A Loss of Trust
When people with disabilities are abused, it is most often done by those who provide their care. Not a pleasant thing to complicate, is it? We like to believe that caregiving is a sort of sacred profession, one that requires altruism and compassion, is seen almost as a vocation. The thought that those who are…
Identity Crisis
When I write for HealthCentral, I am called an Expert. I like the title – who wouldn’t? It’s nice being an expert, especially if it’s with a capital E. It appeals to my latent megalomania and that’s never a bad thing. Well, some people might think I’m enough of a know-it-all already, but they clearly…
Game Theory
Okay, I admit it. I’m cranky as hell. It all started with that “medical professional” to which I referred earlier this month – y’know, the one that wrecked me by not respecting my boundaries. And although I am much better than I was, the emotional fallout has been somewhat significant. It’s funny… well, not funny…
Parallel Reality
The first time I realized just how different my reality was from that of other people was several years ago when I was recounting a visit to my rheumatologist to a couple of friends. I talked about how one of the assessment tools she used in the physical exam was to press on the sides…
Do You Lose When You Gain?
A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about learning to protect myself. About finally getting it. Finally acting in accordance with my alleged intelligence and bowing out of the celebrations for International Day for People with Disabilities because if I didn’t, there was a significant risk that I would lose several months of my life…
Just Sayin’
Dear Throng of Able-Bodied People Emerging from the Elevator like a Herd of Sardines Escaping from a Tightly Packed Barrel, I have no problems with you using the elevators, really I don’t. Especially parents of children in strollers, but the rest of you who feel compelled to use an elevator despite the close proximity of…
Personal Growth
A week ago, something happened in my shoulder. I still haven’t been able to pinpoint the exact time or act that caused the calamity, but the end result was a majorly crapped out shoulder, neck and arm. Complete with buzzing in certain fingers, jolts of sharp pain in my thumb and a seized-up neck, shoulder…
International Day Celebrations
On Friday, I will be here (click to embiggen) Why don’t you join us? More information here.
Disability Time
When I go to ultrasound, I have to prepare to lose three hours of my day. The actual appointment is about 20 minutes, but when you involve WheelTrans, the parallel accessible transit system in Toronto, you need extra flexibility. Lately, they seem to have engaged in some sort of internal competition about just how much…
Everyday Hero
Thanks to everyone who left a comment in last week’s contest, three quarters of you voting for Wish Upon. Thank you also for giving me this moment of publicly telling a certain someone that I told you so. Which is not to say that I don’t like Christmas Come Again, I do – I like…
Old Game, New Name
I’ve been percolating this one for a while, trying to wrap my head around an idea, how to present it in a way it makes sense. Whether I’m quite there yet remains to be seen, but here goes… It all started with a conversation I had a while back with Dave over at Rolling around…