Physically Disabled - Blog Posts

Spoon theory is great, I'm glad it was created <3333

Please reblog if you can so I can get a larger sample size

Feel free to put any clarifications in the tags (I’d be very grateful) <3

Cosplayers, please don’t forget about those of us with disabilities at cons. Don’t push that walker or wheelchair out the way in artist’s alley because the owner of it isn’t touching it. Don’t give people funny looks for standing without their aids while they’re looking at things. Don’t get angry at the wheelchair user who has no choice but to go past your photographer because you’re taking up the entire space. Don’t kick out other cosplayers mobility aids. Keep space around you for disabled people, because we exist in your community and we just want to have fun like you do.

Wow uh

Finally posting something to this godforsaken app.

Um.

Hi chat.

I’m honestly trying to create a friendly little corner of this hellsite so uh, yeah! If you’re queer, neurodiverse, disabled or odd in some way shape or form hit me up.

I don’t judge.

A bit about me, I’m almost 16 (in July, woohoo!), I’m intersex and queer, VERY neurodiverse, disabled, and a little weirdo. My special interest is Scooby Doo, I love horror media as a whole, and I love film/cinema.

Nice to officially meet you all.

Hiii, I thought I'd make a post where I write some stuff about myself:) my handle used to be "trapped-in-a-burning-body"

So, intro facts:

▪︎ Danish

▪︎ 24 years old

▪︎ Nobinary lesbian

▪︎ My pronouns: they/them

▪︎ Disabled, lived with chronic pain for most of my life

▪︎ Studying medicine

I'm navigating going to uni while attempting to have a personal life and respect my body's boundaries. It's challenging on the best days, impossible on the worst. I've just learned how to bind books, and I've made a few too many already. I'm trying and failing to watch less netflix AND I've just started watching anime, which is very exciting. I love reading, mostly random medical books or fantasy, and I write poetry, mostly about being disabled.

I would love to connect with more people on here, so feel free to dm me:D

Seeking advice: new wheelchair user

I will be using a wheelchair semi-regularly the next month to see if it will help reduce pain flare-ups / baseline pain and to figure out if it's helpful for me.

Tomorrow is the first day and I am going to uni and therapy. I have only used a wheelchair a couple of times but I'm comfortable with folding it and such as my dad's disabled and it's his wheelchair I'm borrowing. In theory I know how to maneuver around but I'm nervous about it.

Do any wheelchair-users have tips/advice for new wheelchair-users?

Extra info: it's a foldable wheelchair, brand is Quickie. I'm nervous about tipping backwards (no anti-tip), going up and down curbs, taking the metro, painful hands/arms/shoulders.

I could not agree more! You get it. Sometimes (often I feel) being disabled does make you a burden and that's okay. There should be nothing wrong or shameful about that - it is simply stating facts and acknowledging reality.

as much as i appreciate the intent of the “being disabled doesn’t make you a burden” type posts, i don’t really agree. a lot of times being disabled DOES make you a burden

& i think that maybe we should try to shift focus to the fact that even if you’re a huge burden on society and can contribute absolutely nothing, you’re still a human being who deserves to exist.

like. there’s nothing morally wrong with being a burden on other people. you aren’t a bad person for needing to rely on others. you’re allowed to be a burden & disabled people who are burdens on others, i love you

I forgot about this post. But I did it @wittlepuppydog. I didn't shave my head completely, I just got a short hairstyle instead. It was about 5 months ago now and I absolutely love it. It has made the pain considerably more bearable as hair is no longer brushing against my face constantly, and I no longer have to tie it up to get it out of the way (which also hurts).

Honestly, it's not even just about the pain. I feel more like me. I recognise myself in the mirror. I like my hair, I like my face - something I could never comfortably say before. It feels like my pain gave me a gift. I never thought I would say something like that about my chronic pain. But yeah, it has helped and I have never felt more like myself than I do now.

And people's reactions and their staring honestly haven't faced me. I don't care about it anymore. Also, it's hard to say whether they're staring bc of the hair or bc I'm young and disabled and walking with a cane.

Thought I'd add some pictures for reference;)

I've been considering shaving my head because of the pain. It's still constant and my hair makes it worse. Is it stupid? Will I regret it? Will I feel like I'm "giving in" to the pain? Does that even make sense? I'm tired of feeling like I have no control over the pain. And this feels like a way I can maybe at least not hurt myself more and gain a little control back? I don't know. I'm tired

I know this is for artists and writers, but it's also just really helpful if you're considering beginning to use a cane or researching which one to buy. It gives a really nice overview of the most common types of canes. I have used a cane for a little over 6 months now and I would have loved to see something like this, when I was trying to figure out which cane to buy and how to walk with it. I usually use the cane with my dominant hand and didn't even realise that I can obviously just switch hands so I have my dominant hand free for stuff😂 I ALSO HAD NO IDEA THAT YOU CAN BUY A TIP FOR ICE!?!?!! I'VE BEEN SLIPPING AND FALLING AROUND FOR MONTHS AND DIDN'T EVEN QUESTION IT😭😭

A general cane guide for writers and artists (from a cane user, writer, and artist!)

Disclaimer: Though I have been using a cane for 6 years, I am not a doctor, nor am I by any means an expert. This guide is true to my experience, but there are as many ways to use a cane as there are cane users!

This guide will not include: White canes for blindness, crutches, walkers, or wheelchairs as I have no personal experience with these.

This is meant to be a general guide to get you started and avoid some common mishaps/misconceptions in your writing, but you absolutely should continue to do your own research outside of this guide!

This is NOT a medical resource!!! And never tell a real person you think they're using a cane wrong!

The biggest recurring problem I've seen is using the cane on the wrong side. The cane goes on the opposite side of the pain! If your character has even-sided pain or needs it for balance/weakness, then use the cane in the non-dominant hand to keep the dominant hand free. Some cane users also switch sides to give their arm a rest!

A cane takes about 20% of your weight off the opposite leg. It should fit within your natural gait and become something of an extension of your body. If you need more weight off than 20%, then crutches, a walker, or a wheelchair is needed.

Putting more pressure on the cane, using it on the wrong side, or having it at the wrong height can make it less effective, and can cause long term damage to your body from improper pressure and posture. (Hugh Laurie genuinely hurt his body from years of using a cane wrong on House!)

(some people elect to use a cane wrong for their personal situation despite this, everyone is different!)

(an animated GIF of a cane matching the natural walking gait. It turns red when pressure is placed on it.)

When going up and down stairs, there is an ideal standard: You want to use the handrail and the cane at the same time, or prioritize the handrail if it's only on one side. When going up stairs you lead with your good leg and follow with the cane and hurt leg together. When going down stairs you lead with the cane and the bad leg and follow with the good leg!

Realistically though, many people don't move out of the way for cane users to access the railing, many stairs don't have railings, and many are wet, rusty, or generally not ideal to grip.

In these cases, if you have a friend nearby, holding on to them is a good idea. Or, take it one step at a time carefully if you're alone.

Now we come to a very common mistake I see... Using fashion canes for medical use!

(These are 4 broad shapes, but there is INCREDIBLE variation in cane handles. Research heavily what will be best for your character's specific needs!)

The handle is the contact point for all the weight you're putting on your cane, and that pressure is being put onto your hand, wrist, and shoulder. So the shape is very important for long term use!

Knob handles (and very decorative handles) are not used for medical use for this reason. It adds extra stress to the body and can damage your hand to put constant pressure onto these painful shapes.

The weight of a cane is also incredibly important, as a heavier cane will cause wear on your body much faster. When you're using it all day, it gets heavy fast! If your character struggles with weakness, then they won't want a heavy cane if they can help it!

This is also part of why sword canes aren't usually very viable for medical use (along with them usually being knob handles) is that swords are extra weight!

However, a small knife or perhaps a retractable blade hidden within the base might be viable even for weak characters.

Bases have a lot of variability as well, and the modern standard is generally adjustable bases. Adjustable canes are very handy if your character regularly changes shoe height, for instance (gotta keep the height at your hip!)

Canes help on most terrain with their standard base and structure. But for some terrain, you might want a different base, or to forego the cane entirely! This article covers it pretty well.

Many cane users decorate their canes! Stickers are incredibly common, and painting canes is relatively common as well! You'll also see people replacing the standard wrist strap with a personalized one, or even adding a small charm to the ring the strap connects to. (nothing too large, or it gets annoying as the cane is swinging around everywhere)

(my canes, for reference)

If your character uses a cane full time, then they might also have multiple canes that look different aesthetically to match their outfits!

When it comes to practical things outside of the cane, you reasonably only have one hand available while it's being used. Many people will hook their cane onto their arm or let it dangle on the strap (if they have one) while using their cane arm, but it's often significantly less convenient than 2 hands. But, if you need 2 hands, then it's either setting the cane down or letting it hang!

For this reason, optimizing one handed use is ideal! Keeping bags/items on the side of your free hand helps keep your items accessible.

When sitting, the cane either leans against a wall or table, goes under the chair, or hooks onto the back of the chair. (It often falls when hanging off of a chair, in my experience)

When getting up, the user will either use their cane to help them balance/support as they stand, or get up and then grab their cane. This depends on what it's being used for (balance vs pain when walking, for instance!)

That's everything I can think of for now. Thank you for reading my long-but-absolutely-not-comprehensive list of things to keep in mind when writing or drawing a cane user!

Happy disability pride month! Go forth and make more characters use canes!!!

I recently started using a cane everyday and so my previously invisible disability is suddenly visible. I also started medschool. It's been a while since I was properly social so I have questions...

People don't walk next to me. And if they accidentally do, they leave to walk next to someone else even if that means squeezing in three people on the sidewalk. No one talks to me if it's not to ask me "what's wrong". I have really tried to make an effort and talk to people but I don't know what to do.

Can it have something to do with my disability and my cane? Like they're scared to say the wrong thing? Or maybe it's because they've sensed the autism?;)

it just registered to me that i might be physically disabled, but im scared to say it outloud

rant below the cut

my dad has EDS and i have all the syptoms, just less seveare, ive spent over an hour in the bathroon about to cry in pain, my shoulders almost constantly ache, one time a few years ago it got so bad so suddenly i felt like something was broken, for a couple days, my wrist and ankle amost are always just, uncomftable and ive been so nauseos i couldnt sleep all night cuz i was dry heaving because i got slightly sick, i use my dads topicle pain medicine on my wrist consistently and ocantially shoulders, hell ill get nausos if i drink to much to fast

but im still scared to say im disabled because unless its a flair up i can do most things (or im being stoped for mental reasons not physical),

but ive had times where i couldnt breath becuase my girl scout troop was hiking to fast, i cough like im dying when im fine,

i just started using a wrist brace my parents already had for my right wrist and it helps so much, i might need to fing the one for the other wrist and i also might need to get ankle braces, but i feel as though im faking it even though i know im not

please someone help me feel a but better about this

goodnight to people who are unable to run goodnight to people who used to be known for 'running/skipping' everywhere until it became far too painful and dangerous goodnight to people who have a walking gait that shows deformity and 'disturbs others' goodnight to people who have limbs that 'move wrong' goodnight to people who walk with a limp goodnight to people who stumble and fall goodnight to people who use a mobility aid goodnight to people who use elevators goodnight to people who use shower-chairs goodnight to people who use ramps

In case anyone finds it helpful because mobility aids are horrifically expensive and inaccessible…

And for those people who have access to mobility devices but might benefit from a second chair they can abuse without risking expensive damage…

Erik Kondo has made a website, Open Source Innovations, that details plans for DIY wheelchairs. These wheelchairs can be made from common materials like wood, plastic, and pvc. They are lightweight and can be custom fit to the user allowing from the same degree of movement you would get from a custom chair. And they are durable and easily repairable. (he has been stress testing his latest design by dropping it down stairs, dropping it out of a car, launching it across a driveway, and throwing it off a deck). Its 12lbs and I think he said its was in the $200 ish range for parts.

He also is working on cheap, open source, accessible designs for beach chairs, off road chairs, motorized attachments (think smart drive), and so on. Plus he skateboards in his wheelchair. Cool dude, helpful info, pass it on.

‼️please help me get a wheelchair‼️

hello, my name is leo, or more commonly known as ‘lav’ on here.

i’ve been dealing with debilitating chronic pain for over 10 years and i really need a wheelchair. i haven’t gotten much help from my healthcare system, being fat and afab has really fucked me over while trying to seek medical attention..

i am still fighting to completely figure out what’s wrong with me, but for now i know that i have several bulging discs in my lower back, as well as scoliosis. (as well as medically recognised POTS).

my pain is getting worse and worse, and i barely leave my home since walking and being upright in general hurts so much. a wheelchair would improve my life immensely, both physically and mentally.

i am currently on disability benefits, which pretty much is the lowest income group in sweden, and saving up for a wheelchair myself would take a very long time.. i will of course also be saving up as much as i can and putting into an account meant for wheelchair funds.

so i’m asking you to donate if you want to and if you are financially able to, and if not, please reblog this.

i have found a good chair that is also accessible to a fat person, and i need 7111 SEK (around 650$) to cover the cost of the chair & the shipping. i have started a gofundme that i’ll be sharing in this post, and i welcome all help, donating just a little helps, and reblogging and sharing the gofundme in general helps immensely too.

thank you so much for reading💜

gofundme.com

please help me get a wheelchair!, organized by Leo Noren

hey, my name is Leo and i am almost 24 years old. i have been dealing with chronic pain fo… Leo Noren needs your support for please help me

disabled people have talked already about how inappropriate it is to touch or grab their mobility aids. but less often i think do people know how to act if they were asked to hold, retrieve, or touch someone's aid (such as crutches or canes as these are the aids i have used and am familiar with)

being friends, family, or partners with a disabled person doesn't grant permission to touch their aids at any time. furthermore having permission to touch an aid - to hold it, pick it up, or retrieve it etc - doesn't give permission to touch or play with them as you please. while keeping in mind that different people's boundaries will vary, here are some things not to do with someone mobility aid:

don't fiddle, stim, or play with it

don't wave it or swing them around

don't hold it by the handle the owner uses to utilize it

do not use the device

do not "test it out"

do not lean your weight on it

[in the case of crutches] do not use them to hop or otherwise take your feet off the ground for fun

try not to drop them or make them unclean

do not adjust any settings

do not use them as a weapon or play-weapon

do not walk immediately behind the air user/out of sight

try not to flip them upside down

what you should do instead:

return the aid immediately when asked. no delays because you were not done with them

hold the aid(s) upright, out of the way from other people by the main body

ask before touching or negotiate times when it is okay to grab without asking (such as if they have been dropped or are falling)

give the aid user increased space and distance to use them safely

try to make sure you aren't forcing an aid user to walk on a sloped path (such as on the pavement/sidewalk)

most importantly, don't take someone's boundaries around their mobility device personally, regardless of how close you two are. disabled people deserve autonomy over the things that support and supplement their body functions just as much as their own body.

Hate have say this but

NOT TOUCH OTHER PEOPLE DISABILITY THING PLEASE

Should not even have be please, should be good and know but somehow not.

Person in Aiden class before today *grab* Aiden laptop with AAC and Aiden had *physical* grab back because person start press random button on Aiden AAC.

Then! Person get *mad* because Aiden not want person play with Aiden *voice* like *toy*

This not good, and wish person know more good but guess Aiden have say too.

cripplepunk is visually centered around use of mobility aids and accessibility, the word cripple being reclaimed from those who used it as a word against us physically disabled people and our bodies.

i see no way anyone could think cripplepunk let alone the word cripple could ever include able bodied individuals, just because it doesnt talk about mentally disabled people and focuses on the physically disabled, doesnt mean youre being swept under the rug and erased.

just because a space doesnt include you doesnt mean you should butt in and force it to. make your own damn space instead. youre not being invalidated or treated as invisible because some "exclusive club" exists and youre not on the invite list.

cripplepunk doesnt offer you anything if youre physically abled. thats not a threat, not an insult, its a fucking statement. a fact.

cripplepunk is made by and for PHYSICALLY disabled folks and always has. those who have mental disabilities ON TOP OF being physically disabled are welcomed thats a given, but if you arent physically disabled this space literally has nothing for you, nothing you can relate to, the word cripple isnt even for you. thats not some made up rule to shoo away people we dont like thats just a fucking fact on how it is.

"the brain is an organ so i AM physically disabled" do you need a mobility aid because of your mental disability? no, do you get sick and dizzy whenever you stand up because of our disabled brain? no. do you need additional help in school because your mental disability hinders your neurological function not your ability to function PHYSICALLY? yes? then stop being a selfish idiot and stop trying to get into cripplepunk as its not a space thats for you.

being mentally disabled is entirely different from being physically disabled, both are equally valid and deserve accommodations and support but when a space is made for one and not the other, only having the other does not warrant you to push into that space.

it should not have to be said so many times let alone at all

cripplepunk is a space for physically disabled bodies.

[ID: banner reading "This blog is protected by De Rolo family and co." in all caps. It has an orange cloud background. On the left is the De Rolo coat of arms and on the right is the symbol of Vox Machina]

Some of you are only cripplepunk until it's about disabled people with deformities, until it's about disabled fat people, until it's about disabled trans people, until it's about people with "gross" or "unrelatable" symptoms, until it's about rare, severe and life-threatening disabilities, until it's about seeing disabled people being bitter and angry because the system fucked us over. Cripplepunk is about not giving any shits about the ableds discomfort and it is about uplifting our voices. Otherwise you are just a poser.

people dont understand the boredom of being disabled.

i see a lot of people suggest to people to embrace boredom and creativity will come from it. that to improve your attention span and get your life back from the trap that is quick form media you need to be bored more.

but i dont think that is the case for many disabled people.

its not the case for me.

i am SO bored. EVERY day. i cannot do all the things i want to engage in. i cannot play games i cannot read i cannot do art i cannot bake. these things arent being stopped by a social media addiction, they are being stopped by my health.

and my attention span isnt struggling for the same reasons as many abled people. mine struggles because of my symptoms. my fatigue, my pain, they are distracting and fog my brain.

so disabled people, when youre looking for tips about how to improve your attention span, and engage in your hobbies more, keep in mind that the reason for your struggles may be completely different to the people who are sharing suggestions and tips on the topic.

THIS its so important to understand that while yes absolutely we need support and funding for sick kids - these same kids will likely still be sick as young adults and need support then too.

I feel like people forget that pediatric illnesses generally last into adulthood like…childhood cancer survivors often have medical complications for the rest of their (adult) lives. My juvenile arthritis will be around when I’m 75. Crohn’s disease, cystic fibrosis, congenital heart defects - all of these things, when acquired in childhood, have lifelong complications. Childhood diseases aren’t just cute, happy kids smiling from hospital beds. Theyre pain and suffering and learning to live differently forever.

really struggling with this atm.

ive lost all the strength i fought so hard for the past two years. it doesnt seem fair that it can all be taken away so fast.

im exhausted. trying is exhausting.

disabled consistency prt. 2 prt. 1 here (u dont need to read it to understand this post)

what happens to consistency, to habits, when you have a dynamic disability?

i want us to understand the differences between having a consistent body and having an ever changing one. sometimes you could be so healthy you are working/studying, exercising a few times a week, socialising, and independently caring for yourself. but other times.. you’re bedbound? can’t even shower and brush your teeth twice a day? can’t keep up with texting your friends or social media? what habit is surviving that.

you work so hard to build habits and follow routines you and your doctors have set, and then you achieve it, but then it all gets taken away in a flare-up. you wonder what the point is. its a constant vicious cycle. even abled people know its hard to build habits. it takes time. and you might not have that time.

for abled people, theres no time limit on building a habit. they might have a goal in mind of when they want to achieve it, but theres no actual clock ticking in the background.

for me, and for other dynamically disabled people, we are on a time crunch. you may not be aware of it, but you are. it’s always a race to get things done while you can, build those habits and routines and get consistent and get your life together while you can. because even if you’re not thinking it, you are living on a countdown until your next flare-up. until the next crash, the next time you lose all your progress.

and that cycle, is exhausting. it’s like building a sandcastle right on the shore. you build it and you get to revel in it for a second. then it’s gone. there may be a little bump in the sand where your hard work had just stood, but essentially, you are starting from scratch. while the abled people are up the beach a few metres and their sand is perfectly wet and perfectly dry and the waves never reach it.

then those same people, tell you to just keep building. “eventually you’ll get there!” “keep trying!” “habits take time!” they say. but how? there will always be another wave.

understanding this difference in experience is so important if you want to understand why you can’t just tell a disabled person to form habits or be consistent and expect results.

disabled people!!!

what are some illnesses/disabilities that youve never seen representation for and would love to see?

let me know in replies reblogs asks messages whatever suits you :3

being unattractive or physically different/disabled DOES NOT equal being morally bad/evil. there is an atrocious amount of ableism that occurs when someone doesn’t look “normal.” and i am so fucking sick of it.

in media it is (almost) always the villains who are different/disabled. and media is a massive part of how people form their world views.

i want to mention arcane for example, because people seem to be confused about what good representation is. people praise the hell out of that show, and for good reason it has great things about it, but people told me it had good disabled representation. so i watched it. and while parts of the disabled representation is good.. almost all physically different/disabled characters are portrayed as bad/evil/villains at some point in their story (or all of it.) and then by the end of the show most of them are dead.

abled people i need you to understand that is not good representation. please look out for these tropes it happens ALL the time.

good representation includes different/disabled characters who are heroes and morally “good” too.

if you make all your villains physically different and none of them are heroes i hate you. i am so sick of this.

i really cannot understand how people see disabled life as this glamorised lazy life. i genuinely cannot wrap my head around this.

how could ANY of what i go through be seen that way i just dont get it.

disabled consistency prt. 2 prt. 1 here (u dont need to read it to understand this post)

what happens to consistency, to habits, when you have a dynamic disability?

i want us to understand the differences between having a consistent body and having an ever changing one. sometimes you could be so healthy you are working/studying, exercising a few times a week, socialising, and independently caring for yourself. but other times.. you’re bedbound? can’t even shower and brush your teeth twice a day? can’t keep up with texting your friends or social media? what habit is surviving that.

you work so hard to build habits and follow routines you and your doctors have set, and then you achieve it, but then it all gets taken away in a flare-up. you wonder what the point is. its a constant vicious cycle. even abled people know its hard to build habits. it takes time. and you might not have that time.

for abled people, theres no time limit on building a habit. they might have a goal in mind of when they want to achieve it, but theres no actual clock ticking in the background.

for me, and for other dynamically disabled people, we are on a time crunch. you may not be aware of it, but you are. it’s always a race to get things done while you can, build those habits and routines and get consistent and get your life together while you can. because even if you’re not thinking it, you are living on a countdown until your next flare-up. until the next crash, the next time you lose all your progress.

and that cycle, is exhausting. it’s like building a sandcastle right on the shore. you build it and you get to revel in it for a second. then it’s gone. there may be a little bump in the sand where your hard work had just stood, but essentially, you are starting from scratch. while the abled people are up the beach a few metres and their sand is perfectly wet and perfectly dry and the waves never reach it.

then those same people, tell you to just keep building. “eventually you’ll get there!” “keep trying!” “habits take time!” they say. but how? there will always be another wave.

understanding this difference in experience is so important if you want to understand why you can’t just tell a disabled person to form habits or be consistent and expect results.

fellow LSN disabled people, this is coming from a place of much compassion and love. i hear you when you say you’re jealous of MSN/HSN people’s support. how you wish you could have such support. mental health is complicated and it’s hard to see through emotions and trauma.

but i really need you to understand that our higher support needs disabled friends aren’t inherently privileged for having said support. while it may be that if you had that same support your QOL would improve, they most likely need the support you’re jealous of to literally survive.

the point i really want to make here is there is a difference between support for QOL and support to SURVIVE. people die without these supports. that is not a privileged position to be in.

you’re allowed to be upset and angry that you don’t have the life you want and deserve, but please focus those feelings on society and governments. because they are the ones that created a world in which it is so hard for us to exist.

we need to be friends to each other, not throwing around misdirected anger and blame. please take time to listen to MSN/HSN disabled people and learn about their experiences, there are so many people out there begging to be heard.

this i always feel like theres basically two versions of “cant” because sometimes people say cant and they dont actually mean that.. they just mean its hard. and then they assume i also mean its just hard.

it genuinely so. so. no even have word for it. so profoundly exhausting that anytime any disabled person talk about can’t do something—full, wholeheartedly can’t, absolutely can’t, under no circumstance can, if no one help them or do it for them it not get done n they suffer whatever consequence include dying—that it always get FLOOD by so so many “same it SO hard for me but no one help so have to force do by self” n “am i? actually? not low support needs? because all these stuff u talk about so hard for me too n no one recognize it so have do it by self :(“ like you all not get it n not even know you not get it n not sure you all even capable of get it, n, ironically this time do mean, that genuinely, absolutely, no matter what happen, can’t

oh my god i had no idea these were a thing maybe i could bake again 😭😭😭

If you're ambulatory and struggle standing to cook, consider a "perching stool" for the kitchen. They're made to make cooking safer and easier for disabled people and there's a lot of different kinds. I wish I had known about these when I could still stand.

i am constantly worried that my unpredictable health will lose me all my friends. you might say thats irrational, but it has already happened to me twice.

i have been called flakey, unreliable, a downer and probably more i havent heard. and i cant help but wonder, if the world around me was accessible, would i be any of those things?

the lengths i go to for relationships never feels flaky or unreliable to me. but maybe to other people it doesnt matter why i cant show up sometimes. maybe all that matters to them is a yes or no are they here with no context.

try be accessible and lenient with your disabled friends please..

THIS

If you're a disabled young person, you've most likely been hit with the "pfft you think you're in pain now? Just wait til you're my age" bullshit from older people at least once. Everyone talks about how invalidating it is

But I haven't seen anybody mention how it's terrifying, too. Yes, I know health deteriorates with age. I know that old age is a disability unto itself. I know that the healthiest person alive will start getting aches and pains past the age of 40 and may even need mobility aids

I know all this stuff. And it always makes me think "yeah, if I can't walk without joint pain even while using mobility aids AT AGE 21, how painful will life be for me at the age where it gets painful for everyone?"

And it's hard not to feel like I'm doomed, y'know? Where most people get a period of health that they wish they appreciated more when they start to lose it, my starting point was a body that doesn't work properly and it's only gonna get worse from there. It's worse every fucking year.

TLDR stop telling disabled young people that their pain will only get worse to the point of being unimaginable as they age, WE FUCKING KNOW