Reach For The Stars With Abbie

Up Movement, The Adult Cerebral Palsy Movement Hi my lovely readers, hope you are well. I know after I finished posting my book, I wasn't sure on what to post on my blog. So I decided to have a little break to think about what I could post about but I really wanted to come back with a special idea for my blogs, I wanted to talk about what is interesting me lately. I attend a Zoom meeting each week with a lovely organisation called UP movement, a group set up by an amazing lady called Emma and then another brilliant lady called Mirriam. Emma has Cerebral Palsy herself, so that in its self is really lovely as it gives others a sense of achievement and encouragement, just to learn about her journey with Cerebral Palsy. Emma is incredible, she has Cerebral Palsy, however she is a wife and a mother, she is the founder of Up Movement and a strong advocate and a voice for people with Cerebral Palsy.    The people who attend are adults with Cerebral Palsy, so this ...

Get Over Yourself ... We're Only Disabled ! Hey my lovely readers. I hope you are well.  Acknowledgements   Well, what can I say? I can't believe I have written my first book!  It took me a whole year to write this, with support from staff at National Star College and my family.  I thought writing a book would be really difficult and I would have just given up over time but despite amending how many chapters I wanted in this book, I achieved what I wanted to get out of writing a book. I must admit that I haven't worked on “Get Over Yourself, We’re Only Disabled” religiously.  However, it has been refreshing to have a goal to work towards.  Something that can be my thing, my aim, and my success.  I feel that I have achieved that. I want to say a massive thank you to my family for helping me over the years to get to this point where I’ve been able to write this book and have the knowledge and understanding of my life and mine...

Get Over  Yourself ... We Are Only Disabled  Chapter 24 Queuing In A  Wheelchair  When I am out in a shop, people sometimes offer me their place to help me get through quicker and with putting my shopping through the till.  I understand that people are trying to be nice and they think they are being friendly but I just smile and say “That’s okay, I can wait in the queue”.  I think when people are out and see a person in a wheelchair, they can be over polite and think they are doing us a favour.  We are all taught to wait and take our turn, this shouldn't be taken away from us because we are disabled.  I feel that being in a wheelchair doesn't give me any more right to be in the front of the queue than anyone else.  I feel that people think we need special attention because we are disabled but we are no different to anyone else. It is good that many shops and help desks are now wheelchair accessible, so are easier for whee...

Get Over Yourself... We're Only Disabled Hey my lovely readers, hope you are well. People with disabilities may have unique ways of communicating, respect and encourage this Many people with disabilities have their own special ways of communicating.  This includes people speaking whether they have a speech and language disorder or not.  Whether they can or can't speak, people will use a wide range of techniques to communicate.  However people communicate, the most important reason of communicating is to allow people to get their message across and have their needs or requirements met.  Everyone should respect and encourage individuals to express themselves and feel accepted to have their own way of communicating.  Also, people must be able to feel comfortable and understood to be able to say or use their technique of communicating what they think and feel.  If people receive the correct support and encouragement, this will support them to keep on wo...

  Get Over Yourself... We're Only Disabled! Hey my lovely readers, hope you are well. Chapter 22   We can go clubbing and partying  Clubbing and partying is a fun thing to do, even in a wheelchair!    I have gone out a lot to several parties, pub trips, etc.  I like having this social time with my friends and we always have a good time.  I love going out with my friends, when I was at college I liked going out with my friends to a pub. Now I prefer a restaurant or a coffee shop as they are more accessible and quieter.   I know that people may look at us strangely just because we are having fun and we might be having an alcoholic drink but we are adults, we are allowed to go into pubs and clubs and drink alcohol if we want.  I can say I haven't always been a fan of clubbing but I like getting together with my friends and having a good time.  I think it is good for people with disabilities to experience clubbing and partying...

    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...

  Get Over Yourself... We're Only Disabled! Hey my lovely readers, hope you are well.   Chapter 17 Whether we’re male or female, ask us what gender we prefer for care, don’t assume  When we are receiving support, such as personal care, it is important to make sure that we are consulted about whether we prefer to have a particular gender support us.  This helps us to feel comfortable and dignified.  For example, males might be more comfortable to receive care from a male and females might be more comfortable with females.   I prefer to receive care from females as this makes me feel more comfortable.  It allows me to talk more freely about my care.  I wouldn’t want to discuss my periods with a male! From a social point of view, it is also important to ask whether we prefer to be with a certain gender for activities.  For example, boys might prefer to go down the pub and watch football with a male (unless there is a female who really enjoys...

  Get Over Yourself ... We're Only Disabled!  Hey my lovely readers, hope you are well. Chapter 16   Don’t ignore non-verbal people  People shouldn't ignore individuals that cannot communicate as everyone is as important as each other and even if they cannot speak, they may be able to communicate in other ways such as, communication aids and devices, pictures, sign language, eye and hand movements or even just making their own personal noise to let people how they are feeling or if they require something or even just to have a conversation with somebody.  Just saying hello to someone in their way is just as special and important as everything else they need to say.   Whatever people use to get their message across, the people who are supporting the individual need to be patient with them because they may take a lot longer to get their message across because of the pace they may need.  So the person needs to respect what they are trying to ...

  Get Over Yourself.... We're Only Disabled  Chapter 15 Girls can wear high heels, even in wheelchairs! Yes, you read the title correctly, girls can wear high heels even in wheelchairs!  People are always telling people in wheelchairs that they need to wear “appropriate footwear” to support them when they are in their wheelchairs or other equipment.  This is correct, however, when girls go out people should be a little more relaxed when it comes to the individual choosing the footwear they want to wear and what makes them feel like a women, not just “the girl in the wheelchair.”   Girls should be given a choice when it comes to footwear.  When people go out they want to look nice and be like other girls of a similar age to them.  If girls want to dress up and wear high heels, this is what they want to do and the people who are caring for them should allow this.  At the end of day, it is up to the individual whether they feel comfortabl...

  Get Over Yourself... We're Only Disabled  H ey my lovely readers, hope  you are well. Chapter 14 Remember we’re all different with our own interests and hobbies I wanted to include this chapter as I feel that it is really important to get to know people’s interests and hobbies, especially when carers and other people are working with us a lot of the time.   It is a key ingredient when you work with people with disabilities to get to know what they are like and their  hobbies and interests.    By knowing this, it can help when the person is feeling down or anxious; the key people should know how to keep them calm and happy.  Hobbies can be a vital way to distract someone when they’re distressed.  I know that music and doing any type of exercise can calm me down when I am feeling worried or  anxious. The person who is working with the individual has to remember that they are their own person and will be just as uni...

Get Over  Yourself...We're Only Disabled      Hey my lovely  readers, hope you are well.  Chapter 13 Working In A Diverse World Going out into the world of work is a massive step towards a person’s independence.  Working can have a different meaning depending on how people look at it.  People will be able to do different tasks according to their disability, meaning that people will prefer doing particular tasks that they would be able to cope with.  Companies should make allowances for those that may find it difficult to do certain tasks.  For example, someone in a wheelchair might not be able to stack shelves in a supermarket as they are too high but they might be able to work on the tills, as this may be more manageable for them.  It’s also about gaining the skills the person needs to work on, such as finding out an easy and accessible route to get to and from their place of work, or finding equipment that would suit their needs...