Getting Around Mobility Issues

An individual’s time in school can be quit rough depending on his or her circumstances.  The people in charge of the public school system as well as secondary education are not fit to run institutions in general.  This is especially true when mobility is involved in regards to people with disabilities. 

During my high school and college years, I had quite a difficult time with trying to get around.  I went to high school in Reisterstown Maryland.  The school was all one level, but it had a few sets of stairs that separated each wing of the school.  In order for me to get down a set of stairs, I had to use a lift that required a key every day that school was in session.  The principal of the school would not allow me to have my own key to the lift in order to operate traverse the school of my own free will.  One of technicians at the school had to ride down with me every day so that I could get to my fourth period class during my junior year.  This solution to my issue was a terrible one. 

I had a similar issue when I went to Mount Saint Mary’s University in Emmitsburg Maryland.  I had to visit the library in order to find information for papers that I had to write for all of my different classes.  The school was built in the 1800s, and so there was only so much the school could do to accommodate people with disabilities.  I had to call the librarian every time I wanted to visit the library.  He or she would then let me in through some sort of basement entrance.  The elevator that went up to the main floor could barely hold the wheelchair that I used to get around.  The people who ran the library would not let me have my own key.  I had to call the person on duty up quite often just so I could search for books. 

It is kind of sad that there were not any alternative options for people such as myself.  Everyone has the right to get a good education.  I guess I was lucky that the library also had an online database to look for information as well, but that is not a solution to the problem I faced.  I do not see why places cannot just have some electronic lock with a secret code by an entrance that is accessible to everyone.  There would be no more issues with mobility if this kind of measure was put into place.  Everyone could come and go wherever without having to call someone else to let him or her inside.  Maybe this idea will be implemented in every type of education facility one day.  We will just have wait and see. 

Dealing with Inflammation

Inflammation has been an issue that I have dealt with for the past twelve years.  This is due to the hypersensitivity of nerves located in a specific set of muscles on the body.  The burning sensation that inflammation brings can be quite hard at times.  It pulls individuals away from what they love and forces them to focus their attention on something that is rather undesirable.  I started having issues with inflammation when I developed a condition known as Pelvic Floor Disorder. 

I was first diagnosed with Pelvic Floor disorder in January of 2009.  The issues with my pelvis started four years earlier when I obtained a urinary tract infection.  It burned when I went to the bathroom.  I went to the hospital, and the doctors there gave me pills to clear everything up after they catheterized in order to extract the waste from my bladder.  I was fine for about a year and a half afterwards, and then I got infected in the same area once more.  Pills cleared the infection up, and I went on with my life.  During Christmas of 2008, I began having difficulty urinating.  There was a little bit of a burning sensation this time as well, but not as bad as when I had the other infections.  My urologist told me that I my problems with relieving waste might be more than just a simple infection.  The nerves in my pelvic floor that control the involuntary sphincters have become hypersensitive most likely due to age.  I saw another doctor for a second opinion, and he agreed that I had Pelvic Floor Disorder.  This guy told me that it was a progression of my Cerebral Palsy.  After the doctor gave me his two cents regarding my problem, I decided to stop seeing him altogether.  Cerebral Palsy does not get progressively worse through time.  It is a birth defect.  A person will remain affected by Cerebral Palsy to the same degree throughout his or her lifetime.  There are different degrees of this birth defect, but the degree does not change depending on time or age. 

My pelvic floor condition does not allow me to empty my waste properly.  Sometimes I will have to go to the bathroom twice in one hour just to relieve myself completely.  I also become constipated rather often.  I sometimes sit on the toilet for about an hour and a half trying to have a bowel movement.  My involuntary sphincters will flip out for what seems like no reason.  I have come to realize that the sphincters spaz out when my nerves become inflamed.  My fecal matter will remain at the bottom of the toilet instead of floating to the top like everyone else’s.  Cleaning out the toilet bowl becomes a nightmare because of this fact.  My condition can make it difficult to enjoy any activity in life.  I do not know when I will have the urge to go to the bathroom.  I also will have to sit in pain due to the inflammation that can arise even when I do not have to use the bathroom. 

The main thing I learned when dealing with the pelvic floor as well as inflammation in general is to keep the area clean.  One should go to the bathroom when the urge is first felt.  An individual would be wise to start eating smaller portions during every meal of the day.  This will ensure that the stomach and bowels do not become extremely irritated at a later time.  Pills have never really helped my nerves that much, so I would not suggest trying to relieve pain in this manner..  As long as one is active aware of his or her body, then inflammation of any type can be manageable without too much intervention. 

Reformation of The Social Security Administration

The Social Security system is one of the worst federal programs of all time.  The requirement for receiving benefits needs to be changed to include disabilities of varying degrees.  Having a disability is not an issue that only resides within two extreme ends of a spectrum.  Different people have different needs depending how their disability impacts their lives. 

The way Social Security is set up as of right now is a complete disgrace.  The only people receiving benefits are those who would be considered impaired beyond the point of functioning well in society.  I feel bad for the individuals that are mentally challenged to the point where they cannot understand what is going on around them on a day to day basis.  This is truly a sad sight to behold.  These people definitely deserve the maximum benefits available without question.  The only real issue lies with those who are considered to be high functioning individuals.  The argument from Social Security as it stands now is that those that are high functioning do not need benefits because they can work.  This kind of thinking does not take into account the way in which those with disabilities are high functioning.    

I am a clear example of someone who is a functioning individual that could definitely use some assistance from Social Security.  I am not able to drive because I have Cerebral Palsy.  Social Security would argue that I could use public transportation in order to get around, but the administration seems to forget that public transportation does not go everywhere.  I work for a utility company that has offices in places where public transportation does not travel.  Using Uber or Lyft every day would not be the best option from a financial standpoint.  In other words, either I waste all of my monetary resources on rides to work to prove that transportation drains my finances or I quit my job and earn less than what I am receiving now. 

If someone has had a disability since birth or has been impaired in some way due to an accident for a longer period than what would be considered “short term” then he or she should automatically qualify to receive benefits in some form from Social Security.  All that should be required is a letter from a doctor explaining the details of the impairment.  The amount of income that is earned through employment should not play too much of a role in whether or not an individual should receive benefits.  If a person is going to be disabled for the remainder of his or her life, then there should not be a question of whether or not he or she is eligible to receive Social Security.  One size does not fit all when it comes to having a disability.  Once corporate America wakes up from its slumber, then everyone in society can evolve to a higher state of being. 

Is a Disability Really an Obstacle

Living with a disability is a very difficult thing to wrap one’s head around.  At first glance, it may seem like all a person does is overcome obstacles left and right.  This is especially true if the disability is of the physical type.  In actuality, a disability is a gift that can be used as a tool.

Seeing a disability as nothing but an obstacle is just an illusion the mind creates due to pressures put in place by society to conform to the “norm.”  Basic hygiene functions can be a challenge when an individual is younger, but the majority of the hassle comes from others who do not understand that those with disabilities need to do things their own way in order to make an impact on the world.  Once the gifted person understands that he or she can take control of his or her own life, then the disability is no longer a hindrance of any kind.  In other words, once a person with a disability understands his or her design, then the challenges associated with the gift are minimalized. 

Cerebral Palsy is my gift to the world.  I have a particular form of Cerebral known as Spastic Diplegia.  This condition affects my legs more severely than my upper limbs.  It is difficult to get around when it is cold outside due to my muscles becoming stiff.  I am also not able to drive due to coordination issues with using both hands simultaneously in opposing directions.  Because I cannot drive, it is difficult to hold a regular nine to five job. 

Most people will say that one needs a nine to five job so that financial stability can be guaranteed.  The thing about have a regular job is that the company can take away perks anytime it wants.  If a company wants to cut a person’s hours, then it is free to do so.  If a company does not want to be flexible to a person with a disability, then it is not forced to make any kind of concessions whatsoever.  Whatever a person decides to put his or her energy towards, he or she will get that back over time.  If I decided to focus my energy on being a receptionist for a big company, then all I am going to attract will be things related to fulfilling that role.  If I focus my energy on writing, then I will get that in return. 

I have a strong grasp on how to use technology to my advantage.  I might not be able to physically write that legible, but my thoughts are what give my words strength.  I am able to type on a computer, so I can still manage to let others know what I have to say.  If I could turn writing into a career, then I would not have to worry about transportation from one place to another on a daily basis.  I would not have to worry about being the fastest person in the physical sense.  My mind is my greatest asset.  My mind will be what attracts the resources for the type of life that I wish to live.  Being the fastest person from the physical standpoint is going against my design.  I was not designed to be a pack horse.  I was designed to inspire others with my words and positive energy.  There are plenty of others in the world that might be designed to be fast from a physical perspective.  I am not one of those individuals, and that is alright.

Everyone should be able to live their lives using their strengths.  I have firsthand knowledge of what it is like to be gifted with Cerebral Palsy, and so I should be helping others minimalize their challenges so that they can live brighter futures.  I am also starting to dig deeper into occult, and I probably should think about using that knowledge in some way once I become more familiar with the subject matter. 

Through writing about my experiences with Cerebral Palsy, I am using my gift as a tool rather than seeing it as an obstacle.  My disability has become less of a mountain once I started using it for a purpose.  The gift of Cerebral Palsy is to be used as a tool for teaching.  It is not supposed to be seen as a wall that needs traversing.  Only a fool would throw away such a treasure.    

         

  

Road to Independence

Life sure has a way of repeating itself over and over again.  These cycles occur based off the lessons that we need to learn while we are alive.  They also happen due to choices we make.  I have learned quite a bit in my thirty years of existence.

The cycles of my life tend to have a span of fifteen years each.  The first fifteen years were spent primarily with my mother.  I visited my father on Tuesday nights and every other weekend.  My mother was the one who took care of me on a day to day basis.  Due to having Cerebral Palsy, my mother babied me quite a lot.  I did not learn basic things a toddler would know until the age of ten. 

All of the surgeries that I went through occurred during this time period of my life.  My mother passed away in January 2001.  I had just turned fifteen years old five days before the event took place.  I have not had any operations since my mother passed away.  It is rather obvious that my mother’s existence within my life was to help me obtain the strength needed to overcome my surgeries.  Once all the surgeries were finished, then there was no reason for my mother to be a part of my life any longer. 

My father became more relevant after my mother passed away.  My father did not baby me in the same way that my mother had in the past.  I was a very sheltered person when it came to financial resources.  Every time I would ask my father about paying for something big such as a car or a college education, all he would say was “don’t worry about it.”  I should have taken his words as a clue that things were not as financially sound as he made it seem.  I should have been more intelligent for my age, but I let things stay as they were without question. 

My father passed away in July of this year.  My childhood home is up for short sale, and I am probably going to end up in a place where I do not want to be.  I do not have anyone to blame but myself for this outcome.  If I would have taken responsibility earlier in life, then I would not be faced with this situation. 

My parents were sources of strength in order to help me through the tougher times in my life.  My father’s health started to decline once I started pursuing my own freedom.  My first big step to achieving independence was coming out as transgender.  I got my name changed during the summer of last year.  A few months prior to this event, my father went to hospital for blood sugar issues.  I started to become more spiritually aware in February of this year.  As I became more spiritual, my father’s health went even further downhill.  As I became more independent, my father became worse.  This situation is very reminiscent of what happened after I went through all of my surgeries. In other words, after I achieved my independence from a physical standpoint, my mother’s health declined, and then she died.  Once my independence was strengthened emotionally and spiritually, my father passed away. 

Independence is the key word that sums up my life up until now.  One could also use the word freedom in my case.  My parents were used as a source of strength until I achieved my freedom.  Once a particular stage of independence was reached, then there was no need for a particular parent to play a role in my life. 

The first half of my life was geared toward achieving my freedom.  I am going to use the second half of my life to heal the pain of others in order to help them find a gateway to their own personal freedom.   I understand how hard it is to achieve freedom on various levels, and I know that I have the ability to help others in a big way.  This is going to be a rather difficult mountain to climb, but it will be worth it in the end.  I will feel a lot happier once following my life’s purpose.     

Difficulties with the School System

Going to school can be hard for anyone.  The classes can be quite boring.  The food in the cafeteria barely passes the standards imposed by the FDA.  Puberty has started, and you would rather focus on those changes rather than sit around finding the hypothetical value for X.  As a person who is gifted with Cerebral Palsy, I had some extra hoops to jump through in order to receive a proper education.

I cannot physically write as fast as those who are able-bodied, so taking notes down was rather difficult.  The schools were not very understanding of my needs whatsoever.  My mother tried to get each school to purchase a laptop for me to use, but the response as to why I could not have one was the same every time.  Each principle would say “A laptop is not in the school’s budget.”  The only option available to me was a one to one assistant. 

Most of the assistants that I had were not that terrible.  Looking back at everything now, they are the ones that got the short end of the stick.  These people only received about $7.50 an hour.  The amount of note keeping in middle school was ridiculous.  Teachers would actually grade your notebook for how organized it was.  My assistants always helped keep everything in order.    

The one to one assistant solution also carried over to high school as well.  I did not have the exact same person throughout my grade school career.  It was a different person every year.  I did not achieve complete scholastic independence until after I got my diploma and moved on to college.    

The only time I did not have an assistant was when I was in the sixth grade.  The middle school I went to put in me in the self-contained classroom with those who were mentally challenged.  The school was judging me based on the negative stereotype surrounding those with physically disabilities.  Not every person born with physical challenges has problems with his or her mind.  The principal only put me in a self-contained classroom in order to cover her own butt in case anything happened to me. 

Hopefully my time in grade school changed the lives of others.  Maybe I inspired some policy changes in the school system.  I doubt that this is the case.  The school system seems to be too big for any change to occur in a short amount time.  All anyone can do is try to make a difference, and then wait to see how things unfold.