The conversation usually starts like this: "I know a person in a wheelchair who..." and you fill in the blank. It can be anything from "climbed Mt. Everest" to "walked again" to "wears purple every day".
It took me years to figure out that it just didn't matter what followed the words "I know a person in a wheelchair who..."
For all that is said by people when they compare disabled people to one another, much of it is useless. That kind of talk is cheap. I'd like to have a nickel for every time I've heard this done, where people who have no clue what it's like to live with a disability do it.
I remember meeting a guy when I was newly disabled who worked for years to start his own business. He had been a quadriplegic for 15 years. He owned an RV that he used for travel in a job he loved. Everything was accessible. He was successful, happy and friendly. I was still trying to figure out how to plan my life out. When I asked him how long it took him to accomplish all that, he smiled and said "A long time. I figured out what my dreams were. I planned and- well- some of it worked out."
He spread a message that others could be successful, but he never criticized anyone who wasn't where he was at. He never held himself up as better than anyone else. He would never want to be used as "the person in the wheelchair who...", so this is not a story I'm telling for that reason. What mattered was his message of hope. I never forgot that.
Because all our dreams are different, because we all have different plans, the best gift we can all give each other is to offer encouragement, not comparisons.
I know lots of people in wheelchairs who have done lots of things. But he's my go-to guy. That says a lot.
*
This post was written as part of Blogging Against Disablism Day 2010.
Friday, April 30, 2010
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
That spot on the sidewalk
The other day a little boy from down the block was playing with his Big Wheels in front of my house. He was riding up and down the block in one spot- and I knew why.
That's the spot where a tree root has caused the sidewalk to sandwich at a rakish angle. Riding over it makes you go sideways and almost, but not quite, tip over. Fun stuff.
I know this because I use a wheelchair. That spot in the sidewalk tests out my suspension system every time. It was one of the places I went straight away when trying out demo wheelchairs, because it was an acid test to see how they would work on bad sidewalks.
His mother, aunt, friend- not sure who was with him- kept pointing up the block, trying to persuade him to move on. But that little guy screamed until he was allowed to turn back and play on that one spot.
Four times he got his way. He screamed with delight, laughed loudly, and made assorted little boy noises "bang bang oomph crash". And then, suddenly, it was silent. He rolled on down the street, but he was looking back over his shoulder.
Right at that spot on the sidewalk.
That's the spot where a tree root has caused the sidewalk to sandwich at a rakish angle. Riding over it makes you go sideways and almost, but not quite, tip over. Fun stuff.
I know this because I use a wheelchair. That spot in the sidewalk tests out my suspension system every time. It was one of the places I went straight away when trying out demo wheelchairs, because it was an acid test to see how they would work on bad sidewalks.
His mother, aunt, friend- not sure who was with him- kept pointing up the block, trying to persuade him to move on. But that little guy screamed until he was allowed to turn back and play on that one spot.
Four times he got his way. He screamed with delight, laughed loudly, and made assorted little boy noises "bang bang oomph crash". And then, suddenly, it was silent. He rolled on down the street, but he was looking back over his shoulder.
Right at that spot on the sidewalk.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
The Amputee Rap: Meet Josh Sundquist
Josh is a Paralympian, an author, a motivational speaker - and downright funny.
And here's a link to his blog and book.
Josh made this video for amputees in Haiti.
And here's a link to his blog and book.
Josh made this video for amputees in Haiti.
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Spending a moment with you
I love to read blogs.
If I have time, I like to read a few blogs in the morning. Sometimes I can't do this, because of the demands of my job. If I'm really busy, I wait and read blogs later in the day after my work is done. I like to have some quiet when I read friends' blogs, because I consider it to be a way to spend a moment with them even if they're far away.
The easiest one to explain is Wheelchair Dancer. When she is on tour, I imagine that I'm along with her group, perhaps peering from the curtains at the performances or encouraging everyone at rehearsals. She describes the hotels, the audiences , and venues, so this isn't hard to do.
I know many bloggers who write about disability topics. Some are experts and many are advocates who care deeply about our communities. Their dedication is extraordinary.
I don't read blogs just for the quality of writing, but some of my favorite bloggers are writers and poets. Although I always plan to save the writers for last, I generally read their blogs first.
It is only after I catch up on reading other blogs that I write a post for my blog. I sometimes break this rule , but always regret it. If I write before I read, I feel as if I'm being rude- almost as if I met someone on a walk, we were catching up on things and I interrupted him as he was trying to explain how he was doing.
It is that respectful listening that has been key to the joy of writing and reading blogs. Terri writes about how comments left on a piece almost shouted "Just shut up!" to the writer.
I've certainly experienced that, where people have tried to pressure me to change what I say or how I say it or not to say it at all. Speaking up about my perspective and allowing readers to do that is a necessary transition in a society where the nondisabled perspective is the predominant one.
If you live with a disability, I encourage you to speak up about your experiences. Make a YouTube video, start a blog, participate in a message board. And let me know about it.
I look forward to spending a moment with you.
If I have time, I like to read a few blogs in the morning. Sometimes I can't do this, because of the demands of my job. If I'm really busy, I wait and read blogs later in the day after my work is done. I like to have some quiet when I read friends' blogs, because I consider it to be a way to spend a moment with them even if they're far away.
The easiest one to explain is Wheelchair Dancer. When she is on tour, I imagine that I'm along with her group, perhaps peering from the curtains at the performances or encouraging everyone at rehearsals. She describes the hotels, the audiences , and venues, so this isn't hard to do.
I know many bloggers who write about disability topics. Some are experts and many are advocates who care deeply about our communities. Their dedication is extraordinary.
I don't read blogs just for the quality of writing, but some of my favorite bloggers are writers and poets. Although I always plan to save the writers for last, I generally read their blogs first.
It is only after I catch up on reading other blogs that I write a post for my blog. I sometimes break this rule , but always regret it. If I write before I read, I feel as if I'm being rude- almost as if I met someone on a walk, we were catching up on things and I interrupted him as he was trying to explain how he was doing.
It is that respectful listening that has been key to the joy of writing and reading blogs. Terri writes about how comments left on a piece almost shouted "Just shut up!" to the writer.
I've certainly experienced that, where people have tried to pressure me to change what I say or how I say it or not to say it at all. Speaking up about my perspective and allowing readers to do that is a necessary transition in a society where the nondisabled perspective is the predominant one.
If you live with a disability, I encourage you to speak up about your experiences. Make a YouTube video, start a blog, participate in a message board. And let me know about it.
I look forward to spending a moment with you.
Friday, April 23, 2010
Mark E. Smith Keynote Excerpt VocRehab Conference
Mark talks about self-actualization in this video that touches on his own life experiences.
Mark's informative site Wheelchair Junkie can be found here.
Mark's informative site Wheelchair Junkie can be found here.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Transfer: power chair to manual chair to power chair
This video does a great job showing how a person transfers and how the equipment affects that - various heights, armrests and footrests that have to be moved, etc.
It also dispels the myth that anyone is wheelchair bound. :)
It also dispels the myth that anyone is wheelchair bound. :)
Monday, April 19, 2010
Hear ye hear ye: Blogging Against Disablism Day is May 1, 2010
Blogging Against Disablism Day is May 1, 2010 and is held over at the blog Diary of a Goldfish, who writes:
This is the day where all around the world, disabled and non-disabled people will blog about their experiences, observations and thoughts about disability discrimination. In this way, we hope to raise awareness of inequality, promote equality and celebrate the progress we've made.
How to take part.
1. Post a comment [over at Diary of a Goldfish] to say you intend to join in. I will then add you to the list of participants on the sidebar of this blog. Everyone is welcome.
2. Spread the word by linking to [Diary of a Goldfish], displaying our banner and/ or telling everyone about it. The entire success of Blogging Against Disablism Day depends entirely on bloggers telling other bloggers and readers in advance.
3. Write a post on the subject of disability discrimination, disablism or ableism and publish it on May 1st - or as close as you are able. Podcasts, videocasts and on-line art are also welcome. You can cover any subject, specific or general, personal, social or political. In the previous three BADD, folks have written about all manner of subjects, from discrimination in education and employment, through health care, parenting, family life and relationships, as well as the interaction of disablism with racism and sexism. Every year I have been asked, so it's worth saying; the discrimination experienced by people with mental ill health is disablism, so naturally such posts are welcome too.
You can see the archives for previous years here: 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009.
Blogging Against Disablism Day is not a carnival of previously published material. The point about doing this around one day is that it is a communal effort and all the posts connect to one another. You can of course use your own post to promote other things you've written as you wish.
4. Come back to Diary of a Goldfish on the day to let everyone know that you've posted and to check out what other people have written. I shall post links to everyone's posts (slowly) throughout the day, creating an archive. However, I do need you to comment and leave the URL of your post or else I shan't find your post and won't be able to link to it.
Please join in!
Top Ten Things That Annoy People in Wheelchairs
In a recent poll done by the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, wheelchair users were asked :
What do family, friends, and strangers do to you when you are using your chair that annoys you?
Here are their answers:
Patting me on my head. Don't. (I do my hair every morning.) 4.9%
Speaking slowly to me because I'm in a wheelchair. 3.2%
Being asked, "So if I shot you in the leg, you wouldn't feel it?" 0.9%
Not inviting me to an event because you are protecting me from some frustration. (Let me figure it out.) 4.8%
Able-bodied people parking in handicapped spaces. (So what if you have the tag!) 38.6%
Holding onto the back of my chair so I can't move. 4.2%
Talking over my head as if I'm not here. 8.3%
Accessible bathroom stalls being used by an able-bodied person. 12.7%
Congratulating me for things like going to the grocery store like it's worthy of an Olympic medal. .2%
Strangers asking what happened to me. 5.3%
Continuing to insist on helping me after I've said no thanks. 8.4%
Being asked if you want a shopping cart for your grocery bags. (How can I wheel my chair and push a shopping cart?) 0.3%
A restaurant hostess asking if I want a booth. 2.2%
After using a wheelchair for 17 years, I've experienced each of these things- more than once - and some of them on a fairly frequent basis. And although I've learned to handle some of these with humor or assertiveness skills ( e.g., when someone talks over my head, I immediately speak up to reinsert myself into the conversation), it's great to see a survey like this that can help people understand a wheelchair user's point of view.
What do family, friends, and strangers do to you when you are using your chair that annoys you?
Here are their answers:
Patting me on my head. Don't. (I do my hair every morning.) 4.9%
Speaking slowly to me because I'm in a wheelchair. 3.2%
Being asked, "So if I shot you in the leg, you wouldn't feel it?" 0.9%
Not inviting me to an event because you are protecting me from some frustration. (Let me figure it out.) 4.8%
Able-bodied people parking in handicapped spaces. (So what if you have the tag!) 38.6%
Holding onto the back of my chair so I can't move. 4.2%
Talking over my head as if I'm not here. 8.3%
Accessible bathroom stalls being used by an able-bodied person. 12.7%
Congratulating me for things like going to the grocery store like it's worthy of an Olympic medal. .2%
Strangers asking what happened to me. 5.3%
Continuing to insist on helping me after I've said no thanks. 8.4%
Being asked if you want a shopping cart for your grocery bags. (How can I wheel my chair and push a shopping cart?) 0.3%
A restaurant hostess asking if I want a booth. 2.2%
After using a wheelchair for 17 years, I've experienced each of these things- more than once - and some of them on a fairly frequent basis. And although I've learned to handle some of these with humor or assertiveness skills ( e.g., when someone talks over my head, I immediately speak up to reinsert myself into the conversation), it's great to see a survey like this that can help people understand a wheelchair user's point of view.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Praying in Gardens : a poem
Dear Mother Earth
the rain cannot should not be hail now
not in April when early coral bells silently struggle to bloom.
Tiny rosebuds peek out
from weedy coils wrapped round
dirty fingernails,
as thorns draw blood
from flesh
-oh where did I put the garden gloves-
a prickly rose red with blood now
crowns the garden
A reminder that
He whose Life was not cut short
His spirit being eternally begotten
taught us to pray in gardens
The Dove of Peace
I found this dove flying over at More Meredith Gould via Blue Eyed Ennis.The Dove of Peace flies from site to site and through as many countries as possible. Please help it continue its healing journey and pass it on. Just right-click the image, save, and then place it on your website or send it to a friend.
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Oh grasshopper! To achieve balance, you must get the right angle
Achieving balance in my world usually comes down to angles. With limited grip and grasp, I often feel like a juggler in my kitchen. It's become second-nature to me to think of angles whenever I try to pick something up.
Gravity is my friend if I use it correctly. For example, my helpers leave sandwiches on paper plates with foil wrapped over them in the refrigerator. My mission, if I choose to accept it, is to find a way to get the plate out without spilling the contents. The foil covering allows me leeway to angle the plate this way or that and protection if I misjudge and it all falls on the floor.
Of course in that case, Rule Number 3 of living with a cat applies: if it hits the floor (and especially if it glints like foil), you can't blame a cat for assuming it's a toy.
But if I angle the plate correctly with my arm , the plate sails right into my lap.
Now that's balance.
The physics of this is not the most challenging kind of balance in my life, however.
Half-open containers of yogurt or applesauce are a much better test, as are mugs of juice or diet root beer. I think some day doing a slow motion video of me angling some of these things into my lap would be cool. I cheat- I use a tray to catch spillage, but let me tell you it can leave a pretty spectacular trail.
I do miss, but not too often. I had lots of practice juggling tennis balls in the crook of my elbows when I played wheelchair tennis, which is where I learned to not think about what I couldn't do, but figure out ways to do what everyone told me I couldn't or shouldn't be able to do. Since I couldn't grab tennis balls off the ground, ball kids or other players would toss them toward me during a match. I'd catch them on my tennis racket. The balls would just roll down my arm and -yep- I angled them into my lap.
By the way, I think tennis equipment should come standard in all kitchens. If you duct tape a tennis racket on, you could use it to serve a pizza too. Just make sure you get the angle right.
Gravity is my friend if I use it correctly. For example, my helpers leave sandwiches on paper plates with foil wrapped over them in the refrigerator. My mission, if I choose to accept it, is to find a way to get the plate out without spilling the contents. The foil covering allows me leeway to angle the plate this way or that and protection if I misjudge and it all falls on the floor.
Of course in that case, Rule Number 3 of living with a cat applies: if it hits the floor (and especially if it glints like foil), you can't blame a cat for assuming it's a toy.
But if I angle the plate correctly with my arm , the plate sails right into my lap.
Now that's balance.
The physics of this is not the most challenging kind of balance in my life, however.
Half-open containers of yogurt or applesauce are a much better test, as are mugs of juice or diet root beer. I think some day doing a slow motion video of me angling some of these things into my lap would be cool. I cheat- I use a tray to catch spillage, but let me tell you it can leave a pretty spectacular trail.
I do miss, but not too often. I had lots of practice juggling tennis balls in the crook of my elbows when I played wheelchair tennis, which is where I learned to not think about what I couldn't do, but figure out ways to do what everyone told me I couldn't or shouldn't be able to do. Since I couldn't grab tennis balls off the ground, ball kids or other players would toss them toward me during a match. I'd catch them on my tennis racket. The balls would just roll down my arm and -yep- I angled them into my lap.
By the way, I think tennis equipment should come standard in all kitchens. If you duct tape a tennis racket on, you could use it to serve a pizza too. Just make sure you get the angle right.
Friday, April 16, 2010
Healthcare, quadriplegics and issues for the future
Dr. Alan Pitt wrote about his experiences with his quadriplegic mother's care in a piece that addressed her immediate care after her riding accident as well as her long term care.
It's an excellent article. Among other things, Dr. Pitt talks about the long term needs of quadriplegics and "replacing the shoebox" regarding care issues - how the use of technology to replace all those bits and pieces of the patient's record carried around to physician after physician is necessary for better care.
Interestingly enough, Dr. Pitt writes about how he tried to get training in voice recognition for his mother, who is a college professor, when she was in rehab. He mentioned how important it is to have access to voice recognition (and training) after an injury so someone can resume their occupation and everyday tasks as soon as possible. he even mentioned that voice recognition should be totally hands-free. I second that vote. I can't tell you how many people I've met- young people in their 20s and 30s-, who struggled with voice recognition, and that delayed their reentry into the workforce or became a barrier they couldn't overcome.
Ironically, although I really wanted to write more about this article, I just spent three hours fixing a problem on my computer with my voice-recognition. It's not an issue that would take most people three hours to fix. But because it required me to use an assistive device, it took me much longer. Hands-free- I'll vote for that. When situations like this morning occur, I can't help but wonder why there isn't free remote help -some kind of handsfree solution- for those of us who are disabled if the software comes with a list of possible glitches that are pages long. If there are any resources out there offering remote assistance that you know of, please share them.
Anyway, I encourage you to take a look at Dr. Pitt's excellent article that I linked to above.
It's an excellent article. Among other things, Dr. Pitt talks about the long term needs of quadriplegics and "replacing the shoebox" regarding care issues - how the use of technology to replace all those bits and pieces of the patient's record carried around to physician after physician is necessary for better care.
Interestingly enough, Dr. Pitt writes about how he tried to get training in voice recognition for his mother, who is a college professor, when she was in rehab. He mentioned how important it is to have access to voice recognition (and training) after an injury so someone can resume their occupation and everyday tasks as soon as possible. he even mentioned that voice recognition should be totally hands-free. I second that vote. I can't tell you how many people I've met- young people in their 20s and 30s-, who struggled with voice recognition, and that delayed their reentry into the workforce or became a barrier they couldn't overcome.
Ironically, although I really wanted to write more about this article, I just spent three hours fixing a problem on my computer with my voice-recognition. It's not an issue that would take most people three hours to fix. But because it required me to use an assistive device, it took me much longer. Hands-free- I'll vote for that. When situations like this morning occur, I can't help but wonder why there isn't free remote help -some kind of handsfree solution- for those of us who are disabled if the software comes with a list of possible glitches that are pages long. If there are any resources out there offering remote assistance that you know of, please share them.
Anyway, I encourage you to take a look at Dr. Pitt's excellent article that I linked to above.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
SCI PEERS- Video Interviews
SCI-PEERS offers a series of video interviews done by people with spinal cord injuries so those with a spinal cord injury can learn about others living with a spinal cord injury.
There are a number of excellent videos to watch. (I had trouble picking which one to post!) If you have recently acquired a spinal cord injury, I recommend watching Tamara's video called Chat for New Patients.
In the video below, Tamara talks about her car accident, the loss of her boyfriend, her adjustment to her spinal cord injury, going to college, and her ambitions.
via YouTube:
Tamara Mena, who has a T2/T3 spinal cord injury, talks about her life since leaving Mexico at age 13. Her story about her ambitions, her accident, and her relationships are presented. see http://sci-peers.org/peers
There are a number of excellent videos to watch. (I had trouble picking which one to post!) If you have recently acquired a spinal cord injury, I recommend watching Tamara's video called Chat for New Patients.
In the video below, Tamara talks about her car accident, the loss of her boyfriend, her adjustment to her spinal cord injury, going to college, and her ambitions.
via YouTube:
Tamara Mena, who has a T2/T3 spinal cord injury, talks about her life since leaving Mexico at age 13. Her story about her ambitions, her accident, and her relationships are presented. see http://sci-peers.org/peers
Monday, April 12, 2010
Grommet Island: Beach Park & Playground for EveryBODY
Grommet Island Park in Virginia Beach, the first accessible beach park and playground in the country, will have its Grand Opening on May 22, 2010 at 1:30 p.m.
via its site:
JT’s Grommet Island Beach Park and Playground For EveryBODY will be the first of its kind in America. The idea was born when Josh Thompson’s family wanted to go to the beach, but he stayed behind because of the difficulty of getting his wheelchair to the beach, across the sand and down to the surf. They wondered how many more people never got to the beach for the same reason. The park idea was born. Bruce Thompson, Josh’s dad, took the idea of a 100% handicap accessible oceanfront park to the City of Virginia Beach where it was embraced with enthusiasm. Land has been allocated and plans are underway. Josh and everyone else with disability will have their day at the beach with your help.
This video shows a diagram of the park.
via its site:
JT’s Grommet Island Beach Park and Playground For EveryBODY will be the first of its kind in America. The idea was born when Josh Thompson’s family wanted to go to the beach, but he stayed behind because of the difficulty of getting his wheelchair to the beach, across the sand and down to the surf. They wondered how many more people never got to the beach for the same reason. The park idea was born. Bruce Thompson, Josh’s dad, took the idea of a 100% handicap accessible oceanfront park to the City of Virginia Beach where it was embraced with enthusiasm. Land has been allocated and plans are underway. Josh and everyone else with disability will have their day at the beach with your help.
This video shows a diagram of the park.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Camps for kids who use communication devices
via YouTube:
The Advancing Adventures in Communicating Camp offers a rare opportunity for children who use communication devices & their parents to meet many other children who use Alternative or Augmentative Communication devices. The Camp provides them with a safe & fun environment in which they can learn through one on one instruction, interact socially with supportive and understanding counselors and peers, and be accepted and treated with respect; all while having the time of their lives. For more information, please contact Anne Kuhlmeier, CCC-SLP-ATP at akuhlmeier@ierh.org. Our website is coming soon! The camp is primarily Sponsored by St. Luke's Idaho Elks Rehabilitation Services and Idaho State University and is run by well trained volunteers who are Speech-Language Pathologists & Graduate Students in Communication Sciences & Disorders.
For a list of more AAC camps, please go here.
The Advancing Adventures in Communicating Camp offers a rare opportunity for children who use communication devices & their parents to meet many other children who use Alternative or Augmentative Communication devices. The Camp provides them with a safe & fun environment in which they can learn through one on one instruction, interact socially with supportive and understanding counselors and peers, and be accepted and treated with respect; all while having the time of their lives. For more information, please contact Anne Kuhlmeier, CCC-SLP-ATP at akuhlmeier@ierh.org. Our website is coming soon! The camp is primarily Sponsored by St. Luke's Idaho Elks Rehabilitation Services and Idaho State University and is run by well trained volunteers who are Speech-Language Pathologists & Graduate Students in Communication Sciences & Disorders.
For a list of more AAC camps, please go here.
Friday, April 9, 2010
Morgan's Wonderland, Large Theme Park for People with Disabilities, Opens Tomorrow
A father's wish to provide a place for people with disabilities to play, "where the words 'couldn't', 'shouldn't' and 'can't' weren't part of the vocabulary", has resulted in the creation of the first large theme park in San Antonio for people with disabilities.
Morgan's Wonderland is free for people with disabilities. Caregivers or family members pay $5. To read an article about the opening, please go here.
You can visit the park's site here. Reservations are required.
Morgan's Wonderland is free for people with disabilities. Caregivers or family members pay $5. To read an article about the opening, please go here.
You can visit the park's site here. Reservations are required.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Adaptive Sports: Who's Helping Who?
[cross-posted over at We Push Sports]
At the first wheelchair tennis tournament I went to years ago, I recall having a conversation with four or five other wheelchair users and one standing nondisabled volunteer.
The nondisabled standing person eventually sat down to join us. She told me later that she felt "left out" and was "missing what was said".
Over the course of the weekend, I began to notice how many of the nondisabled volunteers began to sit down in our empty wheelchairs (we brought two- a sports wheelchair and an everyday wheelchair) when they hung out with us. By Sunday, many of the volunteers were sacked out in someone's wheelchair part of the time and sometimes rolled around to retrieve items.
Other volunteers would sometimes tease them, saying "You can walk!" But, amidst the good-natured teasing, there was a real shift over the course of a few days about who was sitting where and how they were doing things. This carried over to moments when wheelchair athletes waited on volunteers who were too tired to go get something to eat.
"I'm sore," they would say.
"All that standing and walking," we'd reply, winking at each other. "Just not a good way to get around. Not very efficient."
Of course at the end of the weekend, the volunteers did stand up and walk to their cars. We rolled onto vans or loaded wheelchairs and transferred into our cars. I suppose, to the naked eye, it appeared that nothing had changed.
But I know better. Out of those experiences grew friendships and relationships - even marriages- that otherwise would never have been. People met whose paths wouldn't have crossed and the intersections between sometimes very different worlds became grayer and more permeable.
Volunteers told us about invisible disabilities they had. Over the years we watched as some went through family or health crises and began to wonder who was there to help who.
There was no clear answer to that question. It seems to me now, looking back on those experiences, that I learned that pretty quickly. The dyslexic teenager who was a ball kid for four years came to me and said helping out changed his life. "Whenever you miss a ball, you always say "Need more duct tape," he told me "And after I saw a quadriplegic play tennis, I figured I can get to college the same way. I just adapt."
We both smiled. Every now and then I get an email with just the words 'Duct Tape' from him.
So if anyone out there is hesitating about trying adaptive sports because you might need "help" - think again. Some volunteer just might need you to show up.
At the first wheelchair tennis tournament I went to years ago, I recall having a conversation with four or five other wheelchair users and one standing nondisabled volunteer.
The nondisabled standing person eventually sat down to join us. She told me later that she felt "left out" and was "missing what was said".
Over the course of the weekend, I began to notice how many of the nondisabled volunteers began to sit down in our empty wheelchairs (we brought two- a sports wheelchair and an everyday wheelchair) when they hung out with us. By Sunday, many of the volunteers were sacked out in someone's wheelchair part of the time and sometimes rolled around to retrieve items.
Other volunteers would sometimes tease them, saying "You can walk!" But, amidst the good-natured teasing, there was a real shift over the course of a few days about who was sitting where and how they were doing things. This carried over to moments when wheelchair athletes waited on volunteers who were too tired to go get something to eat.
"I'm sore," they would say.
"All that standing and walking," we'd reply, winking at each other. "Just not a good way to get around. Not very efficient."
Of course at the end of the weekend, the volunteers did stand up and walk to their cars. We rolled onto vans or loaded wheelchairs and transferred into our cars. I suppose, to the naked eye, it appeared that nothing had changed.
But I know better. Out of those experiences grew friendships and relationships - even marriages- that otherwise would never have been. People met whose paths wouldn't have crossed and the intersections between sometimes very different worlds became grayer and more permeable.
Volunteers told us about invisible disabilities they had. Over the years we watched as some went through family or health crises and began to wonder who was there to help who.
There was no clear answer to that question. It seems to me now, looking back on those experiences, that I learned that pretty quickly. The dyslexic teenager who was a ball kid for four years came to me and said helping out changed his life. "Whenever you miss a ball, you always say "Need more duct tape," he told me "And after I saw a quadriplegic play tennis, I figured I can get to college the same way. I just adapt."
We both smiled. Every now and then I get an email with just the words 'Duct Tape' from him.
So if anyone out there is hesitating about trying adaptive sports because you might need "help" - think again. Some volunteer just might need you to show up.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Advocates: Elder abuse allegations need police investigation
Nursing home advocates are citing examples of cases that fell between the cracks for years as examples of why the present system of handling elder abuse allegations requires change in Texas.
Their primary concern is the lack of police investigation when an allegation of elder abuse is made. The lack of coordination has resulted in cases lingering for years in the system. It also appears that the classification used for cases may fail to offer sufficient protection.
Currently, elder abuse allegations are handled by an agency unless found to be serious. If a case is then considered "priority one", a joint investigation is done with local police. However, a case where a nursing aide witnessed a co-worker grab a resident from his wheelchair, slamming him into bed was deemed a priority two case. Police were called, but there was a lack of followup with statements. Although priority two cases are supposed to receive a response within 14 days, only one third presently do.
This is an egregious situation, considering that vulnerable nursing home residents remain in the same setting without any guarantee of outside help or intervention in the present system.
The advocacy group said it favors joint investigations for all abuse and neglect allegations, but such efforts could face questions about the costs and increased workload on law enforcement.
Beth Ferris of Austin, also with the nursing home advocacy group, said state law should be changed to require elder abuse training for law officers.
via dallasnews.com
Their primary concern is the lack of police investigation when an allegation of elder abuse is made. The lack of coordination has resulted in cases lingering for years in the system. It also appears that the classification used for cases may fail to offer sufficient protection.
Currently, elder abuse allegations are handled by an agency unless found to be serious. If a case is then considered "priority one", a joint investigation is done with local police. However, a case where a nursing aide witnessed a co-worker grab a resident from his wheelchair, slamming him into bed was deemed a priority two case. Police were called, but there was a lack of followup with statements. Although priority two cases are supposed to receive a response within 14 days, only one third presently do.
This is an egregious situation, considering that vulnerable nursing home residents remain in the same setting without any guarantee of outside help or intervention in the present system.
The advocacy group said it favors joint investigations for all abuse and neglect allegations, but such efforts could face questions about the costs and increased workload on law enforcement.
Beth Ferris of Austin, also with the nursing home advocacy group, said state law should be changed to require elder abuse training for law officers.
via dallasnews.com
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Happy Easter : Online Mass at 10 am
Wishing everyone a Happy Easter.
If you wish to attend Mass online, a 10 a.m. Mass is available here.
I'd like to share this post with you via From a Pastor's Heart called It's About an Empty Tomb.
Hallelujah!
If you wish to attend Mass online, a 10 a.m. Mass is available here.
I'd like to share this post with you via From a Pastor's Heart called It's About an Empty Tomb.
Hallelujah!
Saturday, April 3, 2010
SPIRIT & PRIDE: Re-Imagining Disability In Jewish and Christian Communities
SPIRIT & PRIDE: RE-IMAGINING DISABILITY IN JEWISH AND CHRISTIAN COMMUNITIES
June 8-10, 2010 at the Leaven Center in Lyons, Michigan
Spirit and pride are powerful forces in the disability rights movement and in the lives of many people with disabilities –– calling forth a radical wholeness and a passion for justice. All too often, however, theological traditions of pity and charity shape how Christian and Jewish communities treat people with disabilities. There are prayers for healing that aim to “make whole the broken,” scriptural passages that describe disabled people as “blemished,” and religious images that depict disability as spiritual deficiency: “I once was blind, but now I see.”
Yet religious communities can provide powerful resources in the struggle for a more inclusive and just society. Bringing together theology and activism, Spirit & Pride invites disability activists, students, members of congregations, clergy, and others to a three-day process of self-reflection, study, and dialogue. Spirit & Pride draws upon ancient and emerging traditions of liberation to help participants become more effective catalysts for change where they live, work, and worship.
Enrollment in Spirit & Pride is limited to 25 people to make in-depth conversation possible. Whenever possible, we encourage participants to attend in teams from congregations or organizations.
During these three days, there will be time for personal reflection, journaling or creative writing, text study, and small group conversations. We will draw upon poetry, music, videos, case studies, and stories that re-imagine disability in ways that are liberating for people with disabilities. Together we will explore:
• interpretations of disability in Christian and Jewish traditions, practices, and sacred texts.
• the histories and cultures of people with disabilities and the disability rights movement.
• the writings of Jewish and Christian scholars, theologians, and spiritual mentors with disabilities.
• how individuals, congregations, and community organizations can work together to challenge ableism and enhance justice for people with disabilities.
LEADERS: Rabbi Julia Watts Belser and Rev. Melanie S. Morrison
DATE: June 8-10, 2010
TIME: Tuesday, 9:30 am to Thursday, 4:30 pm
LOCATION: The Leaven Center near Lyons, Michigan (www.leaven.org) The main floor of the Lodge and Guest House are barrier-free.
COST: $190. Cost includes program, materials, lodging, and meals. Partial scholarships available.
TO REGISTER: http://www.leaven.org/upcoming.htm#spirit
Julia Watts Belser is a rabbi, scholar, activist, and anti-oppression educator with a passion for racial justice and disability rights. She holds a Ph.D. in Jewish Studies from the University of California, Berkeley and the Graduate Theological Union, and she is Assistant Professor of Judaism in the Religious Studies Department at Missouri State University, in Springfield Missouri. She co-authored A Health Handbook for Women with Disabilities, published by Hesperian Foundation and distributed to grassroots groups and health workers around the world. Her articles, workshops, and lectures address disability rights, feminist theology, and Jewish thought.
Melanie Morrison is a pastor, Executive Director of Allies for Change, and an anti-oppression educator who is passionate about working with individuals and organizations to better understand the connections between racism, sexism, ableism, and heterosexism. Ordained in 1978 to ministry in the United Church of Christ, Melanie has served three congregations. As an ally, she is committed to learning from, and joining with, colleagues and friends with disabilities who struggle for a more accessible and inclusive world. She holds a Ph.D. in theology from the University of Groningen and is the author of three books including The Grace of Coming Home: Spirituality, Sexuality, and the Struggle for Justice.
FOR INFORMATION about Spirit & Pride or about partial scholarships, contact Melanie Morrison by email: melaniemorrison@alliesforchange.org or call 989-855-2277.
BROCHURES for Spirit & Pride can downloaded from the Leaven Center website: http://www.leaven.org/upcoming.htm#spirit
June 8-10, 2010 at the Leaven Center in Lyons, Michigan
Spirit and pride are powerful forces in the disability rights movement and in the lives of many people with disabilities –– calling forth a radical wholeness and a passion for justice. All too often, however, theological traditions of pity and charity shape how Christian and Jewish communities treat people with disabilities. There are prayers for healing that aim to “make whole the broken,” scriptural passages that describe disabled people as “blemished,” and religious images that depict disability as spiritual deficiency: “I once was blind, but now I see.”
Yet religious communities can provide powerful resources in the struggle for a more inclusive and just society. Bringing together theology and activism, Spirit & Pride invites disability activists, students, members of congregations, clergy, and others to a three-day process of self-reflection, study, and dialogue. Spirit & Pride draws upon ancient and emerging traditions of liberation to help participants become more effective catalysts for change where they live, work, and worship.
Enrollment in Spirit & Pride is limited to 25 people to make in-depth conversation possible. Whenever possible, we encourage participants to attend in teams from congregations or organizations.
During these three days, there will be time for personal reflection, journaling or creative writing, text study, and small group conversations. We will draw upon poetry, music, videos, case studies, and stories that re-imagine disability in ways that are liberating for people with disabilities. Together we will explore:
• interpretations of disability in Christian and Jewish traditions, practices, and sacred texts.
• the histories and cultures of people with disabilities and the disability rights movement.
• the writings of Jewish and Christian scholars, theologians, and spiritual mentors with disabilities.
• how individuals, congregations, and community organizations can work together to challenge ableism and enhance justice for people with disabilities.
LEADERS: Rabbi Julia Watts Belser and Rev. Melanie S. Morrison
DATE: June 8-10, 2010
TIME: Tuesday, 9:30 am to Thursday, 4:30 pm
LOCATION: The Leaven Center near Lyons, Michigan (www.leaven.org) The main floor of the Lodge and Guest House are barrier-free.
COST: $190. Cost includes program, materials, lodging, and meals. Partial scholarships available.
TO REGISTER: http://www.leaven.org/upcoming.htm#spirit
Julia Watts Belser is a rabbi, scholar, activist, and anti-oppression educator with a passion for racial justice and disability rights. She holds a Ph.D. in Jewish Studies from the University of California, Berkeley and the Graduate Theological Union, and she is Assistant Professor of Judaism in the Religious Studies Department at Missouri State University, in Springfield Missouri. She co-authored A Health Handbook for Women with Disabilities, published by Hesperian Foundation and distributed to grassroots groups and health workers around the world. Her articles, workshops, and lectures address disability rights, feminist theology, and Jewish thought.
Melanie Morrison is a pastor, Executive Director of Allies for Change, and an anti-oppression educator who is passionate about working with individuals and organizations to better understand the connections between racism, sexism, ableism, and heterosexism. Ordained in 1978 to ministry in the United Church of Christ, Melanie has served three congregations. As an ally, she is committed to learning from, and joining with, colleagues and friends with disabilities who struggle for a more accessible and inclusive world. She holds a Ph.D. in theology from the University of Groningen and is the author of three books including The Grace of Coming Home: Spirituality, Sexuality, and the Struggle for Justice.
FOR INFORMATION about Spirit & Pride or about partial scholarships, contact Melanie Morrison by email: melaniemorrison@alliesforchange.org or call 989-855-2277.
BROCHURES for Spirit & Pride can downloaded from the Leaven Center website: http://www.leaven.org/upcoming.htm#spirit
Friday, April 2, 2010
Speak Truth Not Ignorance: a short documentary about disability
via YouTube:
A short documentary for the University of Northern Colorado's Disability Support Services enforcing the respect and equal treatment towards disabled people. This film was featured at the UNC event Speak Truth Not Ignorance on March 30th, 2010.
A short documentary for the University of Northern Colorado's Disability Support Services enforcing the respect and equal treatment towards disabled people. This film was featured at the UNC event Speak Truth Not Ignorance on March 30th, 2010.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Getting the Special Treatment: April Fools
Years ago a friend, also a wheelchair user, and I went to Disney. We were told that they no longer allowed folks in wheelchairs to go to the front of the line on rides because people had abused that rule. Apparently some rented wheelchairs or some such thing so they could get into rides more quickly.
As a result, we found ourselves at times on steep ramps, with my friend clutching onto the railing and, because I didn't have the grip, putting her chair behind mine so I wouldn't go backwards into the folks behind us in line, who kept standing right behind us, oblivious of the effect of gravity on a wheelchair. It was both exhausting and unpleasant for both of us.
Every now and then, a youthful employee would see us on line and gesture for us to go to a flat spot in line where we could wait out an equivalent amount of time, whispering "I can tell those chairs aren't rented".
"Yeah," my friend muttered at one point. "And neither are our disabilities."
Yesterday, as I crawled into my van twice - and had to use a manual chair for a short trip- because the van accessible handicap parking was all taken, I thought about all the assumptions our society has about so called special treatment. I thought about it when I got home to discover that my power strip wasn't working and I had no lights or a way to recharge my laptop without, once again, crawling around and attaching duct tape so I could manage to plug in things until Meredith could get over.
I've determined it's rather like April Fools day, this special treatment myth. The idea that leveling the playing field by giving you a larger spot to park so you can actually get out of your car with your wheelchair is something people envy seems like a bit of a joke when you need it to get out of your car. The fact that letting someone go to a flat spot in line because the line is on a steep hill and that means clinging to a rail for life for a half hour or more otherwise is seen as a way of "getting around a rule" is, at the least, odd. (Very interesting how no one who protested us leaving the line ever found out we just waited around on flat ground the same amount of time as others, but assumed we were put in front without waiting.)
Don't get me wrong. When people go out of their way to make special accommodations, I'm grateful to them for their time and graciousness. But it's the way it's seen by others that needs to change.
Until it does, getting any special treatment will continue to have such a downside that it may outweigh its benefits. Which is why crawling carries its own dignity at times that maybe the nondisabled don't understand.
As a result, we found ourselves at times on steep ramps, with my friend clutching onto the railing and, because I didn't have the grip, putting her chair behind mine so I wouldn't go backwards into the folks behind us in line, who kept standing right behind us, oblivious of the effect of gravity on a wheelchair. It was both exhausting and unpleasant for both of us.
Every now and then, a youthful employee would see us on line and gesture for us to go to a flat spot in line where we could wait out an equivalent amount of time, whispering "I can tell those chairs aren't rented".
"Yeah," my friend muttered at one point. "And neither are our disabilities."
Yesterday, as I crawled into my van twice - and had to use a manual chair for a short trip- because the van accessible handicap parking was all taken, I thought about all the assumptions our society has about so called special treatment. I thought about it when I got home to discover that my power strip wasn't working and I had no lights or a way to recharge my laptop without, once again, crawling around and attaching duct tape so I could manage to plug in things until Meredith could get over.
I've determined it's rather like April Fools day, this special treatment myth. The idea that leveling the playing field by giving you a larger spot to park so you can actually get out of your car with your wheelchair is something people envy seems like a bit of a joke when you need it to get out of your car. The fact that letting someone go to a flat spot in line because the line is on a steep hill and that means clinging to a rail for life for a half hour or more otherwise is seen as a way of "getting around a rule" is, at the least, odd. (Very interesting how no one who protested us leaving the line ever found out we just waited around on flat ground the same amount of time as others, but assumed we were put in front without waiting.)
Don't get me wrong. When people go out of their way to make special accommodations, I'm grateful to them for their time and graciousness. But it's the way it's seen by others that needs to change.
Until it does, getting any special treatment will continue to have such a downside that it may outweigh its benefits. Which is why crawling carries its own dignity at times that maybe the nondisabled don't understand.
Annual Easter egg hunt at Montana School for Deaf and Blind Children
These little ones at the Montana School for Deaf and Blind Children are very excited by their Easter egg hunt- complete with beeping eggs in bright colors and eye catching designs to help their search.
The article, which can be found here, contains most of the script from the video.
You can read about the technology behind the beeping eggs- and where you can get them- here.
via @fredshead on Twitter
The article, which can be found here, contains most of the script from the video.
You can read about the technology behind the beeping eggs- and where you can get them- here.
via @fredshead on Twitter
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)