Tag Archive for accessability

Friendships You Will See

| June 18, 2012 | No comments

I have not had it easy in life because of my disability. Finding friends, getting a girlfriend, etc have all been difficult.

Have you had that same situation? You are probably asking why you can’t find friends and the like. Well, let me tell you that part of your problem is sitting on your behind a doing nothing. “You won’t get anything if you do nothing!”

You read above that I have trouble finding friends, a girlfriend, etc. Let me tell you a story that happened in my life the other day. I was sitting around at my house, playing on Facebook and feeling bored than ever. I had no one around and no transportation. I decided to post something on Facebook, “Good afternoon friends. Anyone want to hang out tonight, maybe eat at Mojos grill, go bowling, play pool, etc?”

I received no response so I thought I would message some people on Facebook, I send my friend Karen, who I met at Ocala Business Leaders and other events, if she wanted to hang out and do something. She asked if I had ideas; so I suggest dinner and maybe a movie, bowling or something. We decided to go to a dinner and a movie.

She came and picked me up, we went to Applebee’s and then after Applebee’s we went to the movies to see Snow White and the Huntsman. We loved the movie and decided we were going to make a night of it so we went to Mochi’s.

The night ended as she dropped me off, what a great night with a great friend! The moral of the story is, that you have to take chances, posting on Facebook, sending a message, calling someone, etc, because you never know when you might meet a new friend or even have a current friend respond and want to do something. You may one day meet a boyfriend or girlfriend, get out there, take chances and don’t let a few no’s bring you down and stop you.

Let’s enjoy life because we are all human beings and we were put on earth not just to sit on our butts.

Squeak those wheels because it will happen!

Category: Being Disabled, Disabilities, Living With A Disability | Tags: , , , , , , ,

Cooking on Wheels

| June 11, 2012 | No comments

What do you have for breakfast, lunch, dinner and how do you make it?

I know there are so many people with disabilities that wonder how they are going to cook and even if they are able to cook. Here is my story; how Chef Moon makes his delicious dishes.

I cook the same is anyone else, with just a few modifications so I don’t hurt myself. One dish that’s easy to make but hard at the same time is spaghetti. The way I make spaghetti is by doing everything on the stove. This allows me from having to transfer the pot of hot water to the sink and possibly spilling and burning myself.

I start by filling the pot up in the sink and carefully transferring over my lap to the stove. As the water boils, I get out all the utensils I need,  including strainer, big mixing bowl and something to stir the spaghetti.

I then break the spaghetti into the boiling pot of water and stirring until done.

Next I take and put the strainer in the mixing bowl and take the boiling pot of water with spaghetti and poor into strainer.  Then with the strainer with spaghetti I it put into serving bowl.

I do all this cooking without hurting or burning myself.

I make lasagna, meatloaf, and other great dishes all by myself. There are ways people with disabilities can do to cook without having help and using the microwave all the time.

Try cooking something at first with someone’s help, then move into cooking on your own.

We got this my friends, squeak, squeak.

Category: Being Disabled, Disabilities, Living With A Disability | Tags: , , ,

Ahh! Vacation in a Wheelchair

| June 1, 2012 | No comments

May 20, 2012 was upon us and I was packed and ready; ready to go on vacation to Orlando at Grand Beach Resort.

I got my suitcase and music bag ready and sat it by the door. I put on my wheelchair legs, which I rarely use.  I was so pumped up for a week of relaxation and fun. The door goes knock, knock and I open it, there was my nephew. He came with my mom to help put my wheelchair in the car, we all get to a point that the wheelchair becomes too heavy to lift. Have you had that situation where you are limited in places you can go because there is no one to put your wheelchair in their car? I bet you have but remember there still are ways, like riding the bus.  If you have a support coach to help or you can make new friends who can and are willing to lift your wheelchair, etc. It can be done!

We continued on the interstate to our destination. We arrived and out came my brother in law to help unpack the car and lift my wheelchair out. We headed up the elevator to our room where I got to unpack my clothes on my bed. Now I was ready for the week of fun and relaxation.

The week consisted of swimming,  relaxing by the pool, hanging out in room watching TV, going out to  eat a few times and wheeling around by the lake. This was great and I did it all even with a disability. Again, I had help lifting the wheelchair in and out of the car.

I was just another human being on vacation. You can do things too, live on your own, go on vacation, go to movies, go out to eat, attend events, and so much more!

Get off that butt and start doing because sitting and complaining will get you nowhere!

Squeak, squeak here we come.

Category: Being Disabled, Disabilities, Living With A Disability | Tags: , , , , , , , ,

A Day of Shopping Through My Eyes as I Roll Around in the Wheelchair

| March 14, 2012 | No comments

Have you ever wondered how someone with a disability goes shopping? Today I’m going to discuss two different situations about a person with a disability shopping.

Having help – Sometimes a person with a disability has help when shopping. I’ll give an example. A few days ago, I went shopping with my disability support coach. We went to Aldi and I had my shopping list with us. Going through the store, I saw that there were things which I could reach right from my wheelchair… But what about the things out of my reach? Or worse yet, the items that were still out of my reach, even when I propped myself up? My support coach helped me get the things I needed from the store, but could not personally reach on my own, without injuring myself.

Now what if you had no one with you? How are you going to get everything you need and want? I hope you will not injure yourself.

Without help – I had to go shopping on a different day, and this time I had no one to go with me. I decided to go to Wal-Mart by myself. The situation was the same, in that I grabbed the items I could reach. But what about the things that were high up, out of my reach? Do you think I said “Just forget it.” and only got the things I could reach? Do you think I just gave up, and came back another day?

No way, I say!

I had a mouth, and even though I was nervous (I don’t like asking for help because it may make me look bad), I had to open it and ask for help. One thing I needed was pasta, and it was on the very top shelf. No one was around that isle. I still went through the store until I found someone and asked them to help me. Everything turned out great, and I got everything on my list and more.

I know having a disability may make you think that others look at you as if you are stupid, but they can eat mud, because you know you are much better than that!!!

Start living your life, despite your difference, and keep squeaking those wheels because no one can stop you but you!

Category: Being Disabled, Disabilities, Growing Up Disabled, Living With A Disability | Tags: , , , , ,

The Lone Advocate

| January 27, 2012 | No comments

The Lone Advocate – But where is Tonto?

Hi Ho Wheels! This is the story of one of the bravest characters to appear in the east of the west. He was a fabulous individual who was all about bringing the world together no matter what race, color, age, disability, etc. He is known as the Lone Advocate.

One day a town woke up in turmoil.  People where fighting and not being included in everyday things. The town was going downhill, when out of nowhere comes the magnificent Lone Advocate with his trusty wheelchair.

He starts speaking to the town about peace and how everyone is created equal. He made some progress, so he decided to go talk to the legislators and get a settlement that all will benefit from. The schools began including everyone and you started seeing more people with disabilities doing things in the community.

It has been another successful outcome for The Lone Advocate. On to the next town you can hear him shout out, “HI Ho Wheels away!!!”

If you have a disability – then you need to be the Lone Advocate.  Talk with your legislators, get into the community more.  Show everyone that you are just like everyone else despite your disability.

Keep those wheels a squeaking and a rolling!

Category: Being Disabled, Disabilities, Growing Up Disabled, Living With A Disability | Tags: , , , ,

Students Traumatized in Special Education Across America, Seclusion, Restraint, and Aversives

| January 25, 2012 | No comments

From Georgia:Families Against Restraint And Seclusion

Students Traumatized in Special Education Across America, Seclusion, Restraint, and Aversives Scream Rooms when will America say enough is enough?
Published on January 18, 2012 by Kymberly Grosso in Autism in Real Life

A urine soaked scream room. A child stuffed in a duffel bag. Vinegar soaked cotton balls put in a child’s mouth. Slapped on the head with plastic bottles. Child dragged through a playground across asphalt with pants down. Shoved to the floor and dead from asphyxiation. Handcuffed and duct-taped. Degraded. Dehumanized. Traumatized. Mob stories? No, it is just a scratch of the surface of what has happened to children in special education in the past year. Not in a third world country, but here in America.

Read more.

Category: Autism, Being Disabled, Disabilities, Education, Growing Up Disabled, Living With A Disability, Restraint, Shameless Commerce | Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Barrier Free Park about to open in Boyton Beach

| December 23, 2011 | No comments

Barrier Free Park about to open in Boyton Beach.

The first few sentences of the news article say it all.

“Most people take for granted that when they come to a park, they can walk, run, climb, swing, and see and smell everything. Not everyone can.

Soon there will be a park for everyone.”

Wow a barrier free park that everyone can use no matter what their ability or disability.  Congratulations to Boyton Beach.  You really have heard those squeaky wheels.

 

Category: Being Disabled, Disabilities, Growing Up Disabled, Living With A Disability, News Story | Tags: , , , , , , ,

Groups Push for More Accessible Housing

| December 2, 2011 | No comments

Advocacy groups for the disabled have been pushing for accessible housing for years and our efforts have fallen on deaf ears.  The disabled just do not have a powerful or visible lobbying group.

Now we finally may see some action!

The retired population is realizing that significant numbers of seniors have a disability of one kind or another.  So they are finally joining us in the fight for accessible housing.

Seniors wield political power.  The various lobby groups that represent seniors are usually successful in accomplishing their goals. Let us hope any legislation or action that results will help all the disabled – NOT just seniors with disabilities.

Groups push for more accessible housing.

We need to all keep squeaking our wheels no matter how old or young we are.

Category: Being Disabled, Disabilities, Housing, Living With A Disability | Tags: , , , ,

FIU offers program for students with special needes

| November 30, 2011 | No comments

WEST MIAMI-DADE, Fla. (WSVN) — A local school is giving students with special needs the opportunity to go to college.

Florida International University started it’s Project Panther Life for intellectually disabled students. “It’s important for people to realize that an intellectual disability does not limit you from so many other things that you can do in your life” said a Liliana Demoya, a mother who helped start the program.

Category: Disabilities, Education, Employment, Growing Up Disabled, Living With A Disability, News Story | Tags: , , , , , , ,

Living On Your Own With a Disability

| November 18, 2011 | No comments

Have you ever wanted to live on your own?  What is stopping you?

I moved out of my parent’s house a couple years ago and into my own apartment. I love it because I can do what I want.  I also have a lot more freedom and feel like another member of society!

There are minimal services that I receive from APD.  I have people that come in to help me with cooking, cleaning, shopping, getting into community and more.

I do different things now because of the freedom.  I hold get togethers in my apartment.  I go out to things in community with friends, go where I want and more. I can do this because I did not let my disability hold me back!

You can have this as well.  Do not listening to those who say you can’t do.  Do what you know you can. I know it is hard because you have a disability, but it is only a small obstacle. Move out on your own, find people who will help you shop, clean, get into community and whatever else you need help with. There are state agencies, people from church, friends, family and more that you can get help from to live on your own.

Today is the last day of letting your disability and others hold you back!!! It is your life so squeak those wheels and get out into society.

 

Category: Being Disabled, Disabilities, Growing Up Disabled, Housing, Living With A Disability | Tags: , , , , , ,
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