Disabilities

[Rubymatt]

Disabilites...

They make half the population's lives misery and the other halves so cheerful. Those with no disabilities... they just taunt the people who have them.

I myself have a disability. Nothing real major, but I have this eye problem called nystagmus... God it's kinda annoying. I mean... for me to see properly, my eyes move slightly, and erm... Being at high school... it isn't really the nicest thing people say to me.

I personally hate those who make fun of disabled people. I think that it's shameful.

So... Does anybody else on the site have a disability / problem and how do you overcome it in your day-to-day life?

 

[Kuri$u]

I'm profoundly deaf.

I use hearing aids, so it's can be manageable, without it, I cannot cope.

 

[Mac]

Asthma, but i haven't used an Inhaler in years

I know its not much :|

 

[Lene]

Disabilites...

They make half the population's lives misery and the other halves so cheerful. Those with no disabilities... they just taunt the people who have them.

I don't think so to an extent. There are idiots out there, but I don't think they're a majority. I have a friend who is legally blind from various complications. She felt very paranoid about people staring at her or talking about the fact that she needed to use binoculars during classes. For a while, that fear of being ridiculed kept her from using something she needed to learn properly.

When she told me that what she was doing, I don't know, I was angry at her and for her. Angry at anyone who'd be dumb enough to do any of the things that made her feel bad in the first place. Angry at her because in the end she needs to do what she has to do. She can't start failing classes because of the chance that some idiot might say something rude.

I told her this, but she asked me to go to one of her classes so I could see/hear if anyone was making comments about the binoculars. I did.

No one said/did anything.

After that (and a talk w/ the RA) she began to feel less awkward about using them in class. I'm not going to be like "don't get shy about it" because I know I definitely would feel extremely awkward and shy at first. But there comes a point to when you just have to do what you have to do...you can't let someone else's possibly stupidity interfere with your life, imo.

 

[FlippyD]

I think your major issues stem from the average high school environment. Once you graduate out of school people are much more mature and understanding (on average.) Just cope through your issues, know that you are not in any sense of the word alone, and soon enough you'll graduate and be a part of a more open and understanding society.

 

[Rubymatt]

Heh, 2 and a half years left then.

I don't get many comments. Mostly, it's 'Ewww! Stop doing that thing with your eyes!' and because I've explained it SO many times, I just learned to ignore it or say something insulting back like 'Ewww! Stop looking at me with such a face!'

But I rarely do the comeback as it sometimes ends... let's say... badly.

 

[arcthemonkey]

You could try wearing some stylish shades!

But seriously, I haven't been in highschool for 7 years, but I can't imagine it's as bad as you make it out to be for the general population. Again, maybe people are just more mature in college, but one of my good friends is paraplegic, and another guy I used to hang out with had Parkinsons, and I never noticed anybody say anything to them about it. Now, that doesn't mean it doesn't happen, but the implication that basically anyone without a disability is just cruising through life at the expense of people who do is simply false.

Personally, I have fairly serious ADHD (The H part has died off a bit) that makes me physically restless and unable to focus after about 5 minutes of doing pretty much anything. This affects my life profoundly, and at certain levels is considered a legal disability. The reason I bring this up is becuase nobody has ever made fun of me for my disability (well, they called me a spazz in jr. high because I was so hyper).

There are many kind of disabilities and some people just don't understand that. I don't think it helps anyone to feel sorry for ourselves, rather that just makes us turn out as bitter pricks.

Learning to roll with the punches is important.

So again, get some cool shades :D

 

[Rubymatt]

It happens in the adult world too, though. For example... the poor disabled people who can't park in their designated spaces due to the idiots who are just lazy. Nothing to do with me though.

 

[TofuMatt]

I mean, I have Diabetes, but that's not really a disability or anything. I don't really notice shit like that, short of like, someone who is paralyzed or something. I worked with/made friends with a guy who had a lazy eye, and his good eye would always have to be like, six inches from the computer screen to read it (we worked at the theatres, so he was using the touchscreen terminals). He'd tilt his head to read with the good eye. I never thought anything 'til he made a remark about how people must think he's blind. I think he was almost more shocked that I didn't make anything of it.

Anyway, yeah, people who are douches to people with disabilities are a-holes. If people aren't used to something though, it's forgivable, to a certain extent.