Living Chronically Well with Rare Disease

[mitomarie]

People with Disabilities: The World's Largest Minority with the Least Amount of Attention

People with Disabilities: The World's Largest Minority with the Least Amount of Attention

When you think of the phrase “minority group” what do you think of? Many people think of minorities as people who are not Caucasian, women, the LGBTQ+ community, or people who practice a different faith than the majority in their country. However, more often than not, people with disabilities are not thought about in discussions about minority hiring, minority sensitivity training, minority…

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[mitomarie]

The Effects of Bullying for Kids with Disabilities

The Effects of Bullying for Kids with Disabilities

Bullying is never ok! Whether a person has a disability or not, bullying should not be tollerated. We live in a world now where bullying doesn’t just stop on the playground, or at school. With the implimentation of social media, people who are being bullied can sometimes never escape their bullies, and for impressionable kids this can sometimes lead to catastrophic results. According to theCenter…

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[mitomarie]

Downplaying Disability Can Cause Accessibility Oversight

In a previous post, “DISABLED/DISABILITY- The ‘D’ Word is Not a 4 Letter Word!”, I discussed the importance of acknowledging and understanding a person’s disability. When we refer to disability as ‘handicapable’, ‘differently-abled’. ‘disAbility’, etc., we are essentially diminishing a person’s disabilities and only focussing on their abilities. While this sounds like a positive thing for those…

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[mitomarie]

National Seating and Mobility: Ableism and "Don't Touch My Wheelchair"

Today I had the unfortunate experience of being treated like a child, yelled at, and had my personal boundaries violated by multiple employees at National Seating and Mobility (NS&M) in Indianapolis, IN. Now, I understand that not all branches are the same, and some NS&M branches are good and treat their customers with respect and dignity. However, this was not my experience at NS&M today, or any…

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[mitomarie]

DISABLED/DISABILITY- The "D" Word is Not a 4 Letter Word!

There is a lot of controversy these days regarding the word “disability”. Many people without disabilities still believe the training and education they received back in the 80’s and 90’s about how the words “disabled” or “disability” are bad words that shouldn’t be used. However, there are many people in the disabled community who embrace their disability, and consider it a part of them. Without…

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[mitomarie]

Why Donate to Circle City Renegades Power Soccer Team this Holiday Season?

This is the season of giving, and there are multiple great organizations to which to donate. However, we’d like to impress upon you the need our team has for funding, what the funding goes towards, and most importantly why it is not just about the money.

Circle City Renegades Team 2019

The sport of power soccer is not cheap. It costs roughly $3,000 every season just for team registration…

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[mitomarie]

The Circle City Renegades Power Soccer Team's First Tournament!

The Circle City Renegades Power Soccer Team's First Tournament!

On November 23 and 24, 2019, the Circle City Renegades participated in their first ever tournament as our new team at the Turnstone Plassman Athletic Centerin Fort Wayne, IN! While it started off a little rough, with a loss to RHI Inferno by 2 points, the Circle City Renegades switched up their strategy and eventually came out with One win, Three ties, and only the One loss! When you have a brand…

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[mitomarie]

Who are the Circle City Renegades, and what is Power Wheelchair Soccer?

Who are the Circle City Renegades, and what is Power Wheelchair Soccer?

Power Wheelchair Soccer, also known as power soccer, is a unique sport in that it was the first sport created specifically for power wheelchair users. It is the fastest growing power wheelchair sport that has grown throughout the world thanks to the Federation International Football Association (FIPFA) and the United States Power Soccer Association (USPSA)! As stated on the USPSA website, “Power…

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[mitomarie]

"I am Brave, I am Bruised, I am Who I'm Meant to Be. This Is Me!" (The Greatest Showman, 2017)

“I am Brave, I am Bruised, I am Who I’m Meant to Be. This Is Me!” (The Greatest Showman, 2017)

While I am aware that the movie “The Greatest Showman” has had some controversy, especially within the disabled community, I would like to share why I like this movie, and more importantly the song “This is Me” really speaks to me. While I don’t condone all of the history surrounding the circus, I do understand the meaning behind the movie “The Greatest Showman”.Many people believe the movie…

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[mitomarie]

Why I Choose to Volunteer for the Joseph Maley Foundation

Why I Choose to Volunteer for the Joseph Maley Foundation

In 2016 I had to stop working due to my disability. If you follow my blog, or have read my past posts, you know that I have a very rare metabolic disorder that causes mitochondrial dysfunction and neuromuscular disease. As my disease progressed, I had to stop working. For a little while, it seemed like I had no more purpose in life. I had no profession, I had no answer to the question, “What do…

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[mitomarie]

How do You Find Love with a Disability?

Recently, I was asked how I met my husband by another individual with a disability. He was curious how others find partners as people with disabilities because of his own struggles with finding a mate. This is a question that is often asked by people in the disabled community. How do I find love? Will I ever find someone who will love me regardless of my disability? Will I be able to get married…

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[mitomarie]

Responding to Stereotypes About Disability and Relationships

Does Dating/Marrying Someone With a Disability Automatically Make You a Good Person?

My husband and I were talking the other day and he told me a story about an incident that occurred when we were dating over ten years ago. One day we decided to go to the mall. We were just shopping together in a store and I was looking at some clothes, and my now husband was patiently waiting (and waiting…and…

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[mitomarie]

Why It's Important To Teach Kids About Disabilities

Why It’s Important To Teach Kids About Disabilities

I recently became involved with an organization called Joseph Maley Foundationwhich is an organization that was started by the parents and siblings of Joseph Maley. Joseph was born with physical and cognitive disabilities, and was nonverbal. Nonetheless, he touched the lives of many in his 18 years of life. In 2008, the Joseph Maley Foundation was started to carry on his legacy. Their mission is…

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[mitomarie]

A Demonstration Of True Sportsmanship: ASPO Force Power Soccer Team

On December 1, 2018 I witnessed something special that is many times absent in our society these days. My Power Soccer team, the Hot Shots played in a tournament hosted by ASPO Force in Indianapolis, Indiana at the Incrediplex Sorts Complex. We had a great time playing against every team we played, but the game we played against ASPO Force really stood out to me as something special.

What started…

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[mitomarie]

Power Wheelchair Soccer: More Than Just A Sport

Power Wheelchair Soccer: More Than Just A Sport

This year I began a journey I never thought I would take. I started playing power wheelchair soccer. You see, when I was younger I was active. I participated in many sports from softball to cross county to track. Once I began showing signs of disability I longed for the thrill of being active and playing sports again. I began playing wheelchair basketball.

It was amazing to be able to compete…

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[mitomarie]

Imagine No Religion With Chronic Illness And Disability

Many bloggers in the disability community attribute their undying faith in God to their ability to stay strong when their illness tries to beat them down. This is all well and good, and for them, it’s what keeps them going. This post is in no way meant to diminish their beliefs. However, when reading all these uplifting posts, I begin to wonder about the smaller disabled community who subscribe…

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[mitomarie]

Thank You Letter To Uncle Steve

These past few years my health has monopolized the majority of my attention. The decline in functioning and increase in medical needs I have experienced have resulted in life altering events. Surgeries, medical procedures, tests, therapy, medical equipment, and a pile of medications have been my reality. I have gone from being a successful, working professional to an unemployed person receiving…

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