I'm volunteering as a counselor for a camp with kids who have special needs. It's interesting how some of the kids with disabilities shy away from me due to my own physical disability. I try to make an extra effort to be useful and I'm very aware of things that would not be best for me. For example, they all went swimming today and I can't be in the pool watching the kids so instead I arranged the snacks and collected the floaties once swim time was over. There's usually always another task, just as useful, that I can do. That's a lesson in life too.

I just scheduled a presentation for October 2 at the Lancaster Library. That feels like a lifetime from now but at least it will happen. I have to come up with a good title, one that is not too "disabilityish" I want this to be heard by the general public who does not have much contact with this topic. Bt then we will have done a few sensitivity programs and had a few stories to tell. It should be interesteing. I won't be doing it alone so that's good, Joyce will be a good co-presenter.

This weekend I attended a disability conference and at night I went out with a friend. He had an unsteady gait and eventually fell. I accompanied him to the emergency where he had stitches and x-rays, eventually they sent him home. The next day he was in terrible shape so I told the director I wasn't returning to the conference. The lady was livid, I couldn't believe it! She's an educator on disability and couldn't have been less sesnitive. I couldn't imagine turning my back of my friend in his time of need to attennd her conference. At the conclusion of the two days the conference participants are always asked to complete a form on what they learned from the presenttions. This time I learned the lack of understanding there is among healthcare educators.