About disability, looking at having the right attitude …

I’ve written another article about how we can all get on, and have a go at doing things, whether abled, or disabled. Having the best attitude, having a go at all we want to do, this is the way to go, for the most satisfying life!

In my article on Medium (Medium.com), I have a photograph of a womain in a wheelchair, in the middle of a race, with many able bodied people racing too. She isn’t sitting back, whinging about not being able to walk, she giving her all, doing her darndest to get on in the race!

I don’t know who she is, but if I were to ever meet her, I bet she has some great stories to tell about the things she accomplished in her life, because she sure looks like she’s not afraid to get in there and get going!

Take a look, and see for yourself!

Thinking about, writing about disabilities

I’ve been thinking a lot this week about deafness. I’ve been ‘a bit deaf’ for most of my life, but have now been fitted with hearing aids, and I’m loving being able to hear so many sounds I’ve not really heard fully before.

Hearing aid in, you’d barely now, but I know, because I can hear much better!

I wrote about that today on another platform, Medium, and this is a link to what I wrote. Writing about things helps me to better understand them, and writing on Medium.com brings me little bits of money, which is always nice. But more importantly, it is a fascinating site with a great many writers, and readers available, and is a fine way to make connections with people from all around the world.

I’ve been writing there for just over a month, and while I’m only new there, I feel a part of the Medium community, reading, writing, making comments, and so on. And of course that feeling of belonging can be difficult sometimes, for people with disabilities, and we can be ignored, and misunderstood by able-bodied people who fail to completely understand us and our needs.

Writing about such things, putting the word out, may help people to realise more of the truths about being disabled, and so may lead to better things happening for disabled people. I hope so, and so will continue doing my bit to help out, because writing is something I’m good at doing!

Fun-d-raising! On helping To Raise Funds For The MS Society

This is me, wearing Red for a Reason, and the Reason is Multiple Sclerosis

Fundraising is fun, and I’m glad to be helping to raise funds for the MS Society SA & NT. I don’t expect to raise huge amounts of money, but so far I’ve raised some, and I will continue with this fundraising for all of May, at two venues I regularly attend.

Today I was at the venue I am the Writer in Residence for, and I had my collecting tin, and badge and receipts books too, if anyone donating needed proof, to claim tax deduction for. And I was wearing one of my socks with red on it, as well as the scarf, which, as you can see, also has red too!

I talked a little about MS, to someone there, and even though I didn’t raise any money this time, I may do so the next time I am there. And Thursday I’ll be at the other venue I am at every Thursday, the Prince Albert Hotel in Gawler, and I intend arriving early, as I did last week, to try to fundraise again.

Being there, and doing my best to get more money to give to the MS Society feels like a good way to give back to this organisation that has helped me, with my MS journey. Being able to do something to help feels good, and it is good!

On Having A Chronic Illness

OK, I am living a great life, have wonderful family and friends, but I still have this chronic illness, Multiple Sclerosis. I eat well (my husband is my carer, and looks after me very well!) I don’t need to do much housework, husband again, (he’s a wonderful man!)

And I am well enough off, that I don’t need to worry about having enough money to pay the bills, and just about always heave enough money for whatever I want. And I have other great family members too, who love me as much as I love them, or even more, perhaps.

My friends are great people too, and care about me, which is a wonderful thing. If every person with a chronic illness could have all of the great things in their lives that I have, oh how wonderful would that be?

But sadly, some people with chronic illnesses have far from ideal lives, and it pains me to see, or read about such damaged lives. Sometimes it seems governments simply pay no heed to the compact they should follow, in the democratic world, to care for the vulnerable people who are unable to care for themselves …

Thinking about the government in my country, Australia, at the moment angers me, and stresses me, to some extent. But what can I do, apart from not voting for them at the next election, and hoping others don’t vote for them either …

Writing about these things may waken other people up to such truths, so here I am writing this article, in the hope that it may gain some readers, and perhaps make people think hard about the best thing to do for the most vulnerable people, who need every bit of help they can get.

I write, I hope, and I dream of a better world where good people far surpass bad people, and those bad people stop getting benefits they surely don’t deserve!

Having multiple sclerosis has woken me up to how difficult life can be for some unfortunate people, who certainly don’t deserve the bad life they may be living! So I am thrilled to be working to raise funds at the moment, for people living with multiple sclerosis in South Australia and the Northern Territory.

All of the moth of May, and maybe beyond, I will be collecting funds to give to the MS Society of SA & NT, hoping to raise at least $1000, if you can help, this is the link, thank you!