Pamela from Absolute Total ( my health
insurance, Medicaid) came to do a home visit. They say they're just
wanting to make sure I'm getting the care I need. She was very nice,
did a med history and quick vitals thing. Asked a little about home.
Very nice. Did her job well. She was personable.
There
was a death in my extended family. Granted, it was someone I didn't
really know. I don't remember ever talking to him, I may have. I hung
out more with his sisters, my cousins. But, we were still blood. Same
grandparents. I loved my aunt, his mom. In fact, I live in the house
where she last lived. Robert, here's to your life and the way your
death made me think more about how life is precious and I don't want
to let go of it, but I will have to one day.
I was on the phone and e-mailing again this week for self-advocacy and
accessibility in my town, Summerville, SC. Known for it's pine trees
and azalea's and its fantasy of keeping this a small town, it's really
not. It's a little backward when it comes to thinking about the
disability community and access to its Town Square. The 21st
century really has come and a lot of things are changing. I really
want to see the things I've asked for to be done. One was an
accessible door at our local DSS building and the other was to have
the curb cut in front of a restaurant on the square, Single Smile Cafe redone. I've tried the curb cut with my rollerator and there's a crack that can catch rollerator wheels and throw someone off balance
or cause a fall. Going down the ramp, it slants to the right that causes a W/C (I use one at times), to roll down towards a rain grate and then it's hard to push out
of, leaving the person in the flow of traffic.
I've
had some progression in muscle loss the last few weeks also. My right thigh is
weakening. That was my principle weight bearing leg on walking down
my ramp. I've used my power chair a lot more this weekend. I spent as much
time outdoors as I could. Our weather over Thanksgiving weekend was
like a dream. Sunny, warm during the day with the last of our fall
color. Leaves falling continuously. Spent a day raking a walk for my
chair to my compost pile. I plan on letting leaves build up to make
beds of composting leaves, with just walkways raked. Think it'll also
help with the coming rain and run-off. We have mostly sand in the
yard.
On
checking my e-mail from the Voc-Rehab resume builder, I
now have a beautiful looking resume. My job placement specialist
thinks I need to have more experience and suggested volunteering. I'm
already volunteering my time and energy on local advocacy and
commenting on blogs and articles about Disability issues. I'm going
to ask my local independent living counselor for help with this blog.
I need a little technical help with the layout. Or maybe I should
just start a Facebook blogging page?
The
following was a comment I tried to send to Rand Paul's Facebook page,
but it wouldn't let me post at the time:
Was
here trying to find your interview w/ NPR and what you said about
ADA. Sounds like you haven't read up on the history of ADA.
The community of people with disabilities is NOT going to go back
on the hard won access acquired so far. Every person with a
disability has to work at getting access of some kind almost every
day of their life. Something that people without disabilities don't
even have to think about. Maybe you should try going about your daily
business in a wheelchair. How about taking it on a flight with
United? It's not the fed who made ADA, but the people, doing it the
way they had a right to.
http://dredf.org/news/publications/the-history-of-the-ada/
This is an article on the history of ADA.
https://vimeo.com/channels/504sitin
This is a cool video of the early Disability Community protest work.
Anyway,
hope this helps someone to see the process of going ahead with your
dreams, however agonizingly slow they may be.
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