Tag Archive for accessability

Get Involved in Your Child’s Life!

How involved are you in your child with a disability’s life or any of your children?

I am not a parent so I am not coming from a parent’s perspective but I am coming from my own experience. I am an adult with a disability but I used to be a child of course. I went into foster care when I was about three years old and in foster care, no one gave me the time of day.

I was told I was stupid and would go nowhere in life. I was usually told to just go sit in the corner and watch T.V.

Having no support, I basically had no life. My life changed at age 11 because two wonderful people came and adopted me. The Moon family treated me like any other child and knew I wasn’t stupid.

My new parents got involved in my life and wanted me to go places, me too. We fought the school to get me a regular education and when getting nowhere, I was took out and home schooled.

We fought VR to help pay for some of my college, worked to find a way I can move out on my own/be independent and much more.

The moral of it all is that because I had/have parents involved in my life, it helped get me to where I am.

I say help because you can’t live your child’s life, only they can! Talk with your child, find programs and activities that will improve their life, take them to important things and actually get involved. Having parents involved in the child’s life will do much for amazing things and not just for the child but you too and even others.

I found this story online that shows how having parents involved in a child’s life (school, skills, work, etc.) will do wonders. Check it out at http://www.eduguide.org/article/special-needs-children-the-power-of-
parent-involvement

Your child is so important to you and I know you want the best for them, so get involved. You are going to have battles but you can’t give up, sometimes we have to squeak our wheels so many times before something happens but don’t you dare quit!

Crabbing From a Wheelchair

I know eating crab is the best part but have you ever tried crabbing from a wheelchair.  Have you ever wondered how someone in a wheelchair goes crabbing?

I went deep sea fishing and crabbing about three years ago up in Maryland. I will tell you about the deep sea fishing before I tell about crabbing.

real fish pic (Small) Picture 115

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When we got to the fishing charter boat, we saw that we had to climb down a latter into the boat which would have been a challenge for me.  Instead, two or three guys just lifted me up in my wheelchair and set me in the boat. I caught the biggest fish on the boat that day.

Crabbing time, we went down to a peer to go crabbing. I used a string, crab basket and some chicken necks to catch the crabs.

There were two ways I did the crabbing, one while sitting in chair and the other by propping myself up against the railing. Some people have to stay in the wheelchair because their legs are not strong enough. (You should work out your legs so they get stronger)

While sitting n the chair I tied the string to the crab basket and tied the chicken neck inside the basket. I then took and threw the basket in the water while holding on to the string. I let the basket sink to the bottom.

I let it sit a few minutes and then pulled up on the string until the basket was above the water. I pulled all the way up if there were crabs in the basket but if not I lowered back down.

Now doing the crabbing while standing up against the railing is pretty much the same except I was standing up.

Hopefully this gets you wanting to give deep sea fishing and crabbing a try. I thought it was a blast!

Get out there and do new things.  Remember squeaking your wheels will get you far!

Science Fiction, Fantasy, Comics, Gaming and Those with Disabilities

Dragon Con in Atlanta bills itself as the largest multi-media popular culture convention focusing on science fiction and fantasy, gaming, comics, literature, art, music and film in the universe.

It is held in a number of hotels in downtown Atlanta and the crowds can be massive.  Over 50,000 people attended this year, possibly 60,000.  They can be intimidating for people who have no special needs or disabilities, but for those with disabilities it can be a massive task to overcome.

Two things make Dragon Con easier for those with disabilities to handle.  First, the people who attend the Con are mostly geeks.  Yes we are geeks and proud of it.  Many of them have been picked on or made to feel different.  As a result, the Con crowd accepts everyone and judges no one.  No matter what, you are made to feel welcome.

Second, the Dragon Con disability services are great.  The staff and volunteers do their best to accommodate everyone.  It does not matter what your special need or disability is, there is an attempt to meet your needs.  As with any event this size, there will be problems.  As with any event this size, there are never enough sign language interpreters to go around.  As with any event this size, wheelchairs and walkers often get lost in the crowds and have difficulty getting through.  Elevators can also be challenging because of the number of people.

Despite the crowds and the size of the event, everyone I talked to had a great time and had little or no difficulties with getting the accessibility they needed.

I attended with my service dog Maggie and a friend also joined me with her service dog.  We were given seats up front in most cases to protect the dogs from being stepped on or tripped over.  It also allowed us to enter before the mass of bodies pushed through the doors.

Most of the attendees were respectful to the dogs and although many asked if they could pet them, only a few reached out without permission.

Overall the Con was a favorable experience – we had fun and Maggie handled the very large crowds very well.  I am not sure if a crowd of 50,000 to 60,000 non-geeks would have been as much fun or as easy to handle.

My experience has been that geeks (and I am one, albeit and older geek) tend to be accepting and easy to get along with.

Meanwhile, keep squeaking those wheels and have fun.

Recap of TimeGate 2014

One day I am traveling through time and space with my big blue box, when I suddenly arrived at this hotel in Georgia where there was a convention going on called TimeGate.

Arriving at the hotel early, my dad and I checked in and brought everything to the room. Coming downstairs to register for TimeGate, it wasn’t time so we sat in the convention area and talked to a few Whovians, Stargate fans and more.

My stomach was shouting at me so we contacted my sister about dinner and we met them at a great pizza place after we registered for convention.

Arriving back at the convention, it was time for different sessions to start. I went to a couple and then hung out by the TARDIS, talking to others and taking pictures. The time was getting around 9 p.m. and I surprisingly decided to go up to the room to get sleep for the upcoming and exciting next day of fun.

“Just a few more minutes’ mummy.” I woke up ready to take on the day, battling Daleks, Cybermen and more. Ate a couple cheese sandwiches for breakfast and then headed down stairs to see all the costumes and go to a few more sessions.

I had this strange lady named Jamie texting me all morning saying her and her family will be there at 11 and did we all want to do lunch, so I decided to go along with it. Just so you know Jamie and her family are great friends of ours that we met at lasts years TimeGate.

I hung out in the convention area talking to people and along come a crowd of Whovians with Jamie as the culprit. We all exchanged hugs and handshakes. We decided to; do lunch at the hotel where they had hamburgers and hotdogs. We all chatted at lunch to catch up on what is going on with each other.

After lunch, we left my dad to be upgraded by the Cybermen and looked around the dealers room as well as take pictures. I got a badge thing from the dealer room that said, “Legal permit to park TARDIS.”

I joked that it was going to be my new disabled parking sticker.

Jamie and her family had to leave so we said goodbye.

I continued to hang out until it was time for my dad and me to do dinner. After dinner I went to hang out some more until it was time for the Ken Spivey Band to perform. I rocked out and after I had to wait in line for the cabaret. The Cabaret is where the special guests performed different acts.

Right after the cabaret was the masquerade costume contest which was great. My dad went up to sleep and said to come up when I wanted.

I went up’ stairs put my leather jack up stairs so I could go to the dance and boogie down.

I went back down stairs and got a soda while I waited for the dance to start. The dance started so I slid in smoothly like I was Usher or someone.

The jams were bouncing so I took off the legs for my wheelchair and got out on the dance floor and busted a move!

Sleep time was about 1 a.m.

The next day we packed up, then went to breakfast with my sister, her husband and my awesome niece. After breakfast we drove all the way home.

We survived the Daleks and had a blast.

One thing I liked about this year is there were reserved seating for people with disabilities and that I saw many more people in wheelchairs than ever before. Normally I am the only one in a wheelchair.

When are you going to start living and push your barriers aside? “I would be nowhere, if I did not decide to bust down those barriers!” Thomas Moon

You can get the unimaginable but you have to choose to dig out of the mound holding you back and never go back.

Check out my photos and never stop squeaking your wheels.

Life in the Box or Out of it

There is this thing called a box that we put ourselves in.

Most people go from day to day with some kind of struggle or obstacle, like financial problems, work problems, relationship problems and more. People just don’t see the obstacle and move on.  They see it and sit back like that is how things have to be.

This box we put ourselves in can ruin our lives! The box may be comfortable.  It makes you not have to be afraid.  However, what kind of life are you living.

The world outside of the box can be so amazing that you just want to slap yourself. Outside of the box is that nice car you always wanted, great house, a good relationship, money, health and so much more.  Outside the box there are extraordinary things. All the box has is walls, disappointment, sadness and no change.

What kind of life do you want to live?  The old rusty one in the box or the extraordinary and rewarding life outside of the box? Comment with your answer below but I hope you choose the life outside of the box.

I personally choose to live outside of the box. I have had many obstacles put in my way.  like being put in foster care, people telling me I can’t do, people laughing meanly at me, people saying I am too stupid to learn and will go nowhere in life.  I did not listen and put myself in that box. I graduated with a Regular high school diploma, got a bachelor’s degree from RasmussenCollege, own my own business, live on my own and I am not stopping there.

I can’t drive right now but I hop in my wheelchair and take the bus places at least twice a week. Many of my friends see me riding down the sidewalk in my wheelchair and they honk the horn. They don’t know what I am doing or where I am going but they see that I am living my life outside of the box and not letting the naysayers win!

Stand your comfortable/lazy butt up and step out of that nasty box into the beautiful field of possibilities! Squeak, squeak, squeak.

Florida Service Animal Legislation

Thomas (TJ) and I recently visited the Capital for Disability Day.  We visited a number of our legislators.  We both believe that you need to be engaged if you are to make a difference.  Of course we never know whether we have made a difference or not.

However, if you do not try, you will never be an instrument of change. Being that instrument of change is what we are called to be.

This year I worked on HB 849/SB 1146 that deals with Service Animals here in Florida.  Service animals are covered and our rights protected by the American With Disabilities Act at a Federal level.

Florida’s law covering service animals has some gaps and loop holes.  The intent of the new legislation is to fill these gaps and bring Florida in compliance with the ADA.

Florida law only recognizes service animals for the blind, deaf and physically impaired.  There is no coverage under the state law for mental health animals, PTSD service animals or medical alert animals.

Additionally, the ADA defines service animals as dogs and miniature horses.  Florida does not specify which animals qualify as “service animals”.  This means that someone could claim a service cat, monkey or other animal.  This legislation would define service animal in Florida as the same as the federal standards.

The legislation would make it a misdemeanor in Florida to interfere with or deny access to anyone with a service animal.  Currently service animal owners have to sue at the federal level.  If it is in Florida statute a local law enforcement officer could issue a citation if a person with a service animal is denied access.

The bill also addresses penalties for fake service animals and the rights to animals under the Fair Housing Act.

Overall the legislation create very little that is new.  It simply brings Florida in compliance with the Federal ADA legislation.

All of the legislators I spoke with were favorable to the legislation.  Unfortunately there are often more bills to vote on than there is time for.  Many pieces of good legislation die because there is not enough time to get them through all of the committees.

For most of the citizens of Florida this legislation will have little or no impact on their daily lives.  For those of us who use service animals, this legislation is important.  A true service dog is considered a piece of medical equipment and is not a luxury but in almost all cases a necessity for the owner of the animal.

Hopefully this year the bills dealing with service animals will make a timely passage through the various committees and make it to the floors of the House and Senate.

 

How others view people with disabilities and treat them like they are not really human.

Have you noticed how people without disabilities, treat people with disabilities like they are so special and people who help them are incredible human beings?

I was, with a friend/someone who helps me with certain actives like shopping and cleaning at  home that I can’t reach, at Sam’s Club the other day.  We were standing in line and a lady in line next to us comes up and says how it is so nice how you are helping that special person (Referring to me).

I had to fight myself to keep my cool or the beast in me would have come out! My support services person on the other hand couldn’t help but pipe up and respond to the lady, “Lady, one day we will all need help.” My support services person told me she had to hold herself back because she would have let the lady have it.

People say things like, “What is wrong with him, is he retarded or disabled or something?” There is no need for it, if you don’t know then don’t ask.  Besides it is none of their business.

There is a British video called Talk on YouTube and it turns the world around.  Persons with disabilities are the norm and those without disabilities are considered different.  Check it out, it’s funny and serious.

Time to change everyone and quit putting others down because they are different!

Squeak, squeak

 

Parking To Unload

Have you ever been somewhere and there was a UPS truck or something, parked across two or more handicapped spots to unload?

I was at the movies the other day and this exact thing went down. A truck with a trailer was taking up all but two handicapped spots. One spot was taken and the others open. There were other handicapped spots across the way that were open but the point is that those unloading trucks, etc. should be parked in an unloading zone or somewhere else.

If you ran into this, would you report it or would you just get frustrated and move on? What I did was get frustrated and moved on. I did not want to start anything, even though I should have.

The next time, I will complain to the place I am at and call the police to come fine and fix the situation. Heck, if that does not do anything, I will just block the space hogger in so he can’t leave. This needs to change now!

People will do crazy things like this and it is your duty to make sure it does not continue. Did Rosa Parks move to the back of the bus when asked or did she stand her ground and got sick of the way the black community was being treated?

Even the public bus (Suntran) in Ocala was about to get it because even though there is a ramp on each bus, it is so steep that a wheelchair can’t make it up. When I ask the bus driver to give me a push up the ramp, they say they are not allowed. They usually help, but the day they absolutely refuse, I will put my wheelchair on the ramp and not move or park in front of the bus so it can’t leave. I can kind of understand their point for not helping but if you know how the bus is, the bus system needs to change how the lift is or something.

Time to make changes in this world and don’t stop squeaking your wheels until it is done!

The Ability to Overcome

Ocala Magazine did an article about empowering people with disabilities and Thomas Moon was one of their people they wrote about.

Normally Thomas goes after things and asks to be put in the paper, etc but this time, the Ocala Magazine approached him about doing an article with him in it. What a great honor! People just are frustrated with their own life being messed up, that they bring you down because they think it will make them feel better. The truth is it won’t!

Don’t let others stand in your way because when you squeak your wheels, you can’t help but move forward! You can check out the Ocala Magazine article.

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Megacon

The weekend of March 15, 16 and 17 was Megacon, held in Orlando Florida. There were many Doctor Who’s, Spiderman, Star Wars, Star Trek, Pokemon and many other characters of shows/movies. The only thing missing was a Rose Tyler, but the con made it without her.

My dad, nephew, his girlfriend and I went down on Saturday for the day. When we got there and was walking down to get our tickets, we could see the huge crowd below. I would say there were at least 2,000 people.

We got our tickets and went on our separate ways. I went to the dealer room first to see all the venders and get some pictures. I then wondered the halls, looking at all the costumes and taking pictures with others.

The first session I went to was a choice between Belly Dancing or Will Wheaton.  I decided to see Will Wheaton.  He was interesting and funny it was a good session.

I decided to go to a later belly dancing session with my dad.  My dad even surprisingly got up and did some belly dancing, I did not have the guts.

I did some lunch and hung out in the halls until I had to be over at the Doctor Who meet-up at 2 pm and session at 4 pm. My next session with Ghost Hunters International was at 5:20 pm.

After the last session, I hung out in the halls some more until the band Frenchie and the Punk came on around 7 pm. They real great and got my body energized. We all left around 9 pm, grabbed some dinner at Pizza Hut and then headed back to Ocala. I finally got home around 1 am.

Megacon was a blast and I recommend that you go at least once, no matter if you have a disability, race, color or age. No one really treats you any different at the con. You could even be creative and make your wheelchair, if you use one, into a great costume like steam punk, Tardis on wheels, etc.

Don’t ever put living your life and having fun just because people may call you stupid or say you can’t do anything. All those peoples are trying to do is tear you down because their own life sucks.

Get off your rear-end and start living life! Complaining and excuses are just garbage and it ruins you.

People may tell you that you need grease for your wheels, but Squeak them anyways to make that change happen.