Reach For The Stars With Abbie

    Get Over Yourself ... We're Only Disabled Hi my lovely readers, hope you are well  Chapter 21 We can use a computer and electrical equipment in our own way Technology and electrical equipment can be catered to an individual’s needs, depending on how and why they need to use it.  There are loads of different pieces of equipment in the world today for people that need adapted software to be able to use technology.  Everyday there's  something new for people to be able to have easier access to technology.  It is amazing how far technology has progressed over the years, becoming smaller and quicker to support individuals and make their lives easier as a whole.  But it all depends on individual needs. For instance, 15 years ago I was using a large keyboard with chunky keys and a key guard, so I was able to press one key at a time and not accidentally press multiple keys due to my athetoid movements.  However, because I can control m...

Get  Over  Yourself... We're Only Disabled! Chapter 20 We have feelings! Of course we all have feelings, but sometimes people can say things that they don't mean anything by.  However, just a few words can make people feel down about themselves, whether it’s about their disability or not.  We have the same feelings as everyone else but we may need support to express and channel our feelings in the right way, so we don't feel overly upset or anxious. Sometimes for people with a disability, feelings and behaviours change quickly during the day.  People should respect an individual’s feelings and support them in whatever mood they are in.  It is good for people to encourage happy and positive feelings as this makes a person comfortable to be able to discuss their feelings and emotions with them whenever they feel is necessary.  This would help the person to feel supported and understood. Feelings can be projected onto another person when they are bei...

 Get Over Yourself ... We're Only Disabled! Hi my lovely readers, hope you are well. Chapter 19 Is it ok to drink  alcohol with a Disability? When I did research for this chapter, I typed in “Can a person with Down Syndrome drink alcohol?” .  The answer? “As long as they are the legal drinking age, yes they can!” This is a great quote to open this chapter as it gives us a fantastic insight into people’s attitudes about disabled people drinking alcohol.  Alcohol is something people get worried about when thinking about giving it to someone with a disability because they are concerned whether they can handle it or if they have the capacity to know how much they can have.  It’s about giving people a choice if they have capacity to make that choice and letting them decide on what they want to drink and how much.  I know sometimes people need to be told when they have had enough but they shouldn’t be banned from knowing what people their age are doing. ...

Get Over Yourself... We're Only Disabled!  Hey my lovely readers, hope you are well. Chapter 18  We have a brain and a heart  Sometimes people can find it difficult to communicate with a person in a wheelchair, a walker or may look slightly different due to their disability.  This makes me feel sad, however truthfully, it does happen and I strongly feel that people need to focus on the whole person more, not just the disability that they have.  A person’s disability isn't the whole image of them - their qualities, interests, hobbies and beliefs are just as important and others should identify these too.  Our brains might be damaged but it doesn't mean we don't have one!  We do have our own thoughts and emotions and we have a heart, let us use what we have to be part of the world and have our place in society.  We have been put on this planet to be able to have our thoughts and use our emotions, don't take this from us because we are disa...