ncas@cbnewsj.ATT.COM (Clifford A. Stevens, Jr) (03/17/90)
Index Number: 7205 I missed the parent article, where evidently a man complained about the cognitive effects of his injury, but I caught the followup where it was said that the man should appreciate what he still does have, stop complaining, and straighten-up and fly right! Well, you know not of what you speak! I've had a head injury, am both physically and cognitively affected, and let me assure you, even when I was in my wheelchair, I considered the cognitive affects to be by far more significant! I mean, I was a *SUPERSTAR* at Bell Labs, after 25 years of being "smarter than your average bear" (all thru school), but not after the injury! They couldn't even find any kind of technical position for me so I'm being forced to disbility retirement! It's kinda like saying, "So what if he's in a chair, he can still think and plan! He should stop b*tchin', it could be worse! And maybe that's why noone likes him!". Now we wouldn't let anyone say that for physical problems, but it's OK, to say it for cognitive problems! And haven't you ever heard of people being uncomortable around handicapped survivors? I'm amazed I have to say this, is this your first time reading this group? I hope it is, or my attempts at education have completely failed! It's not supposed to work like this, typing a long emotional letter is supposed to purge you of anger, but I must really be good at rousing emotions because I'm now *REALLY* mad. This is a common abuse, "Oh, he's walking, so he's OK!" But this is why the National Head Injury Foundation calls Closed Head Injuries the "Unseen Epidemic". Because you don't even have to be unconcious for a head injury to have cognitive affects! I figure I'm *LUCKY*, there's no way someone could hear me speak and not know I've been cognitively affected (I sound like I'm retarded.). ------------ Give me a break, I'm brain damaged! Cliff Stevens MT1E228 att!cbnewsj!ncas (201)957-3902 (I don't log in very often, so followup articles expire, so email is best!)
era@ncar.ucar.edu (Ed Arnold) (03/19/90)
Index Number: 7213 In article <10703@bunker.UUCP> ncas@cbnewsj.ATT.COM (Clifford A. Stevens, Jr) writes: |Index Number: 7205 | |I missed the parent article, where evidently a man complained about |the cognitive effects of his injury, but I caught the followup where |it was said that the man should appreciate what he still does have, |stop complaining, and straighten-up and fly right! There were two responses complaining about Greg See-Kee's original posting, in which he discussed the cognitive/emotional effects of his brain injury. One said he needed to straighten up and take it like a man; the other told him he was too emotional. |It's kinda like saying, "So what if he's in a chair, he can still think and |plan! He should stop b*tchin', it could be worse! And maybe that's why |noone likes him!". Now we wouldn't let anyone say that for physical |problems, but it's OK, to say it for cognitive problems! And haven't you |ever heard of people being uncomortable around handicapped survivors? Thanks for writing this, Cliff. The responses bothered me, too. I'm not brain-damaged myself, but being around brain-damaged kids is enough to make it clear to me that the damage can have far-reaching cognitive and emotional effects which won't be helped by responses like the two I saw. |there's no way someone could hear me speak and not |know I've been cognitively affected (I sound like I'm retarded.). ^^^^^^^^ Uh-oh. The "R-word". I'll let it pass this time. :-) :-) :-) -- Ed Arnold * NCAR * POB 3000, Boulder, CO 80307-3000 * 303-497-1253(w) era@ncar.ucar.edu [128.117.64.4] * era@ncario.bitnet * era@ncar.uucp "See, the human mind is kind of like ... a pinata. When it breaks open, there's a lot of surprises inside." --Jane Wagner/Lily Tomlin
Nadine.Thomas@p0.f10.n300.z1.fidonet.org (Nadine Thomas) (03/20/90)
Index Number: 7219
Hi Greg. I have been putting off replying to your post until I could
sufficiently calm down or at least think a little bit rationally. I do
not know if your post was meant to be a `devils advocate' type post or
if you sincerely mean what you posted so I am going on the assumption
that you really meant it.
My observation was that you are well educated, have an extremely high
level of vocabulary and spelling, can be logical, seem to have a pretty
good memory in being able to continue a rather lengthly conversational
string in your post, able to know when you are better off then others,
etc.
For someone who is whining about brain damage you seem to be extremely
high functioning. I noticed you were willing to exchange places with
anyone as long as it was not someone with chronic pain. It sounds to
me like a millionaire who is complaining cause he lost a hundred dollar
bill somewhere.
We all have problems (physical and/or mental) that we would not like to
have but I don't see a whole lot of whinning about it. What I have
seen from others on this echo is a willingness to try their best with
what they have - I have seen posts from those who's vocabulary is quite
limited and those who's spelling is not on a very high level BUT you
know what? At least they are doing the best with what they have and
are reaching and testing their limits and sometimes extending beyond
those limits into new territory. All I hear from you is pity me, poor
me. Sorry, that doesn't wash with me. You say people are prejudiced
against you - have you HONESTLY looked at why? Try taking a look at
your attitude.....Are you expecting because you are a cripple that you
are owed something? Are you expecting that because you are black
oriental or what ever that you are owed something? Do YOU make sure
that it is always in the forefront that people can't help but make
comments about those things cause YOU don't LET them forget it? Maybe a
change of attitude is in order, which, in turn, will make a change of
attitude in others. You see, I have learned one very big lesson and
that is that if so many people are saying the same thing then *I* have
to look at MY behavior and see what *I* am doing to PROVOKE it. In
other words I TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR MY OWN ACTIONS. So how about
it? Willing to become honest?
Nadine
--
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