F.A.Q.

WHEN I HAD MY STROKE, MY FAMILY HAD 2 SCOUR THE INTERNET 2 LEARN ABOUT MY CONDITION, & I STILL GET QUESTIONS EITHER ABOUT MY DISABILITY, OR ABOUT BEING DISABLED.

HERE I WILL FOCUS ON ANSWERING THESE FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS, ABOUT ME, &/OR ABOUT MY CONDITION,ONE AT A TIME.

FEEL FREE 2 CONTACT ME (BY MY 2 EMAIL ADDRESS ON THE “CONTACT ME” PAGE) W/ANY & ALL QUESTIONS THAT U WANT 2 KNOW. IN TIME, I WILL DO MY BEST 2 ANSWER U, & I MAY EVEN COPY & PASTE IT 2 THE FAQ SECTION OF MY BLOG.

How do you wish they would treat you?

THIS MAY BE UNIQUE 2 ME, SINCE I CAN’T TALK: ASK, NEVER ASSUME. IF I CRY, ASK IF U SHOULD WIPE MY TEARS…MOST LIKELY, I DON’T WANT HELP, DUE 2 MY CONDITION. IF I STRUGGLE, ASK. MAYBE I WANT 2 STRUGGLE, & MAYBE I DON’T. OTHERS CAN ASK 4 HELP. I CAN’T, UNLESS I STOP STRUGGLING, & I DON’T LIKE 2 GIVE UP! ETC.

OF COURSE, U DON’T NEED 2 ASK ABOUT THE OBVIOUS…I.E. IF MY PARALYZED FOOT FALLS OFF IT’S FOOTREST, U CAN PUT IT BACK ON, IF I’M HEADED 2WARDS A DOOR, U CAN OPEN IT, ETC.

What is the most frustrating thing about how people treat you?

BEING “BABIED”–SOMETIMES HELP IS NICE, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, I LEARN BY STRUGGLING. IT’S BEST 2 ASK IF I NEED HELP, NOT ASSUME.

ON 1 HAND, , I MAY NEVER BE AWARE THAT I’M CAPAPABLE OF A TASK IF I NEVER DO IT, BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, I MAY ALWAYS STRUGGLE 2 DO SOMETHING NORMALLY, & THOUGH I CAN DO IT EVEN ON A “BAD” DAY, IT MAY BE A WELCOME BREAK. SO ASK IF I NEED HELP, INSTEAD OF ASSUMING THAT I DON’T NEED HELP!

What manners should I show to the disabled and handicapped?

–THE BIGGEST COURTESY IS TO NOT AVOID A PERSON WHO IS DIFFERENT. IT IS A LITTLE AWKWARD AT FIRST, BUT THOSE WHO DO NOT HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES WILL NEVER FEEL COMFORTABLE UNTIL THEY JUST LEAVE THEIR COMFORT ZONE.
–DO NOT EVER STAND IN FRONT OF A WHEELCHAIR, & IF U ARE TALL, DON’T EVEN SIT IN FRONT OF A WHEELCHAIR.
–DON’T APPROACH PEOPLE WITH AN OBVIOUS DISABILITY IN PUBLIC TO SATISFY YOUR CURIOSITY ABOUT WHY A PERSON IS IN A WHEEL CHAIR, BLIND, DEAF, OR WHATEVER. HOW IS THAT HELPFUL TO ASK SOMEONE SOMETHING SO SENSATIVE IN A PUBLIC PLACE, OR FROM A STRANGER?
–DO NOT STARE AT EITHER, LIKE THEY ARE A CIRCUS FREAK, EITHER! (THOUGH 4 ME, I UNDERSTAND WHEN A CHILD DOES! ABOUT AGE 9, IT IS VERY COMMON!)
–BE COURTEOUS & THOUGHTFUL–OPEN DOORS, ETC.
–DON’T “BABY TALK,” TALK SLOW, OR TALK LOUD.
–4 ME, IT IS A COMMON MISTAKE 2 SIGN 2 ME–ASL IS SO THEY CAN UNDERSTAND ME, NOT SO THEY CAN SIGN TO ME-IT IS A COMMON MISUNDERSTANDING! I’M ACTUALLY SUPER SLOW AT READING ASL, BECUZ I NEVER READ IT, & HAVING DOUBLE VISION DOESN’T HELP ME!
–BE PATIENT—DISABLED R SLOW & OFTEN MAKE MISTAKES.
–DO NOT ASSUME THEY CAN NOT PARTICIPATE IN DAILY LIVING ACTIVITIES BECAUSE THEY HAVE A DISABILITY.
–ASK BEFORE HELPING.
–DO NOT PARK “MOMENTARILY” IN HANDICAPPED SPOTS- TONS DO THIS.
— A PERSONAL COMPLAINT: I’M OFTEN ASKED QUESTIONS THEN PEOPLE RUN 2 MARK, MEANING WELL & BEING NICE, BUT I END UP DEALING W/THE MISCONCEPTION & APPEARING 2 HAVE “CRIED WOLF.” 4 EX., I CAN BE ASKED IF I’M COLD. MOST ANYTIME, IF I FEEL A CHILL — WHICH IS THE MAJORITY, I SIGN ‘SORT-OF’ OR NOD ‘YES.’ THIS DOES NOT MEAN I WANT A COAT! FOLLOW UP BY ASKING IF I WANT A COAT, SINCE I’M COLD MY KIDS HAVE LEARNED THE ART OF ASKING ME THE RT. ?S & NOT ASSUMING EVEN THE “OBVIOUS”! IN THE ABOVE EX., WHEN I WANTED A COAT, I GOT 1, BUT B4 ASKING 4 ANYTHING, ASK ME IF I WANT IT!