Teacher with just two fingers says she can type faster than most people
Primary school teacher Jessica Cummings has overcome challenges after being born with just two fingers and two toes. Despite her limb difference, the 35-year-old from Foster City, San Francisco, California, can still do everyday tasks like eating, working, driving and applying makeup.
Jessica only has one finger on each hand and one toe on each foot. While she finds it hard to tie her shoe laces, zip up her jacket and use certain gym machines, she's found ways to adapt. In fact, she says she can type faster than most people with eight fingers, boasting a speed of 90 words per minute.
However, Jessica often faces unkind comments, mostly online. "I have a loving family and group of friends but when I was a teenager and got into high school, some people would absolutely just bully me and play lots of mean prank calls over the years," she shared.
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Jessica Cummings was born with a limb difference in her hands and feet (@jessishangry / CATERS NEWS)
Despite her condition, Jessica can still carry out daily tasks such as doing her makeup (@jessishangry / CATERS NEWS)"I would love to have eight fingers and two thumbs as general life would just be easier. But at the same time, I was born like this, and I don't know any other way."
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She added: "It has taught me a lot about being resilient, independent and learning to grow but mentally, it's taken its toll. I've had and dated boyfriends in the past and I'm able to hold hands."
"Anyone who knows me just forgets about my fingers. It's not like I'm putting my hands in people's faces all day, it's just once you know me, you see that I'm capable of doing everything you just don't think about it anymore."
"I just want to make sure that the children I have in my class grow up to be good adults as I never want any other child to experience the type of bullying, I had to go through as a kid."
Jessica doesn't know why she was born with only two fingers, especially since no one else in her family has the same condition. She found comfort in an online community where she learned her condition is very rare. Now, she's urging folks to be kinder when commenting on her looks online.
She revealed: "Somebody sent me a message one day telling me that I should kill myself because nobody wants to see people like you. I've also been told that people that look like me should live on a deserted island and no one would ever date me because of my hands."
Jessica regularly goes to the gym and can still use most of the equipment (@jessishangry / CATERS NEWS)
She says she can type on a keyboard quicker than most people with eight fingers (@jessishangry / CATERS NEWS)For all the latest news, politics, sports, and showbiz from the USA, go to The Mirror US
Jessica has always lived with her unique hands, so she's learned to do things her own way. Everyday tasks like driving, typing, and applying makeup are challenges she's managed to conquer without the benefit of eight fingers.
Jessica, who has a unique look and way of doing things, is proud to show off her skills at the gym. She can use almost all the equipment but says she can't use a bench press. "I'd love to be able to bench-press I'll never be able to do that as I just can't hold it. It's physically impossible," she said.
She finds some tasks tricky, like cutting certain foods or tying shoelaces, which take her longer even though she can do them. Jessica shared how she eats: "It's very difficult. I usually have to kind of rest all of the fork in my left hand, but then I have to push it down using my wrist so that way I have enough grip to hold the fork."
She added: "For the most part, I've learned special ways to do everything so that I'm able to lead a successful life."
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