IO00053@MAINE.BITNET (mari robinson) (03/30/91)
Index Number: 14586
Hi all,
I am a 20 year old woman, a university student, and am
newly disabled. Well, it ain't really new, but I just
found out that there is nothing that can be done for
what's wrong with me. The bones in my legs are congenitally
malformed (which didn't present a problem during growth
years but did once the long bones in the legs reached full
size), resulting in a very sharp angle (38 degrees in the
left, 44 degrees in the right leg) between the thigh and
shin bones. This causes severe kneecap dislocation and very
nasty pain. I can't walk very fast or far (I can barely manage
0.1 mile and it takes me 15 minutes to do it) and I can barely
climb stairs. The doctors I have gone to say the only thing that
can be done is to break both legs and reshape them?!?! but there
is less than a 30% chance of success.
Well, needless to say, I've never been disabled before, and I'm
having a kind of rough time dealing with it. I'm really depressed
and I don't know what to do with myself now that I'm a "crip" :-)
(I know that's bad wording but sarcasm is my only defense lately).
Counseling has been recommended but I can't afford private counseling
and the counselors at the university are worse than bad. I was
wondering if anyone here on misc.handicap could help me out with
advice on how to handle my new life situation. I do count myself
fortunate that it's not a life-threatening thing, but it's still
really hard for me to deal with the fact that I can't walk like I
used to.
Please send e-mail to io00053@maine.maine.edu if you can help me.
Any and all assistance would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
MariScott.Wallace@f61.n134.z1.fidonet.org (Scott Wallace) (04/26/91)
Index Number: 15227
Hi there mari...
A quick reply from your message of 15-Apr-91:
MR> wondering if anyone here on misc.handicap could help me out with
MR> advice on how to handle my new life situation. I do count myself
MR> fortunate that it's not a life-threatening thing, but it's still
MR> really hard for me to deal with the fact that I can't walk like I
MR> used to.
I really feel for you Mari because I too am dis-ABLED. I am
slowly dying of A.L.S. (Lou Gehrig's Disease) and I sit here and
watch my muscles whither away to nothing. I look at life as an
opportunity to make an impact on others and how I can give of
myself to others. Even though I'm 85% paralyzed, I've appeared on
TV, newspaper and am active in writing for local periodicals.
It's your whole attitude on life itself and your view of
yourself. I used to feel uncomfortable going out in public and
have people stare at me while someone fed me. I go out twice a
week to eat at restaurants and couldn't give a hoot what people
think of me. I FEEL GOOD ABOUT MYSELF and know that when people
meet me, they see me, not my disability because I don't make a
big deal about my disability with an attitude "poor me" or "feel
sorry for me". I have more close friends now than before my
illness. For a while there at the early stages of my illness, I
turned most people off with my shitty attitude and outlook. Now,
if I have an "attitude", I keep it private.
A big help in my emotional growth was meditation. It gave me a
whole new outlook on myself and life. Most cities have numerous
meditation groups to get you started. Prayer is a form of
meditation and has greatly helped me too.
Without getting too personal on this echo, I hope I can help out
more. Perhaps you can reach me via netmail at 1:134/61.0 and we
can carry on discussions in private.
Ciao!
Scott
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Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!134!61!Scott.Wallace
Internet: Scott.Wallace@f61.n134.z1.fidonet.orgWally.Brown@f36.n134.z1.fidonet.org (Wally Brown) (04/26/91)
Index Number: 15233
I am disabled by blindness, if I could offer you any consolation, it would
be to accept what you cannot change and thank God that it is not life
threatening.
I went blind 20 years ago, and it was hard to accept, so it is not easy to
start with, but as you learn to accept what you cannot avoid, you will
grow out of your depression in time.
I do not mean that is is easy, it is not , and there will be bad days as
well as good days, but in time it will get better if you learn to accept
what you cannot change.
After I went blind, I put my trust in The Lord, and it brought about the
greatest change in my life. It did not change my circumstances, but it did
change my attitude and that is where it was all at.
Going blind was the best thing that could have ever happened to me, as it
caused me to trust in The Lord, which I never would have otherwise.
That does not mean that I would not like to see again, but it does mean
that I am content with my life as it is now.
I also have a life-threatening condition that means that I could die at
any time, and I am ready to go, and that was as a result of turning to God
on my knees and trusting in His plan for my life.
I am not a religious nut, and do not want to frighten you off, but I
would be glad to offer you my prayers and willing to communicate with you
on this bbs, if you wish.
Let me know if you want this from me.
All the best.
Wally.
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Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!134!36!Wally.Brown
Internet: Wally.Brown@f36.n134.z1.fidonet.org