Tag: Disabled People

Feeling like the odd one out when you’re not.

On By Katy DalyIn BlogLeave a comment

So today I spent the day with people who also have disabilities. In many way this is emotionally easier for me to deal with, but it doesn’t mean the physical difficulties of my disability are immediately negated.

They wanted to go somewhere that was inaccessible to me, and despite being a little upset about this, I wasn’t about to say no to them, doing what they wanted to. Though they did ask my opinion on going where they want to, but I felt like I couldn’t voice my true upset with it all.

It may seem sound self centred but I would think that they would get it, and suggest going to a place that I can’t get into. Specifically because they themselves are disabled and they have been in similar situations themselves. Bearing in mind they did know in advance, that I would not be able to go in the place before they decided to go. But it was important to them and I’m not about to stop them as I’ve said.

It’s not that I want a day to revolve around me, may have suggested hearing the situation. it is just that I would like a day to completely be accessible to me.

But unfortunately, in such an accessible world, being with other disabled people does not guarantee accessibility to the world around you. And that is just a reality that you have to learn to live with.

Disclaimer: This person is written using speech to text, let me know if any of it does not makesense.

When I see a problem I can’t fix

On By Katy DalyIn BlogLeave a comment

I spend a lot of time seeing little problems in my life that I want to fix, but I can’t.

Little things, like when a floor needs cleaning, and yes that’s a real example that sparked this post. Little problems that are actually easy to fix, but I just can’t fix on my own.

But the person who I’m often with that could help me fix the problem, doesn’t have the same inspiration of desire to fix the problem that I do. And because there who I need to fix the problem, it doesn’t usually get fixed.

I know I owe a lot to the people in my life that help me. But it gets frustrating when they can’t, or won’t, help me the way that I want to.

I can understand how that makes me seem ungrateful, but there’s only so long you can be grateful for when you need so much help.

Fixing most problems is something that is inaccessible to me.

Honestly any.

On By Katy DalyIn Writing Prompts1 Comment

What cities do you want to visit?

I’m going to be brutally honest here and and say that travel is difficult when you’re disabled and poor.

Don’t get me wrong being disabled makes it difficult to travel. But the hardest part of travelling, or in my case not travelling to another country, is being poor.

There is some truth when they say that money can buy happiness. I don’t think it’s that simple, money doesn’t solve all the problems of the world, but I think it can buy you freedom.

You can definitely buy the freedom to travel, anyone with money can attest to that. So while I would love to travel, it’s just not possible.

But the question is what city would I travel to, if I could.

If I could travel, I would love to go to Vegas. I’d love to try my luck as it were.

I would love to go on a plane, or a boat. I’d just love to travel differently, to go somewhere different.

Sleeping.

On By Katy DalyIn My Disability Truth, Writing Prompts1 Comment

What are your favorite physical activities or exercises?

I love a good nap, and to be honest I think most people feel the same.

The perk of having a physical disability is that you don’t put the same pressure of physicality on yourself that able bodied people do.

Often I see people push themselves into over exertion, doing something to keep themselves fit, because they think they need to.

I’m not talking about being healthy or doing what you love. Both of these things good things to do and can both involve physical activities. But it’s important to remember that these things mean different things to different people. That physical activity looks different for everyone.

Picking up a cup to drink a coffee it’s still physical act, and yes I’m saying that as a reminder to myself to drink the coffee next to me now. But don’t let anyone make you feel bad if this is all physical activity you can manage or even that you want to do.

It’s your life you’re living, not anyone else’s.

On By Katy DalyIn My Disability Truth, Writing Prompts1 Comment

What’s your favorite cartoon?

Actually doing what you want to is hard. Any person in the arts will tell you that.

As much as I have to write, as much as I love to express myself. a lot of the time what I want to say, never leaves my mind. The only person I can really be annoyed with about this is me.

As I write this, it is almost 5 am. And I’m actually using voice to text, it took me longer than it should’ve done not think of doing this, as cheating in someway.

Hello again, internalised ableism. I wish it was longer between our meetings.

There’s I really important post I want to share. But I’m annoyed with myself at not having the emotional energy to share it at 5am on a Saturday morning. How bad is that?

Does anyone remember watching cartoons on a Saturday morning? I think we need to bring that back.

Anyway, I can’t sleep because I fell asleep to early, so really, it’s my own fault. I knew it was a bad idea to go to sleep when I did, but sometimes fatigue just wins.

I had a world wind of a day yesterday, and I want to share some parts of it, well one particular part. But I can’t bring myself to write that post, for, well reasons. But obviously I can write because I’m writing this post, about wishing I could write that post.

Maybe it’s because the post I want to write feels so important, that I’m worried I’ll never be able to do myself justice with it. I just don’t know really.

But anyway, my favourite cartoon is Bob‘s Burgers. I wish I could explain why but I don’t really know. I love the way it’s written, the stories it tells, the inclusion, the escapism, the nonsense, all of it.

If you haven’t watched it, you definitely should. I know it’s shown randomly on some channels, but if you have Disney+, it’s mostly on there, apart from the season, which unfortunately I’m still still waiting to see.

I posted today in a fan group for the show, asking for similar shows to watch, as I’m almost always watching Bob burgers on repeat and I just wanted to see what else was out there. I got some lovely responses and some new shows to try. But if you have any recommendations, do let me know.

I should try to get some sleep, there is a possibility that I have a long day today, last-minute plans and all that. I don’t make them often as being disabled requires a lot of planning and last-minute plans are kind of the opposite of that. But I have options, so I’ll see how the day goes.

Either way, I have to be up in less than two hours.

Discomfort.

On By Katy DalyIn My Disability TruthLeave a comment

So this morning, the way I was dressed and put into my wheelchair has left me feeling uncomfortable. It’s going to be a long day as a result.

I honestly can’t tell you with 100% certainty whether this happens because I am so difficult to get ready or because the carers simply don’t do their job properly some mornings. They would argue the former, I’m more likely to think the latter is true, obviously. But as I can’t look at this situation objectively, I can’t give a definite answer.

All I can tell you with certainty is something about the way I am sat and, or the way I am dressed, has left me feeling uncomfortable.

There honestly isn’t anything I can do about this until I get into bed later, as my carers have left. So I’m stuck.

Every time I find myself in this situation, which thankfully doesn’t happen often. I wonder why I don’t say anything when my carers are here. I can only think it’s because when I have said things in the past, they haven’t listened to me or understood what I’m saying. Or there additional help comes with an element of blame or anything other than there ability to do there job.

Either way, just remember that it can seem easier to get help than it actually is, when you’re the one in that situation.

Hoping I still manage to have a good day today.

Everyone needs a break.

On By Katy DalyIn My Disability TruthLeave a comment

It’s makes perfect sense that everyone needs a break from things. But sometimes it’s difficult to know that you’re the thing that someone needs a break from.

Logically I obviously know this, but sometimes it can feel like you’re the problem for being something they need a break from.

I just wish I wasn’t the person people needed a break from. I wish I wasn’t that complicated for others to deal with. I wish I could just exist in the world without needing others. But it is the way it is. And I’m always going to need people. I just need to accept that and try to remember that that’s not my fault.

I’m not trying to make this about me, I’m trust trying to deal with the emotions of this so my emotions don’t affect them.

I hope that makes sense.

New pain.

On By Katy DalyIn My Disability TruthLeave a comment

I’ve been struggling with a different kind of pain in the past few days. it isn’t a pain that’s completely new to me, but it is when I haven’t had in a long while.

I’m pretty much always in some sort of pain, but thankfully it’s not a very severe pain. it is one I’ve become very accustomed to To the point where in the past when I’ve been really strong pink was in hospital and not felt it I’ve asked to come off the painkillers because not being in that pain is confusing for me.

But this pain that I’ve been struggling with is a different kind of pain. it’s not even as bad as my normal pain, but it’s enough that it’s really throwing me. I’m just so much more uncomfortable.

I think this might be the hardest thing to explain to people that don’t know what chronic pain is like. Sometimes it’s not the severity of the pain that throws you but the type of pain it is.

Anyway, I need to get some sleep as I have things to do tomorrow, even if it turns out, I can’t leave the house again, so I really need to get some sleep. That said I feel so uncomfortable right now that I don’t see it happening.

The weathers changed.

On By Katy DalyIn BlogLeave a comment

For some reason, even though the weather changes around this time every year, I always seem to forget just how much it is different.

Today was the first day that I had to cancel plans because of the weather. It was just too icy for me to go out, and the cold wasn’t pleasant either.

On a sidenote if anyone finds them self reading, this has any ideas for portable heaters that can be used outside and work from batteries or USB power can you leave a comment I’m struggling to find something that works. I’ve tried various electric blankets that were via USB and they have all been rubbish. The cold is far from my friend.

Pretty much every year this happens where the weather reaches a point where it is dangerous for me to go out.

Now not being able to leave the house sounds like a great day doesn’t it? But it’s one of those things that is very different when you have no say in the matter. I’m warm which is good, and given the current state of the world I am very thankful for. However bad weather is probably one of the times where I feel the most disabled, where the world is the least inaccessible to me.

And the most frustrating thing, other than the fact it is just the weather and that means there’s absolutely nothing you can do about it. Is that it’s probably not the weather you think it is that is the most inaccessible to me. Thick snow is not actually much of a problem for me, it’s the thin snow and more like ice, that makes it difficult for me to go out.

One of my other pet hates when the weather is like this is the grit that used to make the ground less icy so that people don’t fall. Now it does actually help me have a little bit more grip on my wheelchair, so it means at least for me it does its job. However, because my wheels aren’t shoes that I can simply take off, every year I track the grit that I will through into my house. And I guess it’s just one of those annoying things about being a wheelchair so that you can’t change.

Depending on how the weather changes, it is likely I may have to cancel more of my upcoming plans, and to be honest with you, I’m not looking forward to that. It always makes me feel responsible for letting people down when I can’t do things, even when I logically know such as in situations like this is not my fault.

I guess I’ll just have to see what happens with it all, and as always I’ll do my best.

Not sure if I answered this one right.

On By Katy DalyIn Disability Pride ♿️, My Disability Truth, Writing Prompts1 Comment

Name your top three pet peeves.

1. People that disguise ableism, sexism, racism etc as an “opinion”.

2. People that are continuously late, with no reasoning behind it, for a job they are paid to do.

3. People that lie, particularly about inconsequential lies, where the truth wouldn’t actually be a problem.

These are all based on real experiences I have with my own careers. I probably have more things that annoy me to be honest. However given the conversation I had today with one of my careers, who let’s just say had some very ableist things to say, I thought these fit well.

Just read you audience a bit more please.