Left Thumb Blogger

Move Over Summer, Here Comes a Full Fall

Left Thumb Blogger — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 19:56:55 GMT

Wow, where did August go? It seems like merely last week I was celebrating my tenth anniversary. Then I look up and its time to flip the calendar to September!

With the arrival of September comes the end of summer, even though I wasn't done with it, although I was done with the hot temperatures. And fall shows no signs of slowing down any time soon.

In less than two weeks, my husband Darrell and I are off to Las Vegas for our one and only summer vacation and to attend BlogWorld. Last year's conference was a blast, and I am really looking forward to again seeing in-person my blogging heroes Andy Wibbels, Liz Strauss and Chris Brogan, my Aussie friends Suzie Cheel and Des Walsh, and many others.

With the both of us in wheelchairs, its getting to Vegas that I'm not keen about. Even though the flight is only 2.5 hours, the trip from home to hotel room took 12 hours last year! But, at least this year we know what to expect and where things are, so the learning curve will be nowhere near as steep. I find that learning curve the most tiring part of traveling.

We'll be away September 15th-22nd. We come home, unpack, do laundry, and catch up. Then on October 3rd, I fly to Castlegar for the weekend for a board meeting with SPARC BC (the Social Planning and Research Council of British Columbia).

And the following weekend is Thanksgiving here in Canada!

And, to add to the fall fullness, a Canadian federal election may be called, campaigned, voted and over before Americans finally vote on November 4th, my birthday.

Those are the highlights from my fall calendar. How is your fall shaping up? Is it as crazy?

Practical Tips Need to Follow Accommodation Demands

Left Thumb Blogger — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 06:18:00 GMT

I am sitting here, writing another two-part article for Uptake.com. This article is entitled Traveling with Autistic Children: Tips for Fellow Travelers and Parents. Given recent events in the news, most notably a mother and young son being deplaned because of his autistic behavior, my contact eagerly accepted the article idea when I pitched it to her.

I had no problem finding tips for parents on how to ease the experience for their autistic child. I could write several times the required 500 words.

However, the challenge is proving to be finding tips for the fellow traveler. After spending several quality hours with Google, I have yet to find any practical tips for the traveler who finds himself seated beside a child with autism on a flight or at the next table in a restaurant. Be patient, be understanding and be empathic does not tell me, a fellow traveler, how to handle a difficult situation.

I appreciate the need to accommodate individuals with autism, but I need to know how. I agree people with autism have the right to travel and to be in public places, but tell me how to best interact with them.

Tell me:

what to do when I am seated beside an autistic child who is constantly repeating a sound or a gesture;
what to do when the child behind me is kicking my seat non-stop;
what to do when an autistic child has a temper tantrum - do I offer to help or do I look away?;
what to do when I see a beleaguered parent struggling to control her child amidst a sea of glaring and judgmental eyes;
do I talk to the child to distract him;
do I reach out to him or would that exacerbate the situation;
how do I offer to help without offending the parent;
how do I know the difference between an autistic child and a bratty one.

I have been to countless websites on autism looking for practical tips, including the Autism Society of America site where clicking on the "I Want to Help" button takes me to a donation page. I'm not interested in donating, I would like information on how to be understanding and empathic in a situation in which I do not know what to do.

Please, when demanding that your disability be accommodated, tell me, your fellow traveler, how I may assist you.

Blogging Made Easier with Windows Live Writer

Left Thumb Blogger — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 20:27:02 GMT

Writing for two blogs, I was finding that the fiddling with the code was getting in the way of the actual writing. Doing the longer posts was taking me several hours. Blogging was becoming a chore; it wasn't fun any more.

My Twitter buddy Amy Stewart suggested that I try Windows Live Writer - a free desktop application that makes composing posts easier. After a few technical glitches, I was able to download and install the program on my computer. Configuring Windows Live Writer for my other blog was a breeze and I was able to write a short post and publish it relatively quickly. It made blogging fun again.

However, the real challenge came in configuring Windows Live Writer with my Disaboom blog. No matter what I tried, I got an error. Frustration set in. I searched the forums for clues, remembering I had seen mention of the program somewhere there before, and I began a new discussion thread hoping a Disaboom night owl would respond to my cry for help. No such luck. Several email to Disaboom staff didn't result in any progress. A week passed.

Finally, when all hope was dwindling, Kara Swims sent me a message via Twitter with what proved to be the secret key! Using the following information, specific to my Disaoom blog, I was able to add it to Windows Live Writer:

Configure Writer --> Another weblog service
Weblog Homepage URL --> http://www.disaboom.com/Blogs/Left_Thumb_Blogger/Default.aspx
Username --> Left Thumb Blogger
Password --> ha, not telling that
Type of weblog --> Community Server
Remote posting URL --> http://www.disaboom.com/blgs/metablog.ashx

(If you use Windows Live Writer, you will, of course, need to change the Homepage URL and Username to your specific information.)

Holding my breath, things seemed to work. I did get an error about the styles were unable to download. I am hoping that proves not to be fatal.

This is my first Disaboom post using Windows Live Writer and is intended to be a test. If this post actually works, I will happily write more instructional posts on how to use Windows Live Writer with Disaboom.

For now, cross your fingers, please!

Technorati Tags: Blogging 101,Blogs,Windows Live Writer

Lynch Mob Named in Death of Girl with Cerebral Palsy

Left Thumb Blogger — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 08:22:00 GMT

Similar to the lynching of a Negro for the crime of having black skin, fourteen year old Danieal Kelly was punished by death for having cerebral palsy. To her own mother, she was an embarrassment and, hence, was horrifically neglected. Danieal's last words uttered were cries for water. Others paid to protect children at risk, like Danieal, stood by and did nothing, even though they knew this unspeakable cruelty was occurring.

Unlike lynch mob members who often wore white hoods to conceal their identities while committing the horrendous acts, the Grand Jury has identified those most responsible in Danieal's death:

Marie Moses, Andrea Miles, and Diamond Brantley, friend's of Danieal's mother, passively watched while Andrea starved her daughter and refused her medical care. Although not legally culpable in Danieal's death, they did not make any effort to protect the girl and they perjured themselves before the Grand Jury to protect her mother.

Laura Sommerer, Department of Health Services (DHS) assigned to the case after it slipped by Dana Poindexter, only had to monitor the outside contractor hired to provide day-to-day service to the family. With only eighteen families in her caseload, she failed to read the case file and even when she visited the Kelly apartment (her last trip five weeks prior to Danieal's death), she failed to check in on the child. The Grand Jury has recommended charges of endangering the welfare of children and recklessly endangering another person

Dana Poindexter, DHS intake social worker, who had been previously reprimanded and suspended when a three-week-old baby died after he failed to check the safety of the baby's family, grossly underperformed in protecting Danieal's welfare. He failed to investigate the four separate reports of neglect that came into DHS's hotline, and even when another social worker responded to another report and informed him that Danieal was "at high risk of neglect or abuse, indicating the highest possible urgency and need for services", he did not act. In fact, Danieal's file was found in the bottom of a large cardboard box, with food wrappers tossed in on top. Then, he had the nerve to lie to the Grand Jury, which has recommended charges of endangering the welfare of children, recklessly endangering another person, and perjury.

Mickal Kamuvaka, Director of the outside agency MultiEthnic Behavioral Health, was the direct supervisor of the Kelly case, responsible for assigning a caseworker, monitoring his delivery of service, and billing DHS for it. Yet, for services the first few months, she didn't assign a social worker at all, but rather an unpaid, untrained student interim, even though she billed DHS for the highest level of services. She then assigned Julius Murray, knowing his propensity for not doing his job and for falsifying records. The Grand Jury has recommended charges of involuntary manslaughter, endangering the welfare of children, recklessly endangering another person, and perjury.

Julius Murray, MultiEthnic employee, was assigned, for the five month's prior to Danieal's death, to visit the Kelly children twice a week to ensure they were well fed, in school and healthy. His only accomplishment was to have the mother sign blank, post-dated forms to falsify home visits. The Grand Jury has recommended charges of involuntary manslaughter, endangering the welfare of children, and recklessly endangering another person.

For attempting to covering up their culpability in Danieal's death, the Grand Jury has also recommended charges of forgery, tampering with records, tampering with or fabricating physical evidence, tampering with public records, criminal conspiracy for Murray and Kamuvaka.

Daniel Kelly, Danieal's father, had a parental duty to protect her. But, after having undisputed custody of his daughter for ten years, during which time Danieal thrived because she went to school and received medical care (thanks to her stepmother), he handed Danieal back to her mother, knowing the risk his daughter was in and ignoring his legal obligation to protect her. The Grand Jury has recommended the charge of endangering the welfare of children.

Andrea Kelly, Danieal's mother, had complete disregard for her daughter's well-being, taking "calculated steps to prevent her daughter from receiving help that otherwise would have been forthcoming and would have saved her life." She did not use the services available and provided to her, Danieal and her other eight children. She even "repeatedly prevented her son Daniel from summoning an ambulance for his obviously dying sister." Pediatrician Dr. Steven Bachrach testified "that he had never seen a child neglected to the extent that Danieal was." The Grand Jury has recommended charges of murder, involuntary manslaughter, and endangering the welfare of children.

With the hoods removed and the lynch mob members' identities revealed, will justice now prevail and do right by Danieal?

Let freedom ring, let the white dove sing
Let the whole world know that today is a day of reckoning
Let the weak be strong, let the right be wrong
Roll that stone away, let the guilty pay
~ Martina McBride, "Independence Day"

Bloggy Experiment Loses Power

Left Thumb Blogger — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 18:51:00 GMT

For this morning's post I was planning to try something different. I was going to take my laptop outside on to our deck, for the first time this summer, and merely begin writing with no real direction or purpose. I was going to write about the sounds l heard, the sights I saw and whatever thoughts that came to mind and see where that led me. In essence I was going to share a summer morning on my deck with you.

However, last night when I went to plug in my laptop to charge it overnight so that I wouldn't need to bother with the power cable outside this morning, I was surprised to discover I am missing a cable - the one that goes from the power pack to the wall. It was no where in my case!

The last time I used my laptop was when I gave my Treasurer's Report at the Annual General Meeting way back in June. A woman packed up my laptop and all of the bits for me, while I supervised. I must have missed that she didn't have that one cable. How could I have missed that? I'm always so careful that nothing has been missed, particularly when something else helps me. How did I miss a cable, for Pete's sake?

I immediately tweeted to ask how replaceable power cables are, before I completely freaked out. My friend Mary responded instantly and reassured me that those cables are very replaceable. I guess I'm not the only dufus who loses them. She recommended the Targus one that comes with multiple ends so that it's compatible with many laptops.

So much for my planned post of spontaneous writing. I'm off to Staples and potentially points beyond in search for a power cable.

Wish me luck!

The Suckiest Part about My Cerebral Palsy

Left Thumb Blogger — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 14:33:00 GMT

I can manage without being able to walk; for the most part I can get where I am going. I can deal with my limited hand function; I can do most of what I need to do. I can even cope, most of the time, with speaking Glenda-ish.

But, what I have yet to handle is the way my body reacts to heat. Once the temperature hits 28, although I try holding out until 30c, I melt. Literally. My four limbs become four heavy, wet noodles. Coordinating their movement takes conscious effort. Tasks like typing and feeding myself becomes a strenuous Olympic event. And, all my nerve endings are on full alert and in pain. Then my emotions over flow and the tears begin. I'm not a pretty sight in the heat.

All I can manage to do is to lie down and remain still. And that is when frustration kicks in. There is so much I need to do and want to do, but, on hot days, I am not physically able to do at that point, no matter how hard I try.

Last night, getting into bed - something I've done a million times before without incident, I caught my left heel on my scooter, throwing me off balance. I slid, in slow motion, down in between the bed and my scooter. It was one of those falls I knew was coming yet there was nothing I could do except let it happen. Thankfully, the only collateral damage was a chunk ripped out of my heel.

Today's expected high is 34c. Oh joy! That is why I am writing this at 7am, in the cool of the morning. With the fan, blowing, it's down to 28.4c in my office. I'm thinking today is a good day to catch the Olympic spirit and actually watch some. Perhaps I'll witness Canada win its first medal!

Adjectives: A Mood-Altering Substance

Left Thumb Blogger — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 02:36:00 GMT

In the search for the ultimate mood-altering experience, one substance exists that does not require a prescription, is absolutely free and is completely legal.Adjectives colour our experiences. Adjectives can paint a dark, dreary, oppressive world or a sunny, grateful, optimistic one and, in doing so, alter your moods accordingly.

In Law of Attraction: The Science of Attracting More of What You Want and Less of What You Want, Michael Losier explains that words, including adjectives, become your thoughts, which, in turn, become your feelings and moods. Negative words lead to negative thoughts and, hence, negativity moods. Changing our words can actually alter your mood.

With the Antidotal Positive Adjectives Character and Happiness Enhancement (APACHE) Method, individuals are encouraged to think to themselves, "I feel great"..."I am very happy",..."I feel fortunate"..."I feel splendid"..."I feel confident," etc., for as long a period of time as seems enjoyable and productive. When New Zealand psychologist Karen Haye conducted a happiness-increase experiment, using a similar method, she found her subjects became 25 percent happier after two weeks of reciting positive affirmations for ten minutes each morning.

This does not suggest that you need to be unauthentic in the adjectives (and companion parts of speech) you use, but rather consider rewording what you are saying to put a positive or upbeat spin on the message. Dr. Mary Ann Troiani says, "Changing your words can actually change your attitude and feelings. Use "upbeat" words, instead of "upset" words. For example, you can say, "I feel overwhelmed" which is upsetting. Or, you can say, "I feel challenged ...nevertheless I can do it" which is upbeat."

Fill your language with negative adjectives and your mood stinks; fill it with positive adjectives and your mood soars!

Since When is Cerebral Palsy a Crime, Punishable by Death?

Left Thumb Blogger — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 01:36:00 GMT

Watching the last scene of The Great Debaters, which depicts the discrimination and cruelty Negroes faced in the American South during the 1930s, struck something deep within my being. In the debate against white Harvard University, the youngest Wiley team member James Farmer, Jr. vehemently responded to his opponent:

In Texas, they lynch negroes. My teammates and I saw a man strung up by his neck -- and set on fire. We drove through a lynch mob, pressed our faces against the floorboard. I looked at my teammates. I saw the fear in their eyes; and worse -- the shame. What was this negro's crime that he should be hung, without trial, in a dark forest filled with fog? Was he a thief? Was he a killer? Or just a negro? Was he a sharecropper? A preacher? Were his children waiting up for him? And who were we to just lie there and do nothing? No matter what he did, the mob was the criminal.

I immediately thought of a young girl Danieal Kelly who, 70 years after the Great Debaters, was left to die in a foul-smelling, airless room. According to one news report, "she wasted away from malnutrition and maggot-infested bedsores that ate her flesh. She died alone on a putrid mattress in her mother's home, the floor covered in feces." At 14 years old, Danieal weighed a mere 42 pounds. Her last word: water!

Like James Farmer, Jr. asked of the Negro hanging in the tree, I asked why? What had Danieal done so horribly wrong for her own mother to deny her the basics of life?

Danieal's crime? Being an embarrassment to her mother!

Danieal had cerebral palsy and her own mother "was embarrassed by her disabled daughter and didn't want to touch her, take her out in public, change her diapers or make sure she had enough fluids."

Like the mob that witnessed the hanging of the Negro and yet did nothing, those responsible to protect Danieal - her parents and the paid employees of the Department of Human Services (DHS) - did nothing. According to grand jury's report (warning: report contains very disturbing content):

Employees of DHS and the private agency it hired were, when they bothered to show up at all, literally on the other side of the door. But they rarely if ever went inside. The biggest flurry of activity occurred only after Danieal died - when supervisors and staff scrambled to manufacture records in an effort to make it look like they had been doing something.

A doctor examining the case said he had never seen a child neglected to this extent.

Nine people have been charged in Danieal's death. Time will tell whether the system that so horrifically failed her in life will do by right by her in death.

Will Philadelphia taxpayers be outraged enough to demand life-saving changes at the Department of Human Services? Or, like the debate team with their faces pressed against the floorboards, will they look away in shame and do nothing until another innocent child is punished to death for being different, for being disabled?

Danieal, I did not know you, yet I cry for you. I cry because you experienced such horrific cruelty; because those responsible to care for you, to protect you, to love and cherish you, did not; because you were not given the opportunity to become all that you could be. I am beyond words that you were punished to death because of your cerebral palsy. Danieal, having cerebral palsy is not an embarrassment; it is not a crime. Danieal, you have touched me more than you'll ever know. I write your name on my heart.

What are Pingbacks and Why Do I Want Them?

Left Thumb Blogger — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 21:34:00 GMT

In a recent blog post, Disaboom member sandyfreytag asks, " I was just wondering if anyone knows what Pingback>>Blog Archive<< means? I seem to see it sometimes in the comments of the Blogs. I know I sound stupid but I would like to know what the meaning is and who sends it."

What a fantastic question!

Essentially, a pingback (sometimes called a trackback) is when another blogger writes a post and links to one of your posts – this creates a pingback in your comments to let you know. Ideally, this is good because it means another blogger liked and found enough value in your post to mention it in a post on his or her blog. A pingback is considered a nod of approval.

On Disaboom blogs, pingbacks currently take one of two forms:

External pingbacks: when an outsider blogger links to a Disaboom blog post, the pingback in the comment section will take the format that Sandy mentions: Pingback>>Blog Archive<<. For example, an external pingback to Kara Swim's post "A Blog a Day Keeps the Doctor Away" looks like:

Screen shot of an external pingback

Clicking on View Profile takes you to the post that links back to Kara's.

Internal pingbacks: when one Disaboom member links to another member in member, such as the way I'm linking (the blue underlined text) to Sandy's and Kara's posts, creating two pingbacks. Internal pingbacks differ in format from external ones (for a reason I do not know at this time).

Internal pingbacks appear very similar to comments left by individuals. However, there are two subtle differences. First, unlike a regular comment, which offers the options to View Profile and to Send Private Message, an internal pingback only offers View Profile. Second, hovering your mouse over View Profile, the tool tip says Trackback rather than the member's name.

Screen shot of an internal pingback

Clicking on View Profile takes you to the post that creates the trackback or pingback.

You ask, "This is all interesting, but why do I want pingbacks?"

Imagine the blogosphere – the sense of community and interconnectedness between blogs – as a spider web:

(Photo credit: Andrew Beierle)

Each link from one blog to another (pingback) creates a finer woven web, a tighter knit community.

The benefits of being connected to a strong community? Closer relationships and friendships with other bloggers, an exchange of information and opinions, and, potentially, more individuals reading your blog.

Reach out to your fellow bloggers by pinging 'em!

Blog on!

Have a blogging question? Leave a comment below.

7 Super Easy Steps for Inserting a YouTube Video into a Blog Post

Left Thumb Blogger — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 20:56:00 GMT

Inserting a YouTube video in a blog post is a great way to share a video you enjoy, to illustrate a point you are writing about or to initiate discussion on your blog.

Inserting a video takes seven super easy steps:

Step 1: Locate the YouTube video that you would like to insert into your post.

Step 2: Copy the code from the Embed box on the right side of the screen.

Screen shot of YouTube

Step 3: Temporarily paste the code into Notepad, Word or other word processor. The code should look something like this:

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/YbjJb9hU5AA&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/YbjJb9hU5AA&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

Step 4: Begin writing your Disaboom post.

Step 5: At the place you would like to insert the video, copy your code from your temporary file (do not past yet!) and click the Edit HTML source button on the toolbar:

Highlighting the HTML button on the toolbar

Step 6: What you see may be frightening if you haven't worked with HTML code before. Take a deep breath. Relax. You can do this!

The HTML source editor

Place your cursor at the end of the code and paste your video code.

Step 6: Click Update. Voila, the video should now be in your post! (The video may not actually appear until the post is published.)

Step 7: Finish writing your post and click Publish.

Congrats! Your post is now sporting a YouTube video.

Have a blogging question? Leave a comment below.

Where Is A Wheelchair Washroom When I Need One?

Left Thumb Blogger — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 06:40:00 GMT

Today, my husband and I met one of his friends for lunch. We were early, of course, and ordered our drinks while we waited. Then the "Oh, no!" feeling struck: oh, I have to go to the bathroom, but, no I can't because the washroom isn't accessible, even though a wheelchair symbol is on the door. I know this from previous experience - been there, got stuck before! The stall has a wide door and a grab bar, but getting into the washroom requires two tight ninety degree turns - a maneuver my scooter is incapable of performing.

The closest accessible washroom is at the mall in the next block. I tried convincing myself that I can wait until after we have lunch. After all, how long does lunch actually take? An hour? Meanwhile, I didn't dare sip on my tall glass of ice tea, which I love. Merely looking at it intensified the "'Oh, no!" feeling.

Focusing on the conversation became difficult. Half way through my beef dip, the situation became desperate. I can tighten those muscles only so long before the damn bursts. Making a mad dash to the mall's washroom was the only way out without dire consequences.

I excused myself to get into my scooter and explained I had to go the mall but would be back as quickly as possible. Darrell's friend noticed the wheelchair sign on the washroom door. False advertising!

En route I encountered slow walkies. Why is it the more of a hurry I am in, the slower people walk in front of me? I swerved to miss one guy who would have walked straight into me. He hollered out, "You're going too fast!" My under-my-breath response was not one Dad would say was ladylike.

In order to behave like a lady, she should have access to a lady's room when she needs one!

6 Lessons I've Learned about Blogging

Left Thumb Blogger — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 20:31:00 GMT

In the three years that I have been blogging (wow, where does the time go?), I have learned much about blogging. Here are six lessons I have learned:

My blog requires constant attention. Consistently posting new content is critical if I wish to build a loyal readership. People won't continually return unless there is something new and interesting to read.

The blogosphere is fickle. I may spend hours writing one post, thinking it is awesome and will generate much traffic and conversation in the comments. But, in the end, it does not. It may be a silly post I wrote without much forethought that generates the most buzz. I never know! That is one of the exciting things about the blogosphere: I never know when a post may take off - that is when magical things happen!

Even though blogging is instant publishing, the results are not. Hordes of readers do not come rushing as soon as I hit the Publish button. Consistency and patience are key for long-term blogging success.

Blogging is as much about fostering relationships as it is about writing. Yes, I can focus solely on pumping out content, but, by not engaging with my readers or other bloggers, I am missing out on the magic that the blogosphere offers.

Blogging is a great way to meet people. From the relationships mentioned above, friendships develop and, occasionally, online friends get to meet in-person!

Blogging requires constant learning. There is always another strategy to learn, writing skills to improve, new plug-ins to research. That what keeps blogging fresh and my mind young!

What lessons have you learned about blogging? Feel free to share your bloggy experience by leaving a comment below.

Celebrating Diversity

Left Thumb Blogger — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 23:00:00 GMT

Surrey's Fusion Festival - Opening Ceremony

Wow, what a fabulous weekend! My hometown Surrey, recognized as the 2008 Cultural Capital of Canada, had its inaugural Fusion Festival – a celebration of music, food and culture.

Celebrating diversity took place on four stages with colourful and lively performances, and at twenty-some cultural pavilions. I confess not realizing so many cultures are represented in my own community. Wandering the various pavilions was reminiscent of visiting the '83 World Scout Jamboree in Kananaski, Alberta, and learning about cultures from around the globe. Now, the world is in my backyard, I have never really taken the time to appreciate that richness – until now.

Darrell and I enjoyed Greek Spanakopitta (pastry pie with feta and spinach filling), Polish Placki Ziemnicazne (potato pancakes), First Nations' barbequed salmon and bannock. And, with two food tickets left, I finished off with a sweet Palestinian Baklava. Yummy!

Being a glorious weekend, shade was at a premium. I was slathering on the sunscreen, which presented me with a dilemma: when wearing a low-cut top, how does one discretely rub sunscreen on one's cleavage? Sunday I wore a high neckline top with long sleeves! Not overly summery, but it did prevent bits from burning!

The newly redeveloped urban park is quite wheelchair friendly with paved and gravel paths throughout, and being fairly level, scooting across the rather worn grass was quite doable. Rows of portable toilets, including wheelchair accessible ones, were scattered through the park. Using porta-potties is never the most pleasant experience, but when you got to go – you gotta go! Actually, come to think of it, the porta-potties were cleaner than other wheelchair washrooms I have seen.

Next to being a free event (except for the food), the best thing was the event was only ten minutes from home! No need to take transit somewhere, which always adds an hour, at least, both ways. I'm hoping more events will be held at this great venue – right in my own community.

Hope you are also enjoying what your community offers this summer.

Cerebral Palsy: Developmental Delay or Developmental Halt?

Left Thumb Blogger — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 21:43:00 GMT

Cerebral palsy is generally classified as a developmental delay, but is it?

The American Heritage® Medical Dictionary defines developmental delay as:

A chronological delay in the appearance of normal developmental milestones achieved during infancy and early childhood, caused by organic, psychological, or environmental factors.

The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines the verb delay as:

1: put off, postpone <delay a departure>
2: to stop, detain, or hinder for a time <the mails were delayed by heavy snows>
3: to cause to be slower or to occur more slowly than normal <delay a child's development>

To me, delay implies the thing being delayed will, given enough time, catch up or reach its intended destination.

Cerebral palsy is a developmental delay?

With the age of 42 years fast approaching, I still speak Glenda-ish, and, on hot summer days, even that becomes inaudible. My hand function remains limited; although, my left thumb is firmly toned from overwork. My balance remains tenuous. And, no matter how hard I try or how long I practice, I still land on my ass or my head with every few steps I take. My head has bounced on enough cement floors, thank you very much!

Developmentally delayed?

Being political correct is one thing, but let's get realistic here: no amount of time or effort will get my development moving forward. My development isn't delayed; it has downright halted!

A Jewel of a Lesson for Special Needs Parents

Left Thumb Blogger — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 08:04:00 GMT

Yesterday, during my afternoon meltdown, I watched Jewel - a made-for-television movie based on Oprah's Book Club selection by Brett Lott. Farah Fawcett plays a Mississippi woman Jewell who gives birth to her fifth child Brenda Kay as the Second World War.

When Brenda Kay doesn't show normal progress, the local doctor labels her a "mongolian idiot" (how that term makes me cringe) and advises that she be institutionalized (that sounds familiar!). Jewel adamantly dismisses the doctor's poor advice, saying that if the family loves Brenda Kay enough, then she will become healthy.

Then Jewel does what I have seen so many mothers of special needs children do: spend every waking moment consumed with the well-being of Brenda Kay, pushing aside and away all of the others around her. Her other four children lost their mother; her husband lost his wife. Exhausted and bedraggled, she lost herself.

She didn't trust anyone else to care for her baby like she could. She did everything for Brenda Kay, except teach her how to try on her own and set Brenda-appropriate rules for behaviour.

Her only one guilty pleasure is reading People's Digest, in which she discovers a school for children like Brenda Kay in California. Upon receiving a letter from the school, Jewel begins secretly selling family treasures to pay for a trip to California.

After some heated discussions with Jewel, her husband agrees to sell the house he built and to move the family with the children who are still living at home out to California.

Upon acceptance into the special school, I thought Brenda Kay would finally have time away from her mother and finally have the opportunity to grow her wings and to develop some independence. But, no, the principal hires Jewel as a teaching assistant. Mother and daughter remain attached at the hip.

Attending school lasts until Brenda Kay begins holding hands with classmate Dennis. Gadzooks! We can't have that! Brenda Kay suddenly becomes too old for school.

After the family has enough of not having their mother available, they question Jewel what will become of Brenda Kay when she is no longer around - an issue many parents refuse to face until it's too late. With some Hollywood style heart-wrenching, Jewel decides on a residential care home for girls like Brenda Kay.

With what seems likes no preparation, no teaching of life skills, no cutting of the apron strings (from both ends), her parents take Brenda Kay to meet the couple who runs the home and then leave her.

Brenda Kay is carefree and, perhaps, relieved as her parents drive away and turns back to playing games with her new-found friend, no doubt thinking, "Free at last!"