Chronically Something

Thoughts, ramblings, and unsolicited advice about life with Multiple Sclerosis / Chronic Illness, by me and other people on the internet. Because sometimes it feels good to be able to say "oh man I can relate". Visit Me at Chronically Something dot Com Proud Human half of Tort Time: All Turtles and Tortoises all the time Follow @Not_Interesting !function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","twitter-wjs");   (function( ){ BF_WIDGET_JS=document.createElement("script"); BF_WIDGET_JS.type="text/javascript"; BF_WIDGET_SRC="http://ct.buzzfeed.com/wd/UserWidget?u=chronically-something.tumblr.com&to=1&or=vb&wid=1&cb=" + (new Date()).getTime(); setTimeout(function() {document.getElementById("BF_WIDGET_1").appendChild(BF_WIDGET_JS);BF_WIDGET_JS.src=BF_WIDGET_SRC},1); })(); Subscribe to this blog by email! Enter your email address: Delivered by FeedBurner

[curiousitycollective]

Since this just happened to us again:

You cannot tell if someone has mobility issues just by looking at them

and

Not everyone with mobility issues uses aids. This doesnt mean they won't need to use seating or the accessible washrooms

[bluebunnyproject]

Today (May 30th) is MS Awareness Day. 🧡

[wonder-cripple-deactivated20250]

The thing about being disabled is, we’re not just hated. Hatred would take too much effort. The truth is, people don’t care AT ALL.

We’re pushed from jobs and schools, denied accommodations, left to die during pandemics, forced to lose our benefits if we fall in love.

Nobody cares.

[disagigglebilities]

Merry Christmas to the cripple whose family doesn't believe they're disabled.

Merry Christmas to the cripple whose family doesn't take their disability into consideration for their holiday plans.

Merry Christmas to the cripple who can't make it to their holiday plans because of a flare up.

Merry Christmas to the cripple who didn't make holiday plans because of their disability.

I wish you an easier day pain or illness wise and hope your Christmas goes as fast or slow as you need it to.

[flowercrowncrip]

I think there’s a lot of people who don’t realise this, but if you’re walking down a pavement and see a wheelchair user is coming the other way, please step to the outside of the pavement (closest to the road) and let the wheelchair user pass by on the inside (assuming of course that you can do so safely).

It’s not the end of the world if you don’t, but in general, getting a little too close to the edge of the pavement on foot is way less dangerous than a wheelchair user potentially falling off into traffic.

I use a powerchair and I can’t see or feel exactly how close to the edge of a pavement my wheels are, and if my chair falls into the road I’m properly screwed because my chair is so heavy it would take several people to get me upright again. Someone who’s walking is more aware of where their feet are in relation to the pavement and, if necessary, can usually step on and off the pavement briefly and remain upright and un injured.

[unicornlamps]

The one universal experience of chronically ill and disabled people is trying to find neat products online that relate to your illness,only to be met with 600 different varieties of t-shirts that say "I love someone with x illness"

[guerrillatech]

[catmat]

How COVID-19 Reveals Existing Biases Against The Disability Community

How COVID-19 Reveals Existing Biases Against The Disability Community

Disability advocates feel let down by California’s pandemic response—and are fighting for more equal treatment.

[mummified-zombie]

I’m starting to learn that I can use my mobility aid whenever I want to. I don’t need to be in excruciating pain. I can use it to prevent my pain or when I’m having low level pain.

I can also use it even when I don’t have pain, using it when I’m dizzy and off balance is totally valid :)

Learning to reverse internalized ableism is slow but it feels great!

[lifeafterpsychiatry]

Let's switch out the "disabled people are just as capable" campaign with "disabled people are just as valuable." We shouldn't have to perform, achieve and produce on the same level as abled people to be considered worthy.

[bogsheep]

if someone close to you is disabled, you have to take that into account when you go places with them. you have to think about accessibility, fatigue, pain, flare ups, etc because its exhausting and hurtful when people who say they love you dont bother putting the effort in to make sure you ACTUALLY have a good time.

🔪abled people are required to reblog this🔪

[sunshineandhope]

As a Disabled Person, Pre-Pandemic Life Never Worked for Me, So I'm Dreading Returning to 'Normal'

Virtual access has allowed me to participate in life. What happens now?

It may sound strange, but during the pandemic, my social and work life have been fuller than ever, and it felt amazing to be able to fully access things in a way that felt comfortable to me. It breaks my heart to think that as so many people exit isolation, others will be forced back into it because virtual access will be deemed no longer necessary. It hurts me to hear people say they’re looking forward to getting off Zoom, when Zoom events allowed me to be part of things for the first time in my 30 years of life.

[rowandor-deactivated20221217]

I’m going to start working with a resource soon that helps people with Disability and Addictions get the kind of jobs they want, and I’ve always wanted to work on a farm or at a garden of some sort, so it got me thinking.

What if I started my own farm which was designed so Disabled People could openly work there? Like it had appropriate accommodations so everyone could work there, regardless of personal health issues and physical ability. Because god dammit, everyone deserves a chance to be Cottagecore!

So I started writing up some ideas about what might need to be included on a farm like this, and here are some concepts I came up with. PLEASE let me know if you have any more ideas of your own, I’m always open to suggestions.

🌱 Raised Garden Beds so people with Wheelchairs or Mobility Issues can still help plant and harvest

🌱 Sensory Gardens

🌱 Paved, Cobblestone or generally Smoothed and Level Roads between Garden Beds so people with wheelchairs or mobility issues can get around easier

🌱 Indoor Plants and Activities so people who struggle to get outside can still help

🌱 More potted Plants to create easier work for those with physical limitations, as opposed to large open fields that can be difficult to traverse and harvest

🌱 Accommodatable Farm Equipment and Clothing like Gloves, Rakes, etc. with additional padding to make them easier to handle, extended reach and other safety precautions

🌱 Medical Equipment like Medication, Inhalers, Allergy Medication, etc. on hand at all times

🌱 Set-up Reminders to help those with Executive Dysfunction and Memory Issues remember when to plant and harvest

🌱 Weather-appropriate precautions for all persons involved

🌱 Contrasting Colors to help the visually impaired know where to go and what is safe to handle, but not too bright that it might disturb the eyes

🌱 Animal Accommodations for Therapy and Support Animals

🌱 Wheelchair Accommodated Buildings

🌱 More accessible Mobility Aids

🌱 Frequent Breaks for everyone

🌱 Less use of industrial pesticides

🌱 Identify and separate Easier and more Difficult Tasks so that people can know what they’re more equipped to handle on a particular day

🌱 Ranking the Daily Tasks in order of importance, and setting up a system where people can decide what to do based on what they’re most equipped to handle

🌱 Stools and Chairs next to Garden Beds so people can sit while working whenever possible

🌱 Raisable Tables and Benches

🌱 More railings on steps, rails and walkways

Sources:

http://www.agrability.org/resources/disability-and-agriculture/

https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/gardening-people-with-disabilities#making-a-garden-easy-to-use-for-people-with-disabilities

https://vcgn.org/vcgn2020/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/AccessibleCommunityGardensGuide-GrassrootsGardensofBuffalo.pdf

[eccentric-zebra]

[pomsephone]

Reasons a person who regularly uses a mobility aid might not be using them at any given time:

It is broken and they don’t have a choice

They have conducted a risk/benefit analysis and realized it would be more work to bring it (non-accessible venue, not going too far, no extra baggage to carry) 

They cannot transport it properly

They are with a trusted person who can help them if they need it

A unique, short-term injury prevents mobility aid use

They Ubered or drove in and got to cut the commute

They started a new medication that allows them more freedom

They are scared of how people may judge them for their physical attributes (overweight, “looking healthy”)

They are with someone that restricts access to their mobility aid, or makes them feel unsafe using it

They are going to an interview and don’t want to disclose their disability 

Their physical therapy regimen requires some unassisted exercise and this was the only suitable time

They are having a “good” day

and I cannot stress this enough

They are having a bad day and don’t care if they get hurt because honestly mobility aids are exhausting not only because they require work to use most of the time, but because there is a constant emotional, mental, and physical impact from using it. Sometimes, even if they know it’s not the best decision to make, they’d rather not have people stare at them and give unwanted advice or commentary on their every decision. So maybe just leave them alone, because it’s none of your business anyway.

[anxious-and-in-pain]

My biggest fear has been my brain fog getting too bad that I’m never able to publish any of my writing. And I know my memory isn’t good enough to hold the whole story in my brain at once but that’s what paper is for, right? It is the one hope for the future I have left, everything else has been taken away by my illness progressing.

But guess what?

I finished my first draft! Suck it brain fog, my dreams might be possible after all!!

[chronically-something]

Hell yeah!

[myalgicencephalomyelitiscfstom]

https://twitter.com/bennessb/status/1294633603343753222