[misc.handicap] Thanksgiving

Chris.Brown@f113.n163.z1.fidonet.org (Chris Brown) (12/05/90)

Index Number: 12212

A friend of mine who is a disabled activist says there are statistics 
indicating that when one person of a couple becomes disabled, the other 
usually leaves.  The rate of abandonment is higher if it is the woman who 
becomes disabled.  Many members of our self help group have all kinds of 
problems with relatives and close family over their inability to accept 
and get on with life.  

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Lee.Kerr@f7.n300.z1.fidonet.org (Lee Kerr) (12/05/90)

Index Number: 12219

i KNOW THE FEELING.  I can understand what you are going through th be
different than the others in the family.  A good many times we thinkj
differently than they might, and for sure, most5 of them dont junderstand
what is happening.  Theare is no way I can see that a piece of wood layed
over the stairs for a temporary ramp could hurt a thing.  As far as thea
chair doing the carpeting any harm, I dont think so.  THAT IS A CROCK OF
BULL.  I really shouldnt sound off like that but thingsa like that make me 
angry and I guess that is just the way I am.  In reality, I think those of 
us without what might be considered a disanbility are afraid of what it
might be likje with one.  All which is seen by them is the negative side
of things and never the abilities and thea desires of those jof us with
them.  
There are more preferable ways to assist someonea in moving about than
DRAGGING them from place to place as you discribed.  It sounds likje the
day was living hell and I would not have wanted to have indured it.  I
think I would have left.  There is no reason for them to be that way,
fears or not.  Some person who trys to make themselves look big by putting 
another person down is only making themselves look little, or should I say 
SMALLER THAN SMALL.  If yoou would like, I have no objection to you
printing my comoments and giving it to them.  I hope you do///// That kind 
dof thing really gets me mad.  
I never have tried apple oor plum wood with turkey but I am going tyo try
to get some before I do the next one.  
Hope things get better up your way.  
Chat again soon........................Lee

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Pandora.Nigh@f3.n157.z1.fidonet.org (Pandora Nigh) (12/07/90)

Index Number: 12401

   Hi Chris, yes I think that alot of relationships breakdown with 
disabilities. I think for the most part when it is the woman it hurts 
more in a one-on-one relationship that fails. We still perceive women as 
care givers in this country and when the "care giver' is disAbled it 
tends to throw the other off kilter. I find it ironic that I have 
problems with my family and not with male companions. Even my ex and I 
didn't break up over my disability. It kind of puts a cabash to the old 
axiom that home is the place that you can go when nobody else will take 
you.
                     Pandora

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Pandora.Nigh@f3.n157.z1.fidonet.org (Pandora Nigh) (12/07/90)

Index Number: 12402

     Hi Frank, I wonder if it is dads and sons and mothers and daughters 
that don't seem to click well. I wonder if part of the problem lies that 
they see us as extensions of themselves and if we become disabled we 
can't live up to what they perceive they want to be. My father is very 
proud of me. He supports alot of things that I do and you can see the 
glow of pride and warmth when he talks of things like my show and 
volunteer work. My mother on the other hand seems to think that I just 
am a burden and serve no great purpose. I don't make big bucks like  my 
sister and one brother, I don't look like a cover girl like my sister, 
and I get SSA which to her is being like a welfare leach. Of course she 
feels sorry for Ray that he has to put up with me and it is costing him 
unnecessary money for him to fix and help me around the house. Of course 
this is not an overly new view for her. When I was married her standard 
phrase was "the woman gives 90% and the man 10% " and if you didn't go 
along with her stats and situation then you were at fault. My ex would 
get drunk alot and then pound on me. When this first started happening I 
didn't want to sya exactly what was happening and Irun and lock my self 
in the den and then call home and ask them to please pick me up. Then I 
would get the old standard and "you have to work things out between 
yourselves". Of course being a Catholic family when ever I brouched the 
subject of divorce all Hell broke loose. I fianly wised up on that 
situation and did divorce him. I knew at that time no matter how hard it 
would be for me and the baby to live alone that it would be better than 
moving in with my parents. So like you for a long time I have been 
physically removed from them. But you still make those once in a while 
contacts. I'm luck that the once amonth I talk to her on the phone is of 
short duration and she doesn't do much accept to tell me to get my hair 
cut.
                            Pandora

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Gary.Greiner@f21.n272.z1.fidonet.org (Gary Greiner) (12/07/90)

Index Number: 12405

 
CB> A friend of mine who is a disabled activist says there are statistics 
CB> indicating that when one person of a couple becomes disabled, the othe
CB> usually leaves.  The rate of abandonment is higher if it is the woman 
CB> becomes disabled.  Many members of our self help group have all kinds 
CB> problems with relatives and close family over their inability to accep
CB> and get on with life.  
 
 
CB> ---
 
Hi Chris!
It is QUITE frequent that when one person of a couple (to use your
phrase) is diagnosed with cancer divorce results.
Cheers,
           TM

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kathyj@pase70.Convergent.Com (Kathy Johnson) (12/10/90)

Index Number: 12428

In article <16128@bunker.UUCP> Chris.Brown@f113.n163.z1.fidonet.org writes:
>Index Number: 12212
>
>A friend of mine who is a disabled activist says there are statistics 
>indicating that when one person of a couple becomes disabled, the other 
>usually leaves.  The rate of abandonment is higher if it is the woman who 
>becomes disabled.  Many members of our self help group have all kinds of 
>problems with relatives and close family over their inability to accept 
>and get on with life.  
>

I can believe those stats because the same kind of numbers occur
when there is death of a child or a similar crises.  I know of one
couple who divorced after the wife's last remaining relative (her
mother) died.  She basically threw out her whole life (all her
keepsakes and family heirlooms) and ran off with a used car
salesman she had known for 2 days.  I think that when something
beyond our control drastically changes our lives, there is an
impulse to pitch everything and run.  Of course if you understand
that the impulse is natural, but not neccessarily in your own best
interest, you can overcome it and handle panic in a more productive
way.

I would like to believe that if my husband became severely disabled
that our relationship would continue.  I know that my husband puts
up with a lot (carrying some of the load for things that I simply
am unable to do when my chronic condition recurs, and putting up
with my frustration/self anger at not being able to do those things
myself) and I am only intermitantly disabled in minor ways.

--------------------------------------------------------------------
Kathy M. Johnson			Unisys has, takes, or claims 
Unisys, San Jose			absolutely no responsibility
					for this posting.