How has your life been affected by a disability? (Yours or someone else’s.)
What experiences have you had with disability issues? What can you add to the author’s do/don’t suggestions?
Share your thoughts with your fellow members!
Professor McColl writes extremely well and made several excellent points. For me personally, it’s approaching life with acceptance. If I take my issues as par for the course, others do as well, for the most part. And there’s so much more to life than experiencing a popped pipe!
Moltroub, I love your sense of humour. (Yes, I’m Canajan, eh, and I spell funny.)
My disability is largely invisible: fatigue and pain right up there at “8” when I walk or stand too long. Other than that, I look healthy, and young for my age. The only way 'round the problem is to carry a fold-up stool, or ask for help, but when I do I can often see the reaction on the other person’s face – to them I present as a lazy whingeing whiner. I don’t really blame them, going on appearances, but it’s hard to be on the “judged” end.
Sometimes I wish for a really really bright (think: safety vest) t-shirt that says “IF YOU ONLY KNEW”.
Seenie from ModSupport
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Jeeesh, and I thought you were 39! Is safety orange your color??? How about lime green? Are there safety green shirts in the far North?
ROFL!!! Add 30 and you will be much closer. And I do prefer lime green to orange. Glad we got that clarified.
Over to you, other BAF members!
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Before my brain surgery I had many issues with my health. And I believe going through a cardiac arrest made me stronger. And very grateful for life. When you actually die three times life becomes so precious.My husband has really been my care taker. His Love is so patience. But now facing my second brain surgery has been so hard. I just want to run the opposite way. But I know my Surgeon is so brilliant but also kind. Dr.Wang(UCLA).
Everyone’s support means a lot to me. Grateful!
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As a caregiver for my love one who has TBI it’s been hard.
There are two types of Ambiguous Loss , one where the person is suddenly taken from us( death) and then there’s when the person we know has been taken from us, although they are physically still here but they are not the person we know.
It’s the small things , no longer being able to just have a conversation, being able to say “ hey remember when” …the loss of your past life and memories.
The physical responsibility that now fall on the caregiver, from yard work , housework , shopping, basically running everything, shared responsibility is gone.
For me the worry about all the small things …kitchen faucet leaking , car needs repair , sliding door not working , doctor appointment, medications getting filled and trying to determine if there’s trouble lurking when they are have off days of the new normal.
Just a loss of having a shared life from vacations to going to a movie.
These are just some of the things I can share from my point of view in hopes to give people who are not caregiver an idea of the responsibility and the loss we suffer.
Now the flip side
The happiness you feel when you see the old person shine through if even for a day or two.
I’m very lucky he can still do many things with direction and sometimes without , today he will be cutting down plants outside while I got to lunch with a friend.
I know although things have changed we are very fortunate that he is able to still do most all physical things …it’s the problem solving…the critical thinking that’s gone .
I know so many have it so much worse so I try to remind myself this on those low days.