Differently Abled (fly your freak flag high)

[WILDCAT]

Originally Posted by SuperFemme

Thanks Jude! I'm wondering about the common theme of reclusiveness amongst us...

I cannot take large doses of people at a time. I lost the two of my five senses and cannot smell or taste. I have the hearing of a bat.

I get overwhelmed so easily now, and focused attention is difficult as is divided attention.

I find it harder and harder to get out among "people". Large groups! AUGHHHH!!!!!!! Shopping at Wal-Mart?!!!!!!! NO!!!!!!!!! Company here at home, no - not right now, please. (Although I am grateful for whoever might care, I simply do not/cannot ask for help anyway.)

I like my attention right now to be for the few I REALLY, really care about, and that is FINE with/by me! That's what I got! I simply do the best I can Super. And, I am going to be in control the best I can, by my choices - when/while I have that choice. (i.e. Why would I invite an anyone into my home when I'm not comfortable with it, or I'm not comfortable with them right now, OR... why would I go anywhere where I don't feel comfortable?) Immediate family is where I am at! And that is a stretch at times, what consitutes "family" for me. Honestly.

Our world does become smaller in a sense. But, I was wondering lately, IF the internet is more of a liability for me, or as asset (?) QUEER-WISE, it is a good thing probably - for where I live, isolated from ANY "sense" of the word/world community, as it applies to me.

I don't want to become too complacent with that however, but... I LIKE IT. (I'm also grateful that I traveled A LOT at one time, but honestly, I am missing that right now. Bereaving, for my gypsy blood...) On one hand it's good that I am fine with being alone... on another " I am a lover, nester, family person", etc... sometimes I feel like I am walking a thin line here. I have always said, that "if I jump off the path now and then throughout life, FINE! AS LONG AS I CAN SEE THE PATH, I will be OK - if and when I need to get back on. Well, right this second I'm wondering... do I really still see that path? Or am I just remembering that I had this "philosophy" (about "visualizing a path)? Hmmmmm... (?)

I am really sorry to hear about your "loss of senses". That REALLY SUCKS!!
___

I have another point I want to bring to this topic, but it's not fitting quite right here and now I don't think.

HUGS,
ME

[Semantics]

Originally Posted by SuperFemme

How do you find the gift in what others find a curse?

Every other week I spend all say at the Children's hospital in the oncology/ hematology ward with my six year old while she has her iron infusion. It's a slow drip and takes about 6 hours.

She's usually the only one with hair because all of the other children are there getting chemotherapy.

My kid may never get jokes. She may never stop toe-walking. She may have to wear peltor ear protectors to the movies into adulthood because she's terrified of loud sounds. She may grow up to work in a cubicle.

But she will grow up.

[SuperFemme]

Originally Posted by Semantics

Every other week I spend all say at the Children's hospital in the oncology/ hematology ward with my six year old while she has her iron infusion. It's a slow drip and takes about 6 hours.

She's usually the only one with hair because all of the other children are there getting chemotherapy.

My kid may never get jokes. She may never stop toe-walking. She may have to wear peltor ear protectors to the movies into adulthood because she's terrified of loud sounds. She may grow up to work in a cubicle.

But she will grow up.

Semantics, you are one HELLUVA parent...I've sat in the oncology ward getting chemo and my absolute favorite people are the children. They are so honest and open it moves me to tears. I am humbled every time.

What are peltor ear protectors? I literally had a helmet for some months as a piece of my skull was left off due to swelling. I woke from a coma paralyzed on my right side and suffered from seizures almost every day.

Today, when I get stressed I have focal seizures which my beloved can always sense coming on, and if they progress into a grand-mal hy holds me and whispers me through it. Of course I come to and deny it happened. Ha!

The understanding and support of even ONE person can change the course of a different-ability IMHO.

[WheelieStrong]

i use a powered wheelchair due to living with Cerebral Palsy, and i have weight issues.
I have both a Colostomy and a Urostomy which make me feel completely ugly but i am so much more independant since having them.. But they won't help with dating i don't think

i've recently been told i am diabetic

i have mental health issues that are acknowledged, and are similar to bipolar disorder but no one will diagnose me because i don't fit a neat little box.
i have anxiety, panic and self harm issues.

i also seem to have an addictive personality so avoid things a lot.

i have control related food issues

i do beleive that all these things have helped make me the person i am today, and i can be an incredibly nice, and even romantic person but i think i am going to be single a hell of a lot of my life

[SuperFemme]

Originally Posted by WheelieStrong

i use a powered wheelchair due to living with Cerebral Palsy, and i have weight issues.
I have both a Colostomy and a Urostomy which make me feel completely ugly but i am so much more independant since having them.. But they won't help with dating i don't think

i've recently been told i am diabetic

i have mental health issues that are acknowledged, and are similar to bipolar disorder but no one will diagnose me because i don't fit a neat little box.
i have anxiety, panic and self harm issues.

i also seem to have an addictive personality so avoid things a lot.

i have control related food issues

i do beleive that all these things have helped make me the person i am today, and i can be an incredibly nice, and even romantic person but i think i am going to be single a hell of a lot of my life

Welcome! I'm so glad you shared with us. I bet your spunk, personality, and will to live make you incredibly attractive.

Also, YAY for you for gaining more independence with the procedure you had. Again, those things do not make you un-datable. They add to the whole package.

[Canela]

Originally Posted by SuperFemme

The understanding and support of even ONE person can change the course of a different-ability IMHO.

BEAUTIFULLY STATED!

[Andrew, Jr.]

I don't have kids, but have nieces and nephews. I also have kids in my neighborhood. My nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews cover all age ranges from newborns all the way up to mid-30's.

They all know that I am different. It is very obvious for them. Let me give a good example. I went to dinner and was wearing black khaki pants with a navy belt. I thought it was black. I struggle with reading to them if they ask me for help with homework. It breaks my heart. Math is nothing short of hell. I point them to someone else for help. And my gosh, kindergardeners are being given computer classes. I can barely get on here. And these kids today have the knowledge and computer savvy - it blows my mind.

Now mind you, I can teach them how to swim, throw a football spiral spin, throw a curve ball, talk sports, smoke cigars & pipes, and all about boating.

I love kids, but am very grateful that I don't have any of my own. The support of 1 person is the difference between being 6 feet in a hole vs alive for me.

[Lady_Wu]

I have a number of autoimmune disorders. The most visible ones are MS and the damage caused to my eyes by MS. With the MS, I generally walk with a forearm cane, sometimes two if I'm in a flare. The one I use the most is decorated with flowers and butterflies and the Human Equality sign. When I'm in a store that has them, I use a motorized scooter to keep from getting utterly fatigued. Also when I'm out in the sunlight and/or a store, I wear a black patch over my right eye. If I don't, I get literally blinding pain in both eyes and a severe migraine. I'd like to get a nicely lined pink patch with lace!*smile*
People around here are known for their friendliness. But when I go out,say, grocery shopping for instance, I get DOUBLE points-one for being crippled and another for being half-blind!Amazing how friendly people turn out to be then! They TALK to me-gasp!-they offer to get things from the high shelves. They even offer to help my friend who drove me to the store carry the groceries to the car!I'm not meaning to make light of what being disabled is like. But I do try to find humour in my situation when I can. That makes bearing it much easier.
Later I'll write a post on what my diseases have taught me. This doesn't mean that I WANT to have them, or that I don't sometimes scream in frustration over my limitations now. But I HAVE learned lessons from them that I might nit have learned otherwise. But that's a different post.
Lady_Wu