For many of us who become disabled, the recognition and acceptance process isn’t easy, and all too often, employment and disability are inextricably linked. For many of us, part of becoming disabled is losing our employment. The grief and loss of becoming disabled is often entangled deeply with the loss of income, and often the…
One of those challenges that many of us need to deal with is that on top of the physical and emotional trauma involved in our illnesses or injuries, we also often need to communicate what is happening to our loved ones and other significant people in our lives. This can be challenging, as we are…
This post is by a friend of mine, Michele Harold, who holds the subject of disclosure near and dear to her heart. “You’re always sick,” my coworker said to me as I entered the office. I had called in sick the day before due to my disability. My disability causes chronic pain, fatigue, and low-grade…
So, it’s once more time for A Chronic Voice’s monthly linkup. This month’s words are producing, acquiring, switching, disappointing, and forming. Here in the US, it’s election season, and it’s a strange one thanks in part to Covid-19. It has been a really strange and stressful year, and I am extremely concerned about the outcome of…
People with disabilities are often marginalized by society – and there are a variety of reasons for it. The social model of disability focuses on how instead of viewing our symptoms as failures on our part, it’s time to start looking at what assumptions society has made that make participating in the greater community more…
The first thing that I want to make very clear is that I *want* the public to do a better job of making things accessible. I know that even getting ramps, captions, image descriptions, and other basic essentials meant to allow people with physical disabilities to participate in society still has a long way to…
I shed many tears to unpack these memories of my wounds that are clearly still open just to write this blog. The subject of ableism is relevant to all aspects of life yet there is very little discussion. The subject is basically unchallenged by society. While many people are recognizing and studying racism, much less…
Having a disability is nothing to be ashamed of. Being poor is nothing to be ashamed of. Getting help from our own government is nothing to be ashamed of. And yet, I’m sure you winced a little, internally, at one or more of these statements. Our society here in the US has put a lot…
So, it’s once more time for A Chronic Voice’s monthly linkup. This month’s words are bothering, demanding, nourishing, telecommunicating, and tolerating. This month, it flowed out as the stresses I’m acknowledging in my life and how I’m muddling through. The negative ramifications of the word ‘bothering’ The word bothering, well, bothers me. The Miriam-webster definition…
I’m not sure why anybody would argue with this statement, but people do. As a disabled person, I’m furious about how very broken it is and how hard people have to work to be treated anything resembling properly. It shouldn’t be this hard, but it is – and it’s really important that we talk about…