Reach For The Stars With Abbie

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...