and I've seen a lot of people post Social media, you know, he my son walks until 15, you know

like yeah, everybody's different. And so they always told us that I was going to use a wheelchair. So I knew that was coming like at some point, but the way we found I needed a wheelchair, I still remember it to this day. Well, I was going to get up from bed, you know, in the morning and I wasn't able to anymore. So I just called my mom and told her, you know, it's time, you know, those were my words, you know, it's time, which she already knew it was time to bring the wheelchair. So.

That's how I realized it was time to use the wheelchair for life basically.

Caden Nelms (05:47)

Was that a tough moment? know, I know physically it was a necessity. Was it a tough moment mentally to realize, you know, it's time to use a wheelchair. My life and my movement is going to change. Cause like, have, I've been in a wheelchair since I've never took my first steps independently without holding on to stuff. And so for me, all I've ever known as a wheelchair, which it was

Alfonso Reyes (06:10)

Mm-hmm.

Right.

Caden Nelms (06:16)

easier but then on the other hand my cousin who has SMA, she didn't start using a wheelchair until probably between the ages of like eight or 10 I believe. So she had the able-bodied experience of walking and swinging and whatever on the playground and in school. So it sounds odd and I've had this conversation with my parents. I'm almost thankful that I have been in a wheelchair since my whole life.

Alfonso Reyes (06:46)

Yeah, from the beginning.

Caden Nelms (06:46)

yeah

So I didn't have to get used to that hurdle and mentally prepare. So did that affect you mentally? How did you prepare? Was it an easy transition to start using a wheelchair?

Alfonso Reyes (06:58)

you

Honestly, I have a friend who's my best friend brother who has SMA type 2 He said this have said the same thing, you know, he was never able to walk. So with me it was like different Scenario, so we have talked about it and stuff. Well, it was kind of hard at first, you know the stairs, you know What am I gonna tell my family? Come I probably didn't really know I had Muscular dis I don't know why we never really explained it to them So once they saw me in a wheelchair was like what happened?

Caden Nelms (07:18)

Yeah.

Alfonso Reyes (07:29)

You know, so I was like getting used to that. I feel like it took me a while, you know But now I'm like it took me a while during that time period

Caden Nelms (07:30)

Yeah.

Alfonso Reyes (07:39)

But I think my advice is like when somebody's in my case, it's like try to get used to it as soon as you as soon as possible. You're not saying like it's oh, it's going to be, oh, I wake up the next morning. I already used to the chair and now it's going to take a while. You know, it's going to take a lot of discipline, you know, to get used to it. I feel I say discipline because it's like it's not easy, you know, getting going from walking to using a wheelchair. And I feel like that's for everyone. Even people that don't have a disability, you you have an accident, you know.

⁓ It's like a whole new transition for me was like a whole new world, you know, but slowly I started getting used to it until this point, you know, I'm used to it. I feel like a celebrity, like I always say, you know, going up stairs. I mean, yeah, so I'm like, I try to see that mentality, you know, nowadays, but back then, yeah, it was kind of tough during that time.

Caden Nelms (08:10)

Yeah.

Hehehe

Yeah, was really tough because now, of course, like you said, doesn't bother me. I actually have a shirt that I wore the other day actually that says, keep staring, I might do a trick. And it has the little wheelchair symbol doing a flip. So, I mean, now it doesn't bother me and I make jokes with my friends and family, bit different things. But yeah, when I was growing up, it made me so self-conscious, especially in school, because I was different.

Alfonso Reyes (08:46)

I'll time.

Bye!

Right.

Hmm.

Caden Nelms (09:03)

you know, and I got special treatment in terms of education and bathroom and recess and eating and everything like that. And most of it was due to the disability, but also it's like the, you go into it and you know, even if you had issues walking beforehand and you might lose your balance.

Alfonso Reyes (09:05)

Yeah.

Right.

Caden Nelms (09:29)

the world is still significantly more accessible when you're walking and then you go to be in a wheelchair and then you're very much limited and people don't realize that until they have been an accident or they you know broke a leg in a wheelchair for a little bit or on crutches or have a family member or they have a kid or whatever the situation may be where disability comes into their life so

Alfonso Reyes (09:37)

Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm.

Right.

Caden Nelms (09:57)

suddenly, they don't have time to prepare. And so they don't realize how inaccessible society is. Did you feel that whenever you first went into a wheelchair, and started using a wheelchair, did you like, whoa, this is not, this isn't super accessible, this is gonna be more difficult because of how the world was built, not even because of my disability.

Alfonso Reyes (10:01)

Mm-hmm.

Honestly to be honest, no, I didn't really see it like this I was like 11 or 12, you know still a kid figuring out stuff But now that yeah, maybe once I became a teenager now 26 years old I realized what you're saying, you know, the world's not Accessible, you know, for example, I went to college You know here in my hometown

Community college first then I went to the university and honestly, it's not that accessible Parking some issue. So that's when I realized I'm like it's a lot of hassle during this time I feel like since teenager all the way to my college year. I realized like you're seeing the world It's not accessible. I mean my college campus a little bit upset accessible, but there's areas like yeah, you can't there's No elevator. I mean, yes

Caden Nelms (11:14)

Yeah, that was a big

one.

Alfonso Reyes (11:15)

Yeah, so I mean or some places there were like nobody there, you know, I'm like, how can you help me press the elevator button? But there's nobody like in my university on the campus our library There's a lot of people, you know, I never went upstairs and didn't need to but that's when I realized I'm like, yeah, there's lack of accessibility So that what makes me, you know, when I create content, you know

Caden Nelms (11:39)

What, so the transition to college, I think, what was your degree in college?

Alfonso Reyes (11:45)

Well, since I speak more than one language, I want to be an interpreter.

Caden Nelms (11:49)

Okay

Alfonso Reyes (11:51)

So I graduated from my community college, which is Fresno City College. Then I went to California State University in my hometown, but most of us here in my hometown, we know it as Fresno State University or Fresno State by itself. So I went there and then, yeah, to be honest, it wasn't accessible. There wasn't a lot of accommodation. There was no restroom help. So yeah, so there was a lack of accessibility over the place, basically.

Caden Nelms (12:22)

Yeah, I've went through phases, you know, when I do my public speaking or, you know, content or just conversations, wherever it may be, I have different topics, you know, it changes over time. So when I was in high school and first starting out in college, it was getting parents educated and how to educate their children on disabled individuals and not to stare, not to touch the wheelchair, the assistive device, you know, all the typical things. And then I still talk about that, but

Alfonso Reyes (12:34)

Right.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Caden Nelms (12:52)

when I was in college, quickly transitioned into making sure the college was accessible. So I went to a small liberal arts college. ⁓ It was not accessible. They were way behind. Even the disability director would say that they were like so, so, behind. ⁓ And I had to advocate and fight for accessibility. And ⁓ so I could gain independence and had to convince the

Alfonso Reyes (13:10)

Mm-hmm.

Right.

Caden Nelms (13:22)

the administration at the time, hey, you kind of have to spend this money to do this. It's not something you can cheap out on. And I was there four and a half years and it changed significantly and I still get people that have graduated or, you know, weren't there, whatever, talking about it and asking me and I've had them reach out about other different things leading up when they're building the new dorm. They've helped, they asked me opinions and, you know, different things with the builders. So it, it...

was such a shock because, you know, I went from a public school K through 12 and I had, you know, a case manager to advocate for me. I had a, an assistant in the classes that I needed. I had someone for everything. ⁓ and you get to college and you're like, there's one disability director for hundreds and hundreds of students on two campuses. Like she can't do everything for you. ⁓ and so you really become your own advocate. And that was a

Alfonso Reyes (14:15)

Right.

Mm-hmm.

Caden Nelms (14:21)

big, big, big learning curve was learning to advocate for myself because I was a shy kid, believe it or not.

Alfonso Reyes (14:27)

Yeah,

I think we're similar cases. I wasn't ⁓ talkative in high school and stuff, but college, yeah, so I get it. That's why my friend always like, who has SMA, he's known me for 16 years. You went from not like you're saying, not talkative to doing content. We do our own podcast together. He works on his own thing and I work on mine, but every once in a while we collaborate on something.

Caden Nelms (14:54)

Yeah, was kind of forced into, you know, to speak like talking type situation advocating, but also I was in a weird way fortunate enough where my freshman years when COVID hit and so I was able to ⁓ take a step back from everything, which is where I listened to my body for the first time, probably ever, and realized I was getting weaker, my disability was advancing, I need to...

Alfonso Reyes (15:11)

⁓

turn.

Caden Nelms (15:21)

figured out some new medications and different things. I worked on my mental health ⁓ and self-acceptance, because like I said, I was very insecure and I didn't want to accept myself, but mostly my disability. And so it wasn't until 2020, 2021, where that all happened and I was fortunate to be able to slow down and acknowledge that and then go into college with a fresh start. And I worked on the newspaper team where I was, you

Alfonso Reyes (15:23)

Right.

Caden Nelms (15:51)

very honest with the inaccessibility. ⁓ I ruffled some feathers when I wrote an article, it was called Inaccessible Accessibility, that ⁓ it caused a issue with some people, but hey, it got the job done, we got the sidewalks, we got the ramps, we got the buttons.

Alfonso Reyes (15:54)

Yeah.

Mm-hmm.

house. ⁓

I mean, that's, yeah, I

mean, at least it got something positive out of, you know, there will be people that not gonna agree with it, but it got, you know, your, what you needed to be successful in that campus, you know.

Caden Nelms (16:25)

Yeah, so what was, so I know, of course school is so different for everyone, everybody's going through their own stuff, but I think when you have a disability, there's a whole nother layer ⁓ of struggle, complications, ⁓ hardship, whatever you want to call it in school, especially when ⁓ it's a time where, you know,

Alfonso Reyes (16:35)

Right.

Caden Nelms (16:54)

you're making friends, you're supposed to, like, you're being put in these categories and stereotypes and cliques and all that. So what was that school, what was schooling like in your experience, know, elementary, middle, know, public school?

Alfonso Reyes (17:02)

Mm-hmm.

I mean, was good, because throughout my, I'll be honest, like throughout my elementary school, I walked all the way from, you know, I walked all my elementary, you know, from K-12, you know.

from preschool all the way to sixth grade, seventh grade is when I started using a wheelchair, but I mean, was fortunate enough to mention that I met my friend, best friend, brother, because we known each other 16 years, he lives with SMA. So I mean, I think that made a huge difference for us. was coming back, when we met, he was coming back to school for the first time, because he was on home study for two years due to that back surgery. So it was like something

new to him you know and yeah you know our friendship it's interesting story because they all started with three simple words do you want to race and from then on we have raced throughout you know middle school high school and he has a twin sister so both of them since i wasn't very talkative they always were always inclusive you know let's do this come on let's go here let's do i mean she doesn't have an sma only he does so they were always like encouraging let's do this

Caden Nelms (18:06)

Hahaha

Okay.

Alfonso Reyes (18:26)

they were always trying to be inclusive, making me, you know, get me out of my comfort zone, you know, not to be mean, you know, they were always there for me. So I think that's what really helped. Then I met other friends who have disability. Also, I met people that don't have a disability as well during college and high school. So I feel like that during high school, I think I was a little bit opening up a college was a new time for me, you know, I met other people from different backgrounds, you know, and, you know, I

Maybe during high school I isolated. I think it was more than like I always say, you know, because I always felt like maybe I wasn't gonna be accepted or treated equally, you know, like every other peer, you know. So during college, I feel like I met people that didn't really see the disability. They just saw how I was, you know.

Caden Nelms (19:17)

Exactly. Did you have students or classmates, especially younger, ask like very like invasive or random questions? Because I got that a lot, especially honestly middle school is the worst. And also teachers asking questions that they don't need to know that are very personal. Do you have any experiences with that?

Alfonso Reyes (19:40)

Honestly, no, they never really they really are like, you know the simple questions like what happened but teachers know Like anything like that. No, I don't think I experienced that, you know I don't think I never dealt with that not even middle school high school or even college even to this day, you know I don't think I mean they asked, you know if I'm You know simple question not like very deep personal stuff. No

Caden Nelms (20:08)

Yeah, I would get like, I don't mind answering questions. I've always been the person that would answer questions.

Alfonso Reyes (20:12)

Yeah, me neither. I

always tell my audience, you guys can ask, you know, because I was interviewed.

Caden Nelms (20:18)

Ask me anything. You know, I might not answer it, but ask

me anything.

Alfonso Reyes (20:21)

I mean

I'll answer it but you know just keep in mind not everyone I mean I'll answer it but everybody else is different like no not everyone will answer your question but you know I'm a content creator I always say you know I'm open to it you know as long as you are comfortable what I'm gonna say you know that's right if you can I keep going go ahead

Caden Nelms (20:38)

Exactly. Yeah, but

I was gonna say

in middle school, got some, you know, it's just the strangest questions and like you're almost cornered, but also you wanna make friends and not be the quote unquote odd one out. But it was just a weird balance. And I even had teachers that got a little, too, yeah, I wanted to, I mean, I'm sure they were just curious. I didn't mean anything by it, but you that balance is something that I always had trouble.

Alfonso Reyes (20:53)

Yeah.

to personal.

Right.

Caden Nelms (21:12)

⁓ finding. Where was that line of like, hey it's okay to ask questions, don't go that far, or how do I respectfully say no thank you.

Alfonso Reyes (21:15)

But don't take it that far, right?

Caden Nelms (21:22)

Did you live on campus or did you commute?

Alfonso Reyes (21:25)

No, honestly I didn't live on campus. Honestly my community college was 10 or 15 minutes away from home.

Caden Nelms (21:34)

Okay.

Alfonso Reyes (21:34)

So

I wasn't that far, so no. Now the university was 25 to 30 minutes. Now I moved to a different home. Now I'm closer, but I don't go anymore. So I'm like, yeah, but I used to be like, it used to be far, 25 to 30 minutes. Even if we took the freeway, was then that was in the issue. Getting there, the issue was, you know, parking. That's the issue, even though the, but the problem was because it wasn't, you know.

Caden Nelms (21:53)

wow.

you

Alfonso Reyes (22:04)

They were fixing stuff when I started going to Fresno State. They were fixing a lot of stuff. Now everything's fixed. There's nothing blocked. It used to be blocked and that made traffic a lot harder because every parking lot's open now. Now it's like, I don't need it but...

Caden Nelms (22:19)

Yeah.

Alfonso Reyes (22:23)

But if I ever go for something, know, it's because I already reached out to be a guest speaker. say next semester could be. yeah, hopefully they're not doing anything, so I find parking.

Caden Nelms (22:36)

That's the big, that is, you can ask anybody that goes to the university I went to, disabled or not, parking is the biggest like opt to every student in the world on that campus. Cause it's a small campus, but like they keep growing and growing, but they're not growing the parking lot to go with it, you know?

Alfonso Reyes (22:41)

Yeah.

That's This is sick.

Yeah, honestly,

in my case, there's not enough parking. We have where they do events, concerts, stuff next to it. So I'm like, that parking is over there. But nobody wants to park there. It's like you have to walk across all the way from where we have the, where they play basketball, college basketball and stuff, volleyball. From there, you have to walk all the way to campus. mean, nobody's going to park there.

Caden Nelms (23:08)

Yeah.

Same hours, I mean it's technically all the same campus, but it's kind of further back and if you're parking there, you're walking a little bit down a hill.

Alfonso Reyes (23:27)

session.

Yeah, I seen a few

walking, something like, maybe, but they're like, there's still time probably in their class, you know, they have time to make it, but for me it's like, I know, I could have had to go all the way around since they were constructing, and there's something like that.

Caden Nelms (23:38)

Yeah.

did you have a caregiver or your parent stay with you on campus all

Alfonso Reyes (23:52)

My mom would stay all day, but sometimes she had to do her own thing, know grocery shops And we always try to make it work, know But it was the restroom that she stayed because obviously they were like, I know it can't we don't provide that so Whereas was something like we didn't know so she always stayed there But when we went to the university that was a lot further, you know It was a lot of days were a lot longer than when I was on community college So that's why I ended up not you know

Caden Nelms (24:13)

Yeah.

Alfonso Reyes (24:22)

graduating I was three semesters away and that's why I decided not to continue going because I was like you know this is one or two four then you know what if you don't make it and you obviously and you use the restroom and stuff

Caden Nelms (24:35)

Yeah, it's a that was always my biggest one of my biggest struggles was, course, they don't provide individuals to do, you know, assist with especially bathroom. But, you know, really anything. But I my college was 20 ish minutes away from my house, depending how fast you driving. ⁓ And so we would. Yeah, my mom would drop me off typically. then luckily, the area it's in

Alfonso Reyes (24:46)

This is...

Yeah.

Caden Nelms (25:05)

My parents have to go a lot for work occasionally. And so if one of them was near, they could come back by and take me to the restroom, but not always. And so it was, I had to, I call it pee Math. You had to balance how much you drink so you don't have to use the bathroom too much until they get back. And then ⁓ the school basically said, you know, we can't provide anyone, but if you have a friend that wants to do it, I mean, you're in college, you can do whatever you want.

Alfonso Reyes (25:22)

Yeah,

Caden Nelms (25:33)

I was like, well, I don't really have it for now. want to do that now at the moment. So I was, it really was a constant like holding or waiting or not drinking this or planning my day around when I need to use the bathroom or when my parents were coming back to pick me up, you know, which takes a toll on you. But I mean, whoo, that was, that was a, that was a fun one. But ⁓ yeah. And I, what I did was

Alfonso Reyes (25:34)

Alright. Alright.

Yeah, right.

Mm-hmm. Totally get that feel. Right.

I'm

Caden Nelms (26:03)

my mom would stay, especially early, like freshman, sophomore year, my mom would stay ⁓ for my first couple weeks until I found somebody in the classroom that I got along with that could help me or didn't mind helped me. And I'm, like I said, especially then, very shy. I did not want to ask for help. have a lot of, you know, whatever ⁓ needs getting stuff out and situated. So it really was finding someone, cause I mean,

Alfonso Reyes (26:15)

Right.

Mm-hmm. Right.

Caden Nelms (26:31)

My parents own their own business. My mom had to go help dad with whatever. ⁓ And so she couldn't be there all the time. And then she has grandkids and everything else. ⁓ So it did. It was finding someone that could help. And luckily I had a core set of friends that ended up helping me. And by the time we're older, we're all in the same degree. So we were in the same classes. ⁓ So I was very fortunate, but that's a hard one that it's...

Alfonso Reyes (26:36)

Right.

Yes, sir.

Caden Nelms (27:00)

The college and school doesn't provide someone, which makes sense to me, but also your insurance and the government doesn't want to help either. So it's like a constant, or they're really strict, so it's a constant battle of, you know, like they want.

Alfonso Reyes (27:10)

battle.

Do I go?

Do I stop going? Or what do I do, you know?

Caden Nelms (27:18)

yet they want you to pursue and live a life and not be like they want you to succeed and have this degree and get a job and not rely on the government anymore but then they don't help you get there you know it's

Alfonso Reyes (27:28)

or it's like, I don't know which

one is, they pick outside, you know?

Caden Nelms (27:32)

It's a constant loop and that's something that I also had to learn very quickly with everything, not even just college, with everything.

Alfonso Reyes (27:39)

Alright,

yes, everything's almost the

Caden Nelms (27:41)

so transitioning from more of the college stuff, we're gonna be wrapping up soon, but I a couple more questions. What are your favorite hobbies, just in

Alfonso Reyes (27:48)

Okay.

Well, I enjoy gaming, enjoy watching sports, listening to music, obviously content creation, interviewing people. Recently, you know, I barely started that channel, because I've been doing content creation for, since 2023, since I left school, because before that I was mentally not doing that great. After I stopped going, I dealt with my own mental health stuff.

Caden Nelms (28:07)

Yeah.

Alfonso Reyes (28:19)

I went to see a therapist, I got diagnosed with isolation. Meaning like for those that don't know, isolation usually affects people with a disability or elder people because there's like no social life outside of home. I mean I knew people, I go with family, but it wasn't all the time. I always, first I tried to like game, do, you know, watch TV, watch movies, watch everything I do, but I didn't, something was just off.

until I decided to go see a therapist and they diagnosed this with isolation then you know obviously it helped. I was there for two years so it kind of helped because I was always like find something to do you know my therapist always figured like ways for me like you know I couldn't do because like there's not a lot of therapists that understand a disability but where I went they specialized with people with disabilities

Caden Nelms (28:52)

Yeah.

That's fortunate thing to have. I actually go into my first therapy appointment next month. And they're so overbooked and that I started the process in February. My first appointment is until May.

Alfonso Reyes (29:25)

interested.

Yes.

Caden Nelms (29:35)

What what are your favorite games to play because i'm a big gamer as well

Alfonso Reyes (29:40)

Well, usually I used to play Call Duty back in high school, like Black Ops 2. That was my favorite one. I mean, I tried like Modern Warfare 3 when it came out. And step up.

Caden Nelms (29:45)

same.

I did play that one a lot as

well. That and ghosts.

Alfonso Reyes (29:53)

Yeah, I only like the campaign.

Yeah, I only like the campaign mode. Cause I tried the other thing, you how you have to pay for something like, ah, no, I want it to be back like it used to be. So I'm like, I always tell my friend, like if they make black ops two for PS five, I'm going back to it. I'm coming out of retirement.

Caden Nelms (30:03)

Yeah, yeah

I was a big Call of Duty Ghosts and ⁓ Modern Warfare 3 are the two that were like my staple Call of Duty type games that I played all the time.

Alfonso Reyes (30:15)

I remember that one.

Yeah.

So I do that in GTA V. Obviously, every Grand Theft Auto was from, you know, I bought them on PS5, you know, and yeah, I'm waiting for, you know, GTA VI. Right. So I'm like, every time I see something, I'm they're kind of delayed. Then basically NBA games, Madden, college football.

Caden Nelms (30:27)

Mm-hmm.

if it doesn't get delayed 50 more times. ⁓

Yeah, my cousin plays those a lot at the house.

Alfonso Reyes (30:49)

I started making content for my gaming but now I'm like, I don't know that was just like a hobby now I'm focused more on interviewing people doing advocacy with my channel So those are the games I usually always been a PlayStation guy. I don't know what system you been on what system you play on

Caden Nelms (31:07)

I started out PlayStation 2, then 3, and then switched to Xbox One, because all my cousins had it, and so I wanted to play with them. ⁓ Cross-platform was a huge thing. And then I went from that to PC, so now I'm on PC and Switch when I'm in bed and don't want to move. I play my Switch.

Alfonso Reyes (31:11)

Sounds like me.

⁓

Right.

Yes sir.

Yeah, I'm more of a PlayStation guy. I never really into PC because I feel like I need a controller. Maybe it's just me, I'm used to a controller and stuff.

Caden Nelms (31:45)

Yeah, the good thing about that is since it is Windows, ⁓ Xbox controller, but to me, PlayStation controllers are much easier to hold with my disability than Xbox. ⁓ But also, you know.

Alfonso Reyes (31:54)

Right? Mm-hmm. I never... When

it comes to Xbox, I'm like, no, I'm confused on the X, Y buttons. I'm like, no, never mind. It's my friend's place. He has several policy. plays for Xbox. So we have cross play, you know? We only can play NBA because every other game, like, no, you have to have Xbox. I'm like, no, let's just play the one we have.

Caden Nelms (32:00)

haha

Yeah.

Yeah, I also, I do better with keyboard and mouse. I didn't use to, but now it's hard for me to hold a controller like I need to to play any games like Call of Duty or whatever. So mostly now I play a lot of just casual, cozy games, know, the Minecraft, the Stardew Valley, the Animal Crossing, know, easy stuff. Yeah, simple, cozy games.

Alfonso Reyes (32:27)

Mm-hmm.

Yeah, simple games. Yeah, not competitive stuff,

Caden Nelms (32:44)

Yeah, my

body can't, I do play Fortnite still, nobody come for me please. ⁓ But I do still play that, but other than that I don't play very many, I like a little bit of scary games occasionally if I'm playing with someone. Not by myself, but if I'm playing with someone.

Alfonso Reyes (32:52)

it.

Right. Yeah,

mostly football, like I know the plays, so it's not like I need to do a lot of movement, you know, because I watch football, I watch basketball, so kind of know the play, you know, playbook and stuff. So I know every play, so.

Caden Nelms (33:07)

Yeah.

What are your favorite sports to me watch? I'm not a sports guy personally. I've never gotten, I like watching it live, but I don't watch it on TV typically.

Alfonso Reyes (33:17)

wealth.

⁓ Since I'm in California, I'm an LA Laker fan and San Francisco Niners.

Caden Nelms (33:28)

That makes sense. That

makes sense. Like I said, if I'm live in person, whether it's just college or professional, whatever.

Alfonso Reyes (33:33)

Yeah.

Even college I've been,

yeah, I went to college all the games. Fresno State and Starrick Card play there, so he's a big figure here in Fresno.

Caden Nelms (33:49)

I

what games have I been to? I went to a Braves game. That was really fun. ⁓ I think it's just the environment, you know, it's not even, it's not the sport itself. And also,

Alfonso Reyes (33:54)

Not really a baseball fan, you know, we have a.

Yeah, I mean I ain't jump. Yeah. huh. Yeah. I

prefer it live. I've been to a Laker game. Thanks to Make-A-Wish and Niners game. Yeah.

Caden Nelms (34:10)

Yeah, also with

a wheelchair you get good perks. So you get to skip all the lines in the Braves games

Alfonso Reyes (34:14)

All right, so I always put, I'm

always like, I want the same seat for the Niner, because I already know which seat it is. I'm like, this is perfect, but there's nobody in the aisle, everything's perfect. The bar is behind me, so I'm like, Yeah. Mm-hmm. You're right.

Caden Nelms (34:28)

Yeah, there you go. Perfect. Yeah, that's how it was for us. The pizza and the bar was right behind us and we get to skip any

line. ⁓ But also like I always joke around and say if I'm going to be in a wheelchair, I'm going to use it to my advantage when I can. And I will be using the line skip. I will be going into a concert first. I will be, you know, whatever, get parking. I will be doing all of that because I'm a big concert guy.

Alfonso Reyes (34:45)

Thank you.

Right might as well use

Caden Nelms (34:55)

know, it is.

Alfonso Reyes (34:55)

It's different atmosphere live. I prefer it live.

You see everything that happens on TV like those commercials I prefer it live. So I mean I watch it on TV, but I'm like, I already experienced it live. So I know the difference, you know, for those that haven't experienced it, we're like, it's the same thing. No, it's a whole new experience. Way different, way better

Caden Nelms (35:10)

Yeah.

Now it's different.

So we're gonna be wrapping up. I do have a question. I saw that you are a big shoe guy. So what is the next pair of shoes that I should buy? Because I need to get new ones.

Alfonso Reyes (35:22)

Okay.

Yes.

Man, I have no idea right now, I used to be... Now I'm like, right now I can't think of any, cause there's so many right now coming up, but... Yeah.

Caden Nelms (35:40)

There is. I like a high top.

They work on my ankle better. They support my ankle better.

Alfonso Reyes (35:45)

Yeah, I need

to think about it honest because I can't think of one right now because honestly I've been using I always use the air Nike, sorry Anything with KD Kevin Durant shoes they fit easily for my feet So my therapist would like any Kevin Durant shoes KD shoes are perfect like for your foot. So I mean I feel like Look at those because because I did it because they're like now these fit perfectly the way your foot is, you know You won't have an issue like with

Caden Nelms (35:49)

Yeah

Okay.

Alfonso Reyes (36:15)

the garden.

Caden Nelms (36:16)

Is it

hard for you to find shoes that fit correctly and are comfortable?

Alfonso Reyes (36:21)

Yeah, honestly, yes. So I have a lot of pairs, I only use, then when I'm comfortable, I'm like, these are quicker to put on. So, I mean, people might be, he's the only, no, they saw I have a couple. I'm like, ⁓ yeah, that was gonna take a while. And sometimes, doctor appointed, I'm like, I need to put something on quick. And those are the easiest ones, Ertmeyer, Nike, even though they've been years, but they're not scratched, obviously, because I don't walk, so.

Caden Nelms (36:28)

Yeah.

Yeah,

that's the best part about buying expensive shoes. You don't mess them up. And I don't know. They're just there. They're good. I used I use Nike fly ease until they stopped making them because my insurance used to cover those with my AFO braces.

Alfonso Reyes (36:49)

Yeah.

Yeah.

huh. Yeah.

When I found out they had, then I looked at them. I'm like, it's it. Sadly, they don't make him. I'm like, I should have found out those before.

Caden Nelms (37:05)

No, I

have two pair of those and then which I still wear. But other than that, my biggest shoes I wear now is Billy shoes, because now they come with ⁓ braces and AFOs, but they're just so easy. They're stylish, they're comfortable. They're not an old person shoe in my opinion. They're trendy looking. So that's what I wear a lot. Definitely check those out.

Alfonso Reyes (37:11)

Mm-hmm.

I will. Alright.

Caden Nelms (37:34)

if you need some comfy shoes.

But yeah, so where can people find you and follow you and listen to your content? Are you doing anything special soon? What kind of stuff are you posting? When are you posting things like that?

Alfonso Reyes (37:49)

Well, I want to start off where you guys can find it on YouTube it's Muscular Dystrophy warrior But for some reason my handle didn't let me put Muscular Dystrophy warrior all together. So I just put MDW which is Muscular for MD for Dystrophy W for warrior or capital 1999 when I was the year I was born so my handle is at MDW 1999 if you guys can't find it, you know, you guys can type Muscular Dystrophy warriors, but sometimes I have

people be like no it doesn't come up until I give them the handle but my Instagram is at Muscular Dystrophy warrior that's where you guys can find all my links to all my social media you know X Twitter YouTube threads

you know, that's the easier place. I always tell people, find me on Instagram, you know, you guys can see all the links there. And right now I'm working on a competition called Entrepreneur of Impact. It's a competition where people vote. Currently, right now I'm seven. And today I think it's the last day. Tomorrow's like when the voting is gonna close. And the links are right there on Entrepreneur of Impact. you guys check my Instagram, you guys kind of see a lot of that, you know, always like keep voting you guys, you know.

I made it to the next round so it's top 15 on Thursday. So right now I'm currently 7th and right now votes are equal for 2. You vote and the votes are to be 2 times.

Caden Nelms (39:08)

Okay.

Alfonso Reyes (39:17)

more you know two votes for one you know uh you guys can vote for free 24 hours and you can donate something to a charity that helps unprivileged kids if you guys want to you know vote and you know it's like i think 10 50 dollars 50 dollar equals 50 votes but the money will go to unprivileged kids so that's all i've been working on you know and also i interview people you know if you guys anybody watching this you know watching the

Caden Nelms (39:18)

Okay.

Alfonso Reyes (39:47)

podcast you know is interesting sharing their story doesn't matter you have a disability caregiver anybody connect to the disability community or anybody in the disability community you know they have some disability or no disability but somehow connected you know my channel is always open for anybody that would like to share their story

Caden Nelms (40:07)

Perfect, and all of your links will also, and information that we talked about will be in the show notes as well. I'll make sure all that is included so you can look at it. If you need the links, in the description and on Spotify and everything, but they'll also be available on the website under show notes for this episode. ⁓ Thank you so much. Everyone, if the voting is still going on when this is posted, go check it out, go follow, and yeah.

Thank you for being here and I definitely wanna talk again soon.

Alfonso Reyes (40:39)

Yes, thank you for having me. You know, it'll be an honor to have you on my channel anytime you would like you're able to

Caden Nelms (40:46)

Yeah, absolutely,