#DISABILITY

[oldrockformations]

Arcane really came out and said get over your internalized ableism or you will doom us all

[rattusrattusdoomed]

That's so real, thank you! (Idk if we have anything wrong with our back, but it hurts a lot most of the time.) -Leon

notes for my impostor syndrome:

• no, it's not painful to walk for abled-bodied people

• no, healthy people don't usually use every chance they get to lean against walls or sit down

• no, ableds don't dream about shower stool

• no, ableds don't celebrate days when they're not in pain. because usually they're not in pain

• no, ableds don't want to stop walking mid-way, lay down on the ground, curl up and cry and whine from pain

• no, ableds aren't exhausted by their own bodies 24/7

[discordant-daydreams]

Having a lot of feelings about being disabled and hearing over and over that while you feel like you’re dying your labs don’t show that you’re dying so great news!!! You’re as healthy as can be!!!

[criptips]

Winter Reminder for Mobility Aid Users

For those of us heading into winter in the northern hemisphere, particularly in areas where it gets snowy or icey, if you haven't already done so now is probably the time to start thinking about winter-readying your mobility aid(s).

Crutch, Cane, and non wheel-ed Walker Frame users: Depending on the typical winter weather conditions for you this might just be making sure your ferrules/tips of your canes/crutches are in good condition or it could mean getting new, potentially winter specific, ferrules/tips and/or investing in ice pick attachments!

For those with wheeled mobility aids, from Rollators to Wheelchairs and beyond: Depending on the condition of your wheels/tyres and whether or not you can easily get spares or ones specific to winter weather what you might be able to do varies, especially when replacing multiple entire wheels can be quite costly. @cripple-punk-dad has a good recommendation on this post regarding using zip ties to add tread to wheels. (credit for the two images of zip ties on wheels and their alt text also goes to cripple-punk-dad)

you can also look at getting wheel socks/slippers/covers for when indoors to protect your floors from any added tread, these come in a whole range of sizes for both smaller caster wheels as well as large wheelchair wheels.

For those who self-propel wheelchairs: make sure you've got good gloves and take a look to see if you can get some good non slip push rim covers!

Those whose mobility aids entail sitting may also want to look into wheelchair specific blankets, and in general everyone should make sure that they have weather appropriate clothing where possible!

It may also be the case that your mobility aid needs are different/higher this season, you do not need to be ashamed of this. Cold weather can worsen symptoms for many people and icey conditions especially can make it harder to safely walk outside, even for able-bodied people. Stay safe out there!

[spoonfulofhannah]

Disabled and chronically ill people are allowed to enjoy things and do things they like (if they’re able) while still being sick and disabled. Yes, even if they aren’t employed. Hope this helps.

[kimberlychapman]

Booyeah! Wheelchairs are FREEDOM. Mobility aids are RELIEF. Be happy to see people with different needs sharing public life together! And mask up so that once again becomes possible for all of us!

Say it with me! Wheelchairs aren’t sad! Mobility aids aren’t sad! Mobility aids are instruments of freedom!

[truly-a-snitch]

hot take apparently but just because youre disabled doesnt mean you arent ableist. being disabled doesnt erase your internalized (or externalized) ableism.

if youre paralyzed and you think ambulatory wheelchair users are 'less deserving' of a wheelchair, thats ableism.

if you have adhd and you make fun of autists, thats ableism.

if you have dyslexia and think dyscalculia and dyspraxia arent "real problems," thats ableism.

if you have any disability and think ableists should be 'punished' for their ableism by becoming disabled themselves. believe it or not that is in fact ableism, because it perpetuates the idea that disability is something shameful or something that only happens to bad people

[sinag789tala]

able-bodied people rb especially

the person who helped today when I fell out of my wheelchair actually did a really great job, so I want to share in case other people wonder what to do. [Note: this is not universal, this is merely a suggestion from one person, every wheelchair user's needs are different! I am a person who uses a manual chair usually pushed by someone else who is also disabled.]

Scenario: you see someone in a wheelchair fall out of their chair, and you have the ability to help.

1. Approach and ask "are you okay?"*

2. Next question if they say no, are vague, or open to continuing conversation** is, "is there anything I can do to help?" Or "what can I do?"

If they say no to help, then that's the end, just leave and go do whatever you were doing!

If they ask for help or say they are mildly injured, ask "what would you like me to do?" And wait for an answer before doing anything! If they seem dazed or confused, they might have hit their head or had another medical event*, or they might just be like that due to regular disability. Be patient.

Do not touch the person unless they say to, or they are like, unconcious in the middle of the road, ya know?? Wheelchair users usually have conditions that mean being handled improperly can severely injure us, you could cause much more damage than the fall.

Some things they might need you to do:

Bring their wheelchair closer (mine went about 5 feet away after it dumped me)

engage the brakes of the wheelchair

hold wheelchair steady if it's an unsteady surface (mud, hill, ramp, wet, etc)

offer an arm for them to hold onto to get up (them grabbing you, not you grabbing them) or move another solid item closer for them to use (i.e. a chair) [only do this if you physically have the ability to!]

If the terrain is rough (i.e. a parking lot), they *might* ask you to push their chair to a more stable area once they are back in their chair

nothing

Something else

Do what they ask, NOT what you think would be helpful. If for some reason you have to do something (i.e. you can't stop oncoming traffic and need to get them out) ASAP, tell them what you plan to do

Keep in mind they might also be D/deaf, have a communication disability, be stunned after the fall, have a head injury, not trust other people, etc. Be patient and treat them as a person with autonomy and agency! They might need to just sit on the ground for a few minutes to recover before trying to get back in their chair. They might want everyone to leave them alone. They might ask you to call someone specific. Their chair might have broken and that can be extremely distressing. All of this is like if your legs spontaneously stop working when you're out and about!

A lot of wheelchair users (NOT ALL) have ways to get into their chair on their own once the chair is close enough and brakes engaged (but it's hard from the ground!). Here's what brakes look like on a lot of manual wheelchairs, in case they ask you to lock the brakes. They're levers on each side and pushing the lever pushes a bar against the wheel to hold it still.

ID: A manual wheelchair with the brake levels circled in red and labeled "user brake levers"

*There is also the possibility of course that a person fell out of their chair due to a seizure or other medical event, so that is why it is important to ask if they are okay. If you saw them hit their head, tell them so. If they had a medical event, follow protocol for that, I'm not gonna get into it here (thought I could).

**sometimes a person will be clear after the first question i.e. "I'm all good thanks" clearly means they do not need you to ask another question, you can just leave them alone. Keep walking and don't stare. A lot of the time people will be a bit banged up but be totally fine and able to manage on their own.

TLDR: Ask the wheelchair user if they're okay, then what they need, and then do exactly that, including leaving them alone. Thanks!

[chaoticangelbaby]

Today I was at physical therapy and I had the thought that every chronically ill person has “am I really that sick? Or is it just all in my mind?” And after a grueling session of physical therapy I came home in so much pain that I cried ✨ lol so I am in fact very ill and not just making this all up.

[nondivisable]

I need to say something and I need y'all to be calm

if it isn't actively bad or harmful, no representation should be called "too simple" or "too surface level"

I have a whole argument for this about the barbie movie but today I wanna talk about a show called "the babysitters club" on Netflix

(obligatory disclaimer that I watched only two episodes of this show so if it's super problematic I'm sorry) (yes. I know it's based on a book, this is about the show)

this is a silly 8+ show that my 9 year old sister is watching and it manages to tackle so many complex topics in such an easy way. basic premise is these 13 year old girls have a babysitting agency.

in one episode, a girl babysits this transfem kid. the approach is super simple, with the kid saying stuff like "oh no, those are my old boy clothes, these are my girl clothes". they have to go to the doctor and everyone is calling the kid by her dead name and using he/him and this 13 year old snaps at like a group of doctors and they all listen to her. it's pure fantasy and any person versed in trans theory would point out a bunch of mistakes.

but after watching this episode, my little sister started switching to my name instead of my dead name and intercalating he/him pronouns when talking about me.

one of the 13 years old is a diabetic and sometimes her whole personality is taken over by that. but she has this episode where she pushes herself to her limit and passes out and talks about being in a coma for a while because of not recognizing the limits of her disability.

and this allowed my 9 year old sister to understand me better when I say "I really want to play with you but right now my body physically can't do that" (I'm disabled). she has even asked me why I'm pushing myself, why I'm not using my crutches when I complain about pain.

my mom is 50 years old and watching this show with my sister. she said the episode about the diabetic girl helped her understand me and my disability better. she grew up disabled as well, but she was taught to shut up and power through.

yes, silly simple representation can annoy you if you've read thousands of pages about queer liberation or disability radical thought, but sometimes things are not for you.

[aquatixwitch]

This is so important. I'm currently in the process of finding another gym (with a pool) to go to because the manager of the current one I'm at was like, you just need a good diet and exercise and then you won't be so sick anymore!

Mfer I have eosinophilic asthma and SVT. Those don't go away cause I ate broccoli. And the pnumonia doesn't either.

Disabled people aren't disabled because they're lazy or don't try. Gtfooh.

I’m going to be disabled my entire life. And it isn’t because I haven’t done enough or tried hard enough to get better.

This seems to make a lot of abled people uncomfortable because they say things like “oh don’t give in! Don’t let it hold you back!

Me accepting my disability as a reality is how I learn to cope with it and make the adjustments I need. My disabilities do hold me back and acknowledging that isn’t a bad thing.

[wishful-seeker]

I would like to see more people talk about how jobs treat disabled employees.

I used to prep, wash dishes, and cook at mellow mushroom. I had chronic pain that wasn't NEARLY as bad as it is today, but it was still very debilitating. I told my employer "i cannot stand more than 4 to 6 hours. I CANNOT do shifts longer than this due to my illness." And even though i made my boundaries VERY clear, everyday i worked it was 8 hours at the least and 10 or 12 at the most. I would go up to my manager and say "look i really need to leave, my shift is over, my chronic pain is killing me." And he'd say "we really need to here, you HAVE to push through." And so i did, and after one, ONE month of that job my crps got incredibly worse to the point where i could no longer walk my dog around the block which was .5 miles. I quit, and that was FOUR years ago, and ever since that day I HAVE BEEN BEDRIDDEN AND HAVE TO USE A WHEELCHAIR. It is my biggest regret in life.

My best friend who has seen my whole journey has recently developed undiagnosed chronic pain, and she is in the EXACT same scenario i was 4 years ago. Busting her ass at a pizza place with extreme pain that hurts her so much she tells me "im in so much pain i don't even feel like a person." She doesn't feel LUCID. And her manager and coworkers are saying the same thing "if you don't help us you will let us down, we'll be in the shit."

That job thats hurting you isn't fucking worth it. I promise you no money is worth losing all your physical abilities and never getting them back. Your coworkers and boss do not give a shit about you, so don't you dare suffer for them. They will never understand your struggle and they will never try. They truly think being understaffed is worse than whatever pain you experience. They would rather you permanently damage yourself than inconvenience them. FUCK THEM. DON'T FUCKING DO IT!

[demonboyhalo]

collection of useful things tumblr has taught me:

even if you can't fall asleep, laying down with your eyes closed will still rest your body

you don't have to brush your teeth standing up

you don't have to do any chore standing up, from dishes to showering

you don't have to shower with the lights on

if you can't brush your teeth, flossing and a tongue scraper gets rid of plaque and bad breath

if you can't do that, mouthwash kills a lot of bacteria

eating "unhealthy" food is better than eating no food

you can make the same meal everyday for however long you still want it

some pills come in syrups or chewables if you can't swallow them

kids nutritional shakes can be a quick way to get fuel if you can't eat/don't have time

if walking hurts/exhausts you on a regular basis, canes and rollers are for you, no matter how young you are

we have free will—if doing something "out of the ordinary" makes life easier for you, do it

if you have even a dollar to spare, please consider donating to Alaikum's family.

they're a large family at only 10% of their goal to evacuate, and could use any help you can give!!

[commonzinnia]

yeah, sorry i exhibited symptoms of the disorder i told you i have. it will happen again because i have that disorder and will continue having it. hope this helps!! 🫶🫶🫶