National Medicaid Budget Cuts News

Maryland ADAPT is currently, as we speak, in Annapolis, our state capital, with our newest member Toni Torso (below) talking to legislature. Check out UpittyCrip for live updates through the next 4hrs.

On the left you see Toni, a quintuple amputee, sitting in her manual chair modeling her purple 3elove zipper hoodie and orange shorts. She is wearing 7 buttons with different disability rights statements.

On the right you see a close up of Toni's MTA Mobility (paratransit) ID. You have to have a photo ID to get into the building of course. Sorry there's glare. The shirt she's wearing in her ID photo (thanks Texas) says "DON'T CUT MY SERVICES"

While you wait to see our news coverage, here are some other Medicaid budget cuts news headlines from around the country sent out by NationalADAPT through Twitter last night.

UKIAH CALIFORNIA FACING DEVASTATING STATE BUDGET CUTS

RALLY IN IDAHO PROTESTS PROPOSED MEDICAID CUTS

IN NEW JERSEY, GOVERNOR CHRISTIE'S BUDGET EXPECTED TO INCLUDE MEDICAID CUTS

Cory Silverberg's 2nd Video--SEX POSITIONS

Check out sexuality.about.com Cory has GREAT stuff. Or, I suggest also, buy his book. No, I am not on comission, I just found it that helpful.

From Around the Net

Just 2 stories:

AAPD has decided to release a youtube video a week from now until ADA Day in their Countdown to the ADA Series. Their first one from this week features Bobby Coward, fellow ADAPTer.

Jen from Born Just Right has started a campaign to collect used/outgrown "helper" limbs to be sent to Haiti. Check out Helpers4Hati to see how you can help!

Apples to Apples

Just a quick post for once. Again, I was not planning on writing posts about my friends--serious disability posts only. Besides, it should be their choice whether or not they want their stuff broadcast over the internet. But I am not using names, so I'm slipping this post in here.

So 3 of my closest friends and I were all playing Apples to Apples while we were waiting for the ball to drop. If you don't know how to play, I am bad at explaining things, but go check it out--it's great. As a disclaimer, between us we have physical, learning, and mental disabilities represented. Actually we all have various combinations of multiple issues. So I was the judge and the word I put down was tame. I don't remember what the other words were that I picked up. The last one I picked up was amputations. I do not ever recall laughing so hard in my life. I turned bright red, almost peed my pants (I only have the very mildest of bladder issues so it really does mean I was laughing hard), and was starting to have trouble breathing. We all were laughing, but none as hard as me. What does this say about us as a group; especially about me as an individual? Am I sick and twisted? It's not the word in and of itself that was so funny, but rather the fact that it came out of sheer nowhere and maybe a little because of the particular group I was with. Though maybe it's a good thing that I'm already on some serious psychiatric medications...