My friend who fell has been in a nursing home and it's horrible. He's physically doing better than he was before the accident but (as he says) "he's become his environment." I was so upset cause he waits up to 30 minutes to go to the bathroom and sometimes just can't wait and goes in his pants. His pain pills take an extra 30 minutes to arrive and he's told to stay in a wheelchair, which he does not need. I want him to come home with me so he could recover mentally as well as physically. I just told his mother who was horrified. She insists I'm not capable of handling the job becasue I am in a wheelchair. That's precisely why I'm advocating so strongly that he leaves there.

I realize there could be all sorts of legal ramifications to this but I just can't let Stewart stew in the nursing home till the doctor decides it's okay to go home. I realize I'm disabled too but I'm a lot more capable than I may seem to people. His 83 year old mother is worried sick about him coming home. He spent much of his life taing care of her and now the roles are reversed but she definitely cab't do it. I can help Stewart (and I know I can)I WILL.

I was watching "Sunday Morning" and there was a segment about a fire station that adopted a guy with mental illness. He was treated like one of the gang and the guys even did his laundry for him- since 1952! If only others were like that. My Camp for kids with challenges went to a local ambulance/fire station and there was a man who took kindly to a guy with mental challenges. I really saw this "camper" as the man in the story. If only...

Rehabilitation when you already have a disability. That must be the ultimate in frustration. A professional is telling you how to manage even though you've spent a lifetime figuring it out. So, in this case, who would be the real expert? I always tell people with challenges that they are the experts on their bodies regardless of how many letters they have after their names (professsional degrees). My friend with arm and leg weakness due to a previous injury then recently fell, has been doing physical therapy for weeks. He's got the patience of Job.

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.