Gimp Like Me.

Everyone, and I mean everyone, should be forced to face some kind of discrimination for at least one year. 365 consecutive days. Maybe that tactic might help eliminate some of the subtle and perhaps even a portion of the blatant oppression many people are forced to put up with.

Believe me, I’ve experienced more than my share of discrimination since joining the ranks of the severely disabled. Some of it intentional, most of it unintentional. But regardless, it hurts just the same.

Do you know what it feels like to be out and about doing your thing and you see people intentionally avoiding you simply because you’re using a wheelchair or perhaps you walk a little differently? It really makes you think. What is it about a severe physical disability that intimidates some people?

I remember reading a book when I was younger titled Black Like Me, by John Howard Griffin. Published in 1961, it was about a white man who dies his skin black and then travels through the deep South during the height of the black civil rights movement. He almost lost his life simply because he changed the color of his skin. The discrimination he encountered was outrageous and resulted only because of the color of his skin. Nothing more, nothing less. Why is that?

The human species is by far the most intelligent form of life walking this planet, yet our behavior can be so primitive it’s sickening. We can figure out how to fly a spacecraft to the outer regions of our solar system while at the same time we can’t figure out how to embrace everyone else on our own planet.

Discrimination. Sometimes I just don’t get it!

Is there a Dr. in the house?

It seems I’m constantly going to doctors appointments. Not because something is wrong, but for regular checkups. You know, basic maintenance. Tuneups!

I have my spinal cord injury doctor, a neurosurgeon, a cardiologist, a pulmonologist and a urologist. Yeah, that’s 5 doctors. And that doesn't count the specialists I'm occasionally referred to. Thankfully they’re all great doctors and good people. And thank God for good health insurance.

But living with a spinal cord injury as severe as mine for almost 36 years, seeing doctors is a necessary evil if you want to stay healthy. The great majority of the time the news I receive from my physicians is good, but on occasion it’s not that great.

Like this past week, I received a call from my urologist. He wanted to explain to me the results of my recent kidney analysis. The news wasn’t that great. As a result, another visit to see him come this Thursday. That will be two visits in two weeks.

And of course I also need to see my cardiologist within the next couple of weeks. I visit her once a month. Have to make sure the ticker is still operating properly.

They’ve drawn blood from me so many times my veins refuse to release any more blood to them, at least without a good fight. At my last appointment, upon seeing me the phlebotomist stated, “better call Virginia.” I guess Virginia is the best vampire in that facility.

I’ve had so many x-rays I’m surprised I don’t glow in the dark.

Regardless, these ventures, although they’re sometimes annoying and really cramp my lifestyle, I follow through with because I want to stay alive and healthy, even if the news isn’t always good. Plus, I do want to enjoy my retirement someday.

One down, 15 to go.

Today we began the second week of the Spring semester at Arizona State University. One week down, 15 more to go.

The beginning of each semester is always a very busy time for all of us who work at the Disability Resource Center. There are new students to become familiar with along with all of the students returning from previous semesters.

It’s particularly busy this time of the semester simply because all of the students need to arrange whatever accommodations they may need. It’s very likely that your entire day is scheduled with back-to-back appointments with students every half hour. By the end of the day you’re exhausted, just want to go home, have something to eat and relax for a while. Then you repeat that same scenario the every day for the first two weeks at least.

We’re very fortunate in our office to have a staff that is not only excellent at what they do but are also dedicated to the extent that they thrive off of this seemingly craziness. It’s what our careers are all about and it’s probably the most rewarding time of year from a personal standpoint. A close second is commencement.

Pondering my mortality.

A California man was executed today. Strange thing is, it hardly made the news at all. Usually these events are high-profile in the news. A brief article online was all I saw and by midmorning the article was buried within the MSNBC web page, pretty much unnoticeable. Go figure! Did this individual's life have no worth?

Supposedly the individual was the oldest person ever to be executed. He was also blind, had diabetes, used a wheelchair for his mobility and had other health complications. I wonder if his physical conditions had any effect on the governors refusal to overturn the execution.

Ironically, also in today's news, the Supreme Court of the State of Oregon upheld a ruling legalizing physicians assisted suicide. A topic that brings about emotional debate, not only within our society in general but even more so within the disabled community.

These two incidences got me thinking about my own mortality and inevitable death. I always wonder how people will respond to the news of my death. Will they care? How many people will attend the services? Will they miss me? How long will I be remembered? Why I ponder these thoughts, I can't specifically explain.

Whenever my time comes, I hope those who care about me stay away from commenting on how I am no longer "confined to my chair." I've been to numerous funerals of individuals with severe disabilities or illnesses and such comments seem to be the common mantra. "They're free from their suffering," "free from their chair" or whatever. Gag me with a spoon!

To me such statements trivialize the true value of living a productive life regardless of having a severe disability or illness. Like my life was so terrible. Such a hardship. I am now "better off." Those types of comments are borderline insulting. Luckily I won't be around hear any of them.

All I know is that I do have strong feelings toward both of the issues that were briefly mentioned in the news today.

In regard to the execution in California, a person's life is the one thing no one has a right to mess with. By executing a convicted prisoner (who may have committed murder), we as a society are, in reality, killing someone, and thus no better than the individual executed. I couldn't live with myself if I were the person injecting the lethal drug, initiating the electrical current or responsible for whatever means of execution that is used.

As far as assisted suicide, if a person wants to die, that's their right. And if they are incapacitated to the extent that they may need some assistance, then it's best that the assistance be provided by a physician. Someone who can provide the service in the safest and most comfortable way.

I know there are many people that would probably disagree with my views, but so be it.

Lets all share a common dream.

Arguably Martin Luther King Jr. best represents the concepts held true when it comes to equal rights. But MLK Day is not simply an issue of black-and-white. It's represents the all-encompassing statement that "all men are created equal."

Whether borne out of intention or ignorance, discrimination is discrimination and there's no place for it in today's society.

The celebration of equal rights expands far beyond the oppression of the African-American population. It represents the equality of women, those from all religious beliefs, people with disabilities and our gay/lesbian brothers and sisters. Sadly, the list goes on.

I never truly comprehended the meaning of discrimination until I became a member of a "minority" too often looked down upon. As an individual with a severe disability, I have always granted the benefit of a doubt to those whose behavior is different toward the disabled than it is toward the "normal" population, as originating out of naïveté, not out of a natural or intentional reaction. But the truth of the matter is, too often this unjust behavior has its foundation rooted in, not just a basic lack of understanding but the repulsive fabric of hatred.

How do we change these evil attitudes? I don't have the definitive answer, but celebrating days like today play a vital role in the long term fight to with our world of these repulsive behaviors.

I would hope that we all will ultimately share the vision of "I have a dream."

When it Rains, it Pours.

This week I had been carpooling to work with my neighbor, who happens to work in the same office I do. Tuesday morning we drive to work as normal, park the van and make our way to our building for the day.

After work we get to the van and it won’t even turn over. The battery is dead as a door nail. Fortunately the Parking and Transit services on campus could come and give us a jumpstart. I had the same thing happen the previous weekend but it was after the van had been sitting for over 10 days without being driven. All I needed was to have a bad battery.

The next morning when we went out to start the van it started right up. Thank God the battery was still good. As usual, we drove over to my neighbor’s house to pick her up. We were right on time but as we drove away we realized we had a flat tire. Luckily her husband was right there to change it.

Two consecutive days and two different problems with my van. It was a little frustrating at the time, with visions of my van meeting servicing, but looking back at it, it was kind of amusing. Ironic might be a better word.

Yeah, when it rains, it pours.This week I had been carpooling to work with my neighbor, who happens to work in the same office I do. Tuesday morning we drive to work as normal, park the van and make our way to our building for the day.

After work we get to the van and it won’t even turn over. The battery is dead as a door nail. Fortunately the Parking and Transit services on campus could come and give us a jumpstart. I had the same thing happen the previous weekend but it was after the van had been sitting for over 10 days without being driven. All I needed was to have a bad battery.

The next morning when we went out to start the van it started right up. Thank God the battery was still good. As usual, we drove over to my neighbor’s house to pick her up. We were right on time but as we drove away we realized we had a flat tire. Luckily her husband was right there to change it.

Two consecutive days and two different problems with my van. It was a little frustrating at the time, with visions of my van meeting servicing, but looking back at it, it was kind of amusing. Ironic might be a better word.

Yeah, when it rains, it pours.

The Wonderful World of Technology.

Technology! You love it when it's working well, but you curse it when it starts acting strange or stops working at all.

My Internet modem decided to go crazy on me shortly after Christmas. As a result, I've been without any Internet connection for just over a week. That means no e-mail, no balancing my finances, paying bills, reading the newspaper or posting to my blog.

It's amazing how much you realize you depend on your Internet connection until you don't have it.

Like the saying goes, "you don't know what you have till it's gone."

As it turns out I had to buy a new modem. $59 worth. It's a chunk for me to pay but, as I look at it, well worth it in the long run.

Yea , the joy of reading my newspaper again.