It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Fun*Run Time

It's ALREADY that time of year again: The ADAPT Fun*Run for Disability Rights is April 22nd 2012. Maryland's fundraising goal is $8,000 this year. Yes, that's right, $8,000

Donate $1! Donate $10! Donate $100! Donate $1,000! JUST DONATE so we can FREE OUR PEOPLE! http://adaptfunrun.org/runner.php?id=7 I thank you very much for your support!

Saturday, June 25, 2011

A Picture Says 1000 Words

A picture says 1000 words, doesn't it? I pulled this picture [left] out because, actually, I noticed it on my living room floor and said "I need to show this to so-and-so." It was taken of me and Pro (the horse) back in 1997. I was 12. It is one of my favorite pictures of myself.


A few years ago I came across this picture when I was in a depressive state and brought it to my shrink. I told her I saw it and thought longingly of when I was 12. And then I thought, "What am I talking about? I hated being 12. I didn't have any friends. And who likes being 12 anyway?" But at least I had Friday afternoons to look forward to. At least on Friday afternoons I felt like that. "Why can't I feel like that?"

Since I've started riding again I've also started physical therapy again. And picked up a massage therapist along the way. Riding always hurt, but this was unreal. I've really let myself go over the last 2-3 years. I've never fully regretted this decision, my slow decline in physical mobility was brought on by an increase in independence. I think only wheelchair users can fully understand this.

Except that if someone had put it as simply as "all that sitting on your butt you're doing, and all that laying in bed you're doing because you're keeping yourself depressed [I believe that a person can't make themselves depressed, but by not using strategies you know work, you can most certainly keep yourself depressed] you're shortening your already shortened muscles so much that eventually you'll never be able to ride a horse again," I might have thought differently. I think I caught it just in time. I don't care if I can walk, I'm so over that, but I do care if I can ride a horse.

Someone asked me recently why I'm putting myself through all of this. If I'm in as much pain as I say I'm in why don't I just not go. Because I don't know the last time I felt like this.

Friday, June 24, 2011

Next White House Disability Call

In order to keep you more informed, the White House is hosting monthly calls to provide updates on various disability issues, as well as to introduce you to the individuals who work on these issues in the federal government. This month’s call will feature:
  • Dr. Jill Biden, who is leading a Presidential delegation to the Special Olympics World Summer Games and will be joining the call from Athens, Greece
  • Commissioner of Rehabilitation Services Administration Lynnae Ruttledge
  • Commissioner of the Administration on Developmental Disabilities Sharon Lewis
The next call will take place on Monday, June 27 at 10:30 AM Eastern Time.

Dial in for listeners: (800) 230-1951

Title: White House Disability Call (use instead of code)

Please call in at least five minutes prior to the start of the call. For live captioning during the call, visit http://www.fedrcc.us//Enter.aspx?EventID=1782221&CustomerID=321.

This call is off the record and not for press purposes.

If you would like to be added to the White House Disability Group email distribution list, please visit the White House website at http://www.whitehouse.gov/disability-issues-contact and fill out the Contact Us form in the Disabilities section, or you can email them at disability@who.eop.gov. Please provide your full name, city, state and organization.

For those interested, you can read about the travels of the delegation at the Special Olympics World Summer Games through Twitter updates from Special Assistant to the President for Disability Policy Kareem Dale. Simply follow @disabilitygov (http://twitter.com/disabilitygov). Updates will start on Thursday, June 24 in the evening and last through Tuesday, June 28

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