Today was my last day of Occupational Therapy. I didn't feel quite as connected with that group as I did with the PT crew, but I will miss Holly for sure! So there are a few things I have learned through my experience with Occupational Therapy. One of the most important things I learned was that I do not take enough breaks for the amount of time I spend on this computer. That being said, I started using a timer on my phone to keep myself on a schedule.
Secondly, I've learned that it is perfectly okay to say "I need help with this" when it comes to doing chores during a flare up. Whether the flare up is in my legs, or in my CTS, I need to learn to say I need help. Believe it or not, that is the hardest thing for me to do. I am always very independent, and when I have to ask for help, I feel like I'm troubling someone or whatever. I'm trying to change that, slowly.
After the initial review, Danielle (my primary therapist) let me cook fried potatoes. But, they have an electric range, and I didn't know how to use any of it! It threw me off for a bit, and almost caused me a grease burn. Thankfully, that didn't happen. The potatoes turned out really well, too! I probably needed a bigger pan, but I did what I could with what I was given.
The last thing I was given was some stronger theraputty, and a certificate! I'm looking forward to having more progress as things go forward, and I am hoping you guys are keeping up with me. Come share your stories!
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Transportation Part 2
So I got a bit on my high horse about businesses and persons with disabilities who are traveling by transit last time. Today, I need to talk about something else that's even more close to home. My own personal transportation struggles. I touched on public transportation issues. Now I want to talk about my own options.
As mentioned before I was a part of the Mobility program that my state provides. They've been more unreliable than the buses around here since I started. So I haven't been using them. I've been relying on my mother and really, I don't mind. I give her rent, take her to lunch, and a whole bunch of little things to show her how much I appreciate her taking the time to drive me around.
Transportation is the main issue when it comes to my social life too. Let me explain. My social life used to be going down to the Avenue, and being the catalyst for a writing group born out of NaNoWriMo, which I have participated in for years. Every Tuesday we'd meet up, and write and socialize. But I had made friends and contacts beyond my main group. I had become a regular at Barnes and Noble, and I got a lot of special treatment for it. Now, that's not what kept going back. I genuinely enjoyed it.
But when the writing group fell apart last year, things got bad. I would still go, but I was alone, and that defeating the purpose, and my budget, in the process. I also had to depend on friends to bring me home when mom could not because of work or her commitment to Cal, my stepfather. In my heart, I believe that is a lot of the reason I can't get any rides anywhere, or set things up with people. The world is a different place. People have their lives, and as much as most won't admit it, we have all become a bit more selfish with our time and needs.
This makes socializing outside the computer a bit harder than anyone realizes. Everyone assumes I enjoy the time on the computer, and really, to a point, I don't make a case to contrary. But I would love to live in a world where offering gas money for transportation is enough. Unfortunately, that is not the case, and my social life is right here, online, with my friends, readers, and CityVille.
Now, I'm not saying that things are bad online. I love the Internet, I love chatting online. I just wish transportation would stop interfering with me getting into more outside social events.
As mentioned before I was a part of the Mobility program that my state provides. They've been more unreliable than the buses around here since I started. So I haven't been using them. I've been relying on my mother and really, I don't mind. I give her rent, take her to lunch, and a whole bunch of little things to show her how much I appreciate her taking the time to drive me around.
Transportation is the main issue when it comes to my social life too. Let me explain. My social life used to be going down to the Avenue, and being the catalyst for a writing group born out of NaNoWriMo, which I have participated in for years. Every Tuesday we'd meet up, and write and socialize. But I had made friends and contacts beyond my main group. I had become a regular at Barnes and Noble, and I got a lot of special treatment for it. Now, that's not what kept going back. I genuinely enjoyed it.
But when the writing group fell apart last year, things got bad. I would still go, but I was alone, and that defeating the purpose, and my budget, in the process. I also had to depend on friends to bring me home when mom could not because of work or her commitment to Cal, my stepfather. In my heart, I believe that is a lot of the reason I can't get any rides anywhere, or set things up with people. The world is a different place. People have their lives, and as much as most won't admit it, we have all become a bit more selfish with our time and needs.
This makes socializing outside the computer a bit harder than anyone realizes. Everyone assumes I enjoy the time on the computer, and really, to a point, I don't make a case to contrary. But I would love to live in a world where offering gas money for transportation is enough. Unfortunately, that is not the case, and my social life is right here, online, with my friends, readers, and CityVille.
Now, I'm not saying that things are bad online. I love the Internet, I love chatting online. I just wish transportation would stop interfering with me getting into more outside social events.
Friday, June 22, 2012
Travel Options
The physically disabled have limited transportation options. Depending on the severity of the situation, limited could be putting it lightly.
I am fortunate enough to be one of the few who can get herself around for the most part. Of course, it has taken some time before I was able to do it as I am now.
Before I got to this point, I was forced to depend on government programs that were as far from reliable as you could get. They had caused me work related write ups, and everything else. The options in Maryland for the diffferently abled and elder seems to be sorely lacking, and honestly, there is not a whole lot one person can do. Many would say we should be grateful for what we have, and in some aspects, they would be right, but it needs to be greatly improved.
As a whole the Maryland Transit Administration could do with a facelift in many different areas. One of those being having on time buses. Their penchant for being late or not showing up at all is not only inconvenient to those who rely on it, it can cause health issues for those who are not quite disabled enough to qualify for the above mentioned transit program.
Some of us need certain things, and need them not all the time, but regularly. For me, that is the restroom, and let me tell you something, after Wednesday's fiasco with a certain restaurant I will keep anonymous, I am even more serious about timely bus arrivals, and a more informational bus system.
I have a very weak bladder, and i also have to drink a lot of water/drinks because of a mouth drying out due to my medications, so I have to go to the bathroom regularly. There are some restaurants that do not openly offer public restrooms, and this particular restaurant, I am a regular customer when I take the bus.
When the bus was 3 hours late, I had to go to the bathroom. Now, there was no sign on the door anywhere that says "No Public Restrooms". If there had been, I wouldn't have bothered, but I did, and this guy was SO rude. Why would I bring this up? Well, I would have been fine to go to the bathroom once I got to destination. But it was late, and I had to go.
People do have bad days, and I'm guessing this must have been one of his, but geez, was it really necessary to say, "I don't know why it's my problem, but go ahead, like it's your house"? While I'm standing there with my walker very obviously in pain? Give me a break!
It's Friday now, and this happened on Wednesday. I'm still angry about it. It must be because I've been in Cutomer Service so much of my life, that I know better than to treat customers with disrespect. And even if that WAS the regulation, there should be some sort of tolerance for those with a very obvious disability. It's not like this guy didn't know me. He did. And he knew the walker, too, cause I had used it only two weeks before.
So while I do think the state programs such as Mobility are nice, there needs to be some vast improvements. Otherwise adults with disabilities are going to end up relying on someone else for the rest of their lives, and I don't know about the rest of you? But this is most definitely not my intention!
I am fortunate enough to be one of the few who can get herself around for the most part. Of course, it has taken some time before I was able to do it as I am now.
Before I got to this point, I was forced to depend on government programs that were as far from reliable as you could get. They had caused me work related write ups, and everything else. The options in Maryland for the diffferently abled and elder seems to be sorely lacking, and honestly, there is not a whole lot one person can do. Many would say we should be grateful for what we have, and in some aspects, they would be right, but it needs to be greatly improved.
As a whole the Maryland Transit Administration could do with a facelift in many different areas. One of those being having on time buses. Their penchant for being late or not showing up at all is not only inconvenient to those who rely on it, it can cause health issues for those who are not quite disabled enough to qualify for the above mentioned transit program.
Some of us need certain things, and need them not all the time, but regularly. For me, that is the restroom, and let me tell you something, after Wednesday's fiasco with a certain restaurant I will keep anonymous, I am even more serious about timely bus arrivals, and a more informational bus system.
I have a very weak bladder, and i also have to drink a lot of water/drinks because of a mouth drying out due to my medications, so I have to go to the bathroom regularly. There are some restaurants that do not openly offer public restrooms, and this particular restaurant, I am a regular customer when I take the bus.
When the bus was 3 hours late, I had to go to the bathroom. Now, there was no sign on the door anywhere that says "No Public Restrooms". If there had been, I wouldn't have bothered, but I did, and this guy was SO rude. Why would I bring this up? Well, I would have been fine to go to the bathroom once I got to destination. But it was late, and I had to go.
People do have bad days, and I'm guessing this must have been one of his, but geez, was it really necessary to say, "I don't know why it's my problem, but go ahead, like it's your house"? While I'm standing there with my walker very obviously in pain? Give me a break!
It's Friday now, and this happened on Wednesday. I'm still angry about it. It must be because I've been in Cutomer Service so much of my life, that I know better than to treat customers with disrespect. And even if that WAS the regulation, there should be some sort of tolerance for those with a very obvious disability. It's not like this guy didn't know me. He did. And he knew the walker, too, cause I had used it only two weeks before.
So while I do think the state programs such as Mobility are nice, there needs to be some vast improvements. Otherwise adults with disabilities are going to end up relying on someone else for the rest of their lives, and I don't know about the rest of you? But this is most definitely not my intention!
Thursday, June 14, 2012
A Big Step in a Positive Direction
(From Saturday, June 9, 2012)
When you're dealing with Cerebral Palsy, you often have to deal with things that most do not. Things that may not be a big deal to some are huge deals for you. One of those things for me is t he ability to cross the street, which I lost a few years ago after nearly being hit by a car when I had the right away.
For the first time in five years, I was able to cross the street that has been plaguing me, by myself, without my friends holding my hand. I had to use the walker, but I guess that's okay. I tend to think of the walker as a smaller version of a power chair. You see those all the time with people getting across the street. The walker's just a bit more primitive.
So I've gotten used to the fact that this is h ow i cross the street. I look forward ot a time where I learn the bus schedule. ^^ That is my next step in independence.
When you're dealing with Cerebral Palsy, you often have to deal with things that most do not. Things that may not be a big deal to some are huge deals for you. One of those things for me is t he ability to cross the street, which I lost a few years ago after nearly being hit by a car when I had the right away.
For the first time in five years, I was able to cross the street that has been plaguing me, by myself, without my friends holding my hand. I had to use the walker, but I guess that's okay. I tend to think of the walker as a smaller version of a power chair. You see those all the time with people getting across the street. The walker's just a bit more primitive.
So I've gotten used to the fact that this is h ow i cross the street. I look forward ot a time where I learn the bus schedule. ^^ That is my next step in independence.
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