Jude: Through this whole ordeal with my daughter having TM, we have definitely learned who are friends and family are. There have been people who I have considered my best friends, but have yet to ever ask how my daughter is doing. There are people who I thought were just acquaintances and they have been there every step of the way through all of this. Unfortunately, I think that some people just don't know how to deal with people that have disabilities . I think that is so sad b/c you guys are no different than the rest of us except that you have limitations on what you can and can't do. It doesn't change who you truly are. I will never forget the time, 2 years ago, when my daughter was in Hershey Medical center and they released her for a few hours for us to take her out in public to make sure that we could get around with her and her wheelchair before we were able to take her home. We took her to the Hershey Chocolate factory. The people that work there were the most helpful people that we have ever come across, however, the people that were visiting the gift shop were the most arrogant people. My daughter was sitting in her wheelchair looking at a display and some woman just walked right up between her and the display and stood there as if she didn't even see my daughter there. I truly believe that everyone should be required to take a course in school and have to use the wheelchair, cane, crutches, each for a period of time so that they can get a feel for what others have to go through. I never noticed certain cracks in sidewalks, etc until my daughter was in the wheelchair and on crutches. I never really noticed how some hospital gift shops had their isles so close together that a wheelchair couldn't even fit through. Things like that definitely start becoming more visible when you deal with a disabled person. Alright, there were my two cents. Tracey L. Black Certified Insurance Service Representative Hockley & O'Donnell Insurance Agency Phone - 717-334-6741, x 29 Fax - 717-334-3414
Thank you for providing information to us. Please beware that no coverage is bound and no change to your insurance program is confirmed until verified by a licensed agent during regular business hours. If you do not hear from us within 1 business day, please re-contact us in case your information has not been retained. ________________________________ From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Tuesday, May 29, 2007 4:45 PM To: tmic-list@eskimo.com Subject: [TMIC] Getting Humble Hello All, The most painful part of being paralyzed is the complete loss of every one of my family members with whom I believed I was so close to all of my life before TM. The last person, one of my sisters-in-law, has finally written me off because of the Easter Sunday debacle when the lift on our van broke and we couldn't make it to visit her for the afternoon. This week, I tried one more time, to recocile with her and she basically told me that I am no longer considered one of the family. I have no idea where the real problem lies...cannot figure it out, but it must be me because every single one of my nieces and their families, my nephew and his family and both of my sisters-in-law (my brothers are dead and the gals have both remarried), have written me off. After losing all of my immediate family to cancer and one snowmobile accident, I did everything in my power to keep us all together. Now, the niece I was clostest to had the nerve to tell me that she thought it was always "so fake." I have no idea where that comes from because I love my nieces and nephew like they are my own children. What I am wondering is: Is there anyone out there who has any idea of where to go on the Internet to find out the psychology behind their action? I have been told that it is not uncommon, that it happens all of the time. I have tried different ways of describing for an Internet search, but have had no luck in finding a link to anything meaningful. I have looked through the Archives and have found bits of conversation here and there, but nothing that really puts the reality of it out there and in words that I can understand. And, in college, I wasn't far enough along to know about these kinds of things. Who, if anyone, out there has had this kind of experience and who might be able to share a Link or two so that I can reference it for myself? And, as far as using a cane to gain mobility...you know me and my big mouth...Aren't you hurting yourself more by being frightened every time you go out? If you needed glasses or contacts you would use them, correct? What about a toupe? Now that's a frightening experience! No, I'm only teasing. We do what we must do to keep our lives as open to the world as possible; to keep our bones and muscles as strong as we can; to constantly challenge our mental capabilities da-da, da-da, da-da! Use that cane! I'll bet you are a handsome old fart who might meet and dazzle some sweet young "thang" if you felt confident while out and about. I love you all~ Jude ________________________________ See what's free at AOL.com <http://www.aol.com?ncid=AOLAOF00020000000503> .
