Chronic Companion

Disabled Midwestern homemaker, avid reader, retired theatre tech, dabbling artist and Doctor Who fan.

[crippleprophet]

i think it’s really important for abled leftists to be conscious of how they frame issues that specifically affect chronically ill and disabled folks. i’m not gonna get into like, how a lot of leftist utopia fantasies see “eradicating disability” as a good thing because others have already talked about that better than i can, but i mean more like with things like how pollution is the fault of corporations, not individuals, and individual lifestyle changes aren’t enough to reverse climate damage or prevent climate disaster.

idk i’m just thinking about how the campus i’ve been working at this summer has signs by every elevator about how you should take the stairs to conserve electricity, and signs by the drink machines with photos of sea turtles that say how they don’t offer plastic straws because of ocean pollution, and how i’ve been repeating to myself all summer you are not just a drain on the earth’s resources, you deserve to exist, and how fucking angry that makes me.

and i know a lot of leftists point out how those kind of things aren’t much better than platitudes when we should be focusing on action against the fossil fuel industry, but i feel like a lot of conversations about that just totally ignore how environmental guilt is absolutely crushing so many disabled people’s spirits and sense of worth in an already ableist society.

i guess i just wanna say that like, if you ate off of a styrofoam plate today because you didn’t have the energy to wash dishes, i’m so glad you ate. if you threw recyclables in the trash because the recycling bin is on the other side of the building and you couldn’t walk far enough to make two trips, i’m so proud of you for keeping your space clean. if you needed to use a plastic straw today, i’m so, so sorry for all the bullshit that’s been directed your way lately, and i’m so proud of you for enduring it.

if you use non-reusable diapers, if your medication requires a lot of packaging, if devices you need to stay alive are single-use, if your assistive devices use a lot of electricity, if you can’t take public transportation, i’m so glad you’re here, i’m so sorry this world wasn’t built for us, i’m so sorry we’ve been made into a scapegoat for corporate greed, i’m so sorry that most days it feels like no one is defending us.

[positivedoodles]

I’m trying to expand this project and add all kinds of new features. If you want to help, you can pledge 1$ to my patreon here, and in exchange, you’ll get access to a second project where I try to create the coziest/warmest art collection on the internet.

[kipplekipple]

When we talk about being fat-positive and we say, “weight is not an indication of health,” I will reblog it. But I want us to also say, “health is not an indication of value.”

I could be at any weight and I will never be healthy, because I am chronically ill. Someone might be chronically ill and fat, or they might be chronically ill and not fat, and it really doesn’t matter.

When you make it about health, you’re saying health is the pinnacle of human achievement, and you’re shitting on those of us for whom health will always be a pipe dream.

[rollerskatinglizard]

Oh Oh

[satan-loves-my-ass]

H-how is weight not an indication of health?

[fandomsandfeminism]

Weight, in isolation, tells you extremely little about a person’s overall health. It doesn’t tell you about their muscle mass, their metabolism, their blood pressure, their nutrition intake, resting heart rate, waist measurement, risk behaviors like smoking or heavy drinking, chronic health issues, and their level of physical activity. It also doesn’t differentiate between weight from fat tissue, muscle tissue, and bone weight (which is one of the main reasons why BMI is so unreliable.)

Excess weight can contribute to some health concerns OR can be a SYMPTOM of a health concern. But by itself, weight isn’t a measure of health. It is possible to be heavy and healthy at the same time. In fact, there are some studies showing that there are some health risks which actually decrease if a person is overweight (particularly the premature mortality risk from non-cancer and non-cardiovascular sources.)

But like the OP said, even if there was a 1:1 correlation between weight and overall health, which there isnt, we as a society shouldn’t shame people because of their HEALTH either. Being healthy and/or thin isnt a sign of moral goodness. They are just characteristics a person can have, and if you aren’t their doctor then it also isnt your business.

[havanasliu]

im screaming

[ithinkiamfinallyclean]

“they’re burning all the witches” 

ARTIST CREDIT

[cmsturken]

Confessions of a Props Person #145:

Yep, just cruising around town with two prop tommy guns on my backseat...that I forgot about, like an idiot. Honestly, it’s a miracle that I haven’t been arrested yet at this point in my career.

[auntjeanne1775]

My first prop master assignment ever was for a production of A Few Good Men performed at a suburban high school in California not too long after Columbine.

I forget how many faux rifles that show calls for, but let's just say it's more than they like to let you bring on to high school campuses.

I still have nightmares about the paperwork.

[kintatsujo]

Me: I don’t know if I ever want to be pregnant, I’d rather adopt a kid or two that are a bit older

Someone: Are you SURE? Older adoptees present UNIQUE CHALLENGES

Me: We are discussing human beings not digital pets

[plenoptic07]

Literally every child every born and/or parented presents unique challenges. It’s like people are unique individuals…..or something………….

[kintatsujo]

An amazing and revolutionary concept

[indigo-night-wisp]

When people ask me, “Why do you want to adopt teenagers?” I always answer, “Because you asked like that.”

I’m real over it. If I become a foster mom to a 17 year old kid and I get the privilege of the option to adopt them? You better believe I am legally making that kid mine.

“They’ll be a legal adult in no time, why spend the money to adopt? They’ll be aged out of the system.”

There’s no aging out of family, Marvin.

“They might be rebellious or smoke or do drugs or steal things! What if they won’t listen to you?”

Then I guess I’ll have to step up and do some fruxking parenting, Stanley.

“You want to adopt problem children then?”

All. Children. Are. Problem. Children. If you’re not prepared to deal with the fact that at some point, any child ever, whether you birthed them yourself or adopted them at any age, could become a problem? Then you are NOT ready to have children, and should really just step off and let the people who actually want to be parents live in peace with their kids.

[tearyourcurtainsdown]

Hey I’m so glad this post is picking up

[bekkaa]

the reason why they ask “what if they become problem children?” is bcs they see them as disposable. if you foster a kid who acts up, you can just get rid of them. and the only reason why they don’t ask these questions with bio kids is bcs you CANT get rid of them, not easily or legally

[auntjeanne1775]

As my husband and I have explored the idea of adopting a teenager, I have been astounded at the negative reactions we've had from friends and family.

The most positive common response is a silent eye roll and a pointed look that says "You clearly don't know what you're getting into."

Of course I don't know what I'm getting into. I wouldn't know that if I was pregnant or adopting an infant either.

[myturtlespeedy]

This is a result of the inhumane decisions that members of this administration want you to be silent about in public for fear of a loss of “civility”.

[liukka]

The kid and her lawyer were about the only humans there. For fucks sake, they’re kids.

[tired-of-capitalism-deactivated]

HERE’S THE LINK TO SUPPORT HER WORK

[penny-anna]

actually the divide between what is and is not dr who canon is very straightforward. if I like it, its canon now. if i don’t like it doesn’t count.

[penny-anna]

the marie kondo approach to canon. does this story spark joy? no? throw it away

[mindingmyownbrain]

Don’t wait for a diagnosis to accommodate someone

Everyone finds things difficult or confusing sometimes.

A specific diagnosis can help explain why someone finds certain things difficult or confusing more often than other people do, but you do not have to wait for a diagnosis before making reasonable adjustments for someone.

Many people, such as women with autism or ADHD, do not receive a diagnosis until later in life. Some never will get a diagnosis even if they qualify for one, and will never be aware that their differences have a name. This is also similar for people with physical disabilities. It may take years or even decades to diagnose someone correctly, if at all. 

This means that people without diagnoses may struggle greatly with a lot of things - or something very specific - but don’t have the validation or clarity that medical recognition can give. They may not even realise what it is they struggle with exactly, but instead live with an overwhelming sense of stress and low self-esteem. 

The majority of disabilities are invisible with the result that people on the outside can’t see the suffering within, and those who are suffering may berate themselves for not finding things as easy as everybody else. Invisible means that those with a disorder can’t always see it themselves. 

It is also important to remember that because of the stigma associated with being disabled or different, not everyone will want to disclose their diagnosis to you if they have one.

Some people will not want to explain their diagnosis (it might feel too emotional or too risky) and will instead choose to tell you about the specific adaptations they need. It is important to remain open to such requests rather than implicitly or explicitly pressuring them to give up their right to privacy by disclosing their diagnosis.  

Knowing someone’s diagnosis doesn’t always help you realise what practical things you can do to help anyway, especially if it is a diagnosis that comes with a lot of stereotypes attached to it. 

“You’re autistic? You don’t seem autistic. You must be high functioning. I’m sure you’ll be fine.”

“You have chronic fatigue syndrome? I get tired too. You don’t look ill so I’m sure you can keep up.”

“You have ADHD? Is that even real? You just need to try harder.”

If someone tells you they need certain accommodations, they don’t need to give you a diagnosis in order to justify them. They may have a diagnosis, or they may not. Most of the time doesn’t matter. 

The habit of inclusion benefits everybody.

Adaptations are not “special needs”. 

The idea of “special needs” only serves to marglinalise people and stigmatise differences. People are generally not trying to be difficult or manipulative when they ask for help. The need for access or to have information presented to us in a way we can process without stress is a reasonable need, not a special one. There is no need to be suspicious or cynical about people who assert normal human needs.

Moreover, the idea that we should withhold adaptations unless there is an approved medical reason to give them plays into the myth of “it’s an excuse”. 

People without a diagnosis (or who chose to keep their diagnoses private) are asked, “What’s your excuse?” 

People who are considering a diagnosis are asked, “Are you sure you’re not making excuses?”

Most cynically, people who already have a diagnosis are still often told, “That’s not an excuse.”

The word diagnosis comes from di meaning to divide or distinguish, and gnosis meaning to know. A diagnosis, therefore, is something that distinguishes a person or a condition from other people or other conditions and the recognition of this fact. We don’t need to wait for a medical diagnosis to know that everyone is unique and that some people need to do things differently from other people.

Gnosis also implants itself into the words recognise and acknowledge. 

We can recognise and acknowledge the validity of people’s challenges without waiting for medical approval.

Withholding adaptations or validation from someone until they receive a diagnosis risks you being that other word that gnosis lends itself to - ignorant. 

[youngchronicpain]

Last year my cousin and I spent three weeks traveling through South Korea and Japan.

This year… we head to London! I just booked the tickets the day before yesterday. I can’t wait!!! We will be there in late September. If you live in London and have any wheelchair accessibility tips I would greatly appreciate any that you can think of. I know it won’t be perfect accessibility wise, nothing ever is, but I still am so excited!

[auntjeanne1775]

Plan routes on public transportation carefully. Ables can simply hop on and off the frequent busses and trains, but disabled tourists are going to need to plan way ahead.

Tube stations (and many public places in the UK) are all or nothing accessibility.

Either the space is analyzed hourly by a team of famous disability experts, or you have to climb Mount Doom to even look at it.

London, in my experience, has more of the latter.

[thorffour-deactivated20190920]

[link]

[micdotcom]

Watch: The power and vulnerability in his voice needs to be heard.

[mushroomjawn]

Really wish we could go back to a time when movies were worth something as long as they were fun to watch

Like I mentioned the 2016 Ghostbusters reboot (the all-female one) to someone bc i had a lot of fun watching that movie!! And they were like “that movie wasn’t that good it was just a comedy… It didn’t win anything did it?” like bitch …. The first Ghostbusters movie wasn’t fucking good either but I’m still sitting here watching some dudes chase a ghost through a library to some weird synth music so maybe movies don’t have to win awards to be worth watching

[mushroomjawn]

Not done.

When I ask people about their fave movies I always ask for two:

1) Which movie do you just fuckin. Watch over and over again (mine is Groundhog Day)?

2) Which movie do you recommend to other people/to me specifically?

Like. These are two VERY different questions. I know my bff from high school is obsessed with the star wars prequels like SHE KNOWS THEY AINT GOOD. I asked my roommate the first question and they were like “fuck dude I just love Mrs doubtfire.” Like yeah you’re not gonna be telling every person you meet to watch Mrs doubtfire! But it’s okay if it’s a movie you like some movies are FUN

[auntjeanne1775]

So much this

[keepcalmandwritefiction]

Forget “strong female character.” Aim for: “Woman or girl with agency.” One who makes decisions, affects the story, pushes the plot. –– Chuck Wendig

[kaylewiswrites]

Since the term strong female character has been twisted into ‘girl who punches and does man things (while pretty)’ it’s good to be reminded of the actual meaning

[academicssay]

[skarchomp]

my philosophy is “nothing an individual can do could possibly be worse for the environment than major corporations dumping tons of pollutants into the atmosphere every day but also don’t just toss shit on the ground you idiot have some manners”