This is my 4th year participating in Blogging Against Disablism Day. Disablism is a term used to describe discrimination against persons with disabilities. The main focus for Blogging Against Disablism Day is to point out some of the challenges that face individuals with disabilities, as well as to raise awareness about various disabilities. To find links to read and enjoy the post from others in support of Blogging Against Disablism Day 2009, please go here. Click on the year to read my previous posts from 2008, 2007 and 2006 . To understand more about the term "Disablism", please read the piece, "One in Seven" by Lady Bracknell.
On November 26, 2008, the word "disability" took on a whole new meaning for me. On that day, I joined the ranks of the disabled when I was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia/ Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia. Up until that time, when I thought of a person with a disability, I thought of my daughter, and others just like her. In the past I've written about how disability from the point of view of seeing its affect on my daughter. How her seizures often scare people, and the difficulty in finding normalcy in our lives. Now I have a greater understanding of how a disability can effect everything about a family in a very sudden and different way.
Disability for me right now means no work. No pay. State Disability pay. Paying more money for medical insurance. Lengthy hospital stays. Isolation. PICC lines. Bone Marrow Biopsies. No hair. No strength. In many ways it is different from Jenelle's disability, and in some ways it is the same. At least with my disability, there is the promise that it is not forever. My cancer is in remission. Once I finish chemo in a few weeks, I will return to work. Soon life will return to normal for me, or as normal as it can get as the parent of a child with special needs. My small glimpse of being a part of the disabled community has changed me for sure. I know that I will leave it with a better understanding of Jenelle.
On November 26, 2008, the word "disability" took on a whole new meaning for me. On that day, I joined the ranks of the disabled when I was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia/ Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia. Up until that time, when I thought of a person with a disability, I thought of my daughter, and others just like her. In the past I've written about how disability from the point of view of seeing its affect on my daughter. How her seizures often scare people, and the difficulty in finding normalcy in our lives. Now I have a greater understanding of how a disability can effect everything about a family in a very sudden and different way.
Disability for me right now means no work. No pay. State Disability pay. Paying more money for medical insurance. Lengthy hospital stays. Isolation. PICC lines. Bone Marrow Biopsies. No hair. No strength. In many ways it is different from Jenelle's disability, and in some ways it is the same. At least with my disability, there is the promise that it is not forever. My cancer is in remission. Once I finish chemo in a few weeks, I will return to work. Soon life will return to normal for me, or as normal as it can get as the parent of a child with special needs. My small glimpse of being a part of the disabled community has changed me for sure. I know that I will leave it with a better understanding of Jenelle.
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3 comments:
I do a fair amount of guest lecturing to college classes on various aspects of disability. Depending on the topic sometimes it does come up that my mom was diagnosed w/leukemia (CML) almost 9 years ago. You can see the wheels turning in people's heads when I put that on the same level as my CP.
It's natural to make these comparisons and to grow from them. I've thought often of my Dad since I became ill and gained a little insight into what he went through. But of course, people would be shocked if I were to admit to comparing my disability with cancer. Life throws unexpected lessons at us sometimes.
I enjoyed reading your blog today. I am still new to the land of blog, but so loving reading others stories. Everyone has a story and so many of them are so touching....
Hope you will stop by for a visit.
The May give-away has started and this month there will be 10 winners. I will be blogging from Disney World soon...
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