I am lucky and blessed in so many ways. Compared to most people I know I am relatively unaffected by the CP. Sure, I use a wheelchair to get around and have difficulty with fine motor tasks and there are times when I cannot transfer by myself but there is so much that I can do and this has given me opportunities that many people with CP don’t have. I can communicate and function without a lot of physical support (I can feed myself and take myself to the toilet as long as it is set up with rails etc). I understand that I am lucky in these ways and I think I show that by not complaining about the things that I cant do yet society seems to be set on reminding me of this fact at every chance it can.
Take the other day for example. I had travelled into a nearby city. I had some shopping to do so we hit the shops for a couple of hours and in that time I had no less than 11 people tell me I was lucky because of something in relation to my different abilities (I don’t like the word disability). Your so lucky to have that wheelchair was a common comment. I wish I had one was another. I’m not quite sure why people think it is so great to have a wheelchair, mostly I think they were tired of walking around the shops, but I just wish they would be careful what they wish for: it might just happen to them one day. I guess if this happened to some of the more influential people (a politician for example) that have made similar comments to me then it could be a good thing because I bet that services for people with different abilities would be greatly improved if those people who control such services needed them. Am I being selfish to think this way? I hope not for I am truly grateful that I have had the opportunities I have had- I just want to ensure that I have more in the future and that future generations do as well.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Life
Life Is Too Short,
Break The Rules, Forgive Quickly,
Kiss Slowly, Love Truly,
Laugh Uncontrollably,
And Never Regret Anything
That Made You Smile.
Life May Not Be The Party
We Hoped For,
But While We're Here, We Should Dance...
The piece above really has me thinking right now. Would my life be different if I didn’t have Cerebral Palsy and Vasculitis? Would I be different? Probably. What I cannot say is whether it would be a good or a bad thing.
I know that I am more compassionate than I probably would have been if I hadn’t dealt with disabilities and illness for my entire life. I believe that I am more able to recognise and sympathise with other people who have disabilities. I also understand that sympathy isn’t always wanted- inclusion is.
I am a very shy person and do not like to step out of my comfort zone. I have few friends and it takes me a very long time to warm up to people. I may have been shy even if I were not disabled but I do feel that being disabled has contributed to my shyness. I live in a very small town and am one of a very small number of people who use a wheelchair and growing up I was the only person in a chair in my town. This made me an object of curiosity in my town and also meant that I had to fight hard to ensure that my town was accessible (not just physically either).
This hasn’t always been easy but I do not regret any of it, even for a minute. I have not only paved the way for an easier life for myself but for those PWDS who follow in my wheel tracks.
How has being a PWD or carer of a PWD changed your life?
Break The Rules, Forgive Quickly,
Kiss Slowly, Love Truly,
Laugh Uncontrollably,
And Never Regret Anything
That Made You Smile.
Life May Not Be The Party
We Hoped For,
But While We're Here, We Should Dance...
The piece above really has me thinking right now. Would my life be different if I didn’t have Cerebral Palsy and Vasculitis? Would I be different? Probably. What I cannot say is whether it would be a good or a bad thing.
I know that I am more compassionate than I probably would have been if I hadn’t dealt with disabilities and illness for my entire life. I believe that I am more able to recognise and sympathise with other people who have disabilities. I also understand that sympathy isn’t always wanted- inclusion is.
I am a very shy person and do not like to step out of my comfort zone. I have few friends and it takes me a very long time to warm up to people. I may have been shy even if I were not disabled but I do feel that being disabled has contributed to my shyness. I live in a very small town and am one of a very small number of people who use a wheelchair and growing up I was the only person in a chair in my town. This made me an object of curiosity in my town and also meant that I had to fight hard to ensure that my town was accessible (not just physically either).
This hasn’t always been easy but I do not regret any of it, even for a minute. I have not only paved the way for an easier life for myself but for those PWDS who follow in my wheel tracks.
How has being a PWD or carer of a PWD changed your life?
Monday, January 19, 2009
101 in 1001
The Mission:
Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.
The Criteria:
Tasks must be specific (ie. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (ie. represent some amount of work on my part).
Why 1001 Days?
Many people have created lists in the past - frequently simple goals such as New Year's resolutions. The key to beating procrastination is to set a deadline that is realistic. 1001 Days (about 2.75 years) is a better period of time than a year, because it allows you several seasons to complete the tasks, which is better for organising and timing some tasks such as overseas trips or outdoor activities.
Some common goal setting tips:
1. Be decisive. Know exactly what you want, why you want it, and how you plan to achieve it.
2. Stay Focussed. Any goal requires sustained focus from beginning to end. Constantly evaluate your progress.
3. Welcome Failure. Frequently, very little is learned from a venture that did not experience failure in some form. Failure presents the opportunity to learn and makes the success more worthy.
4. Write down your goals. It clarifies your thinking and reinforces your commitment.
5. Keep your goals in sight. Review them frequently, and ensure that they are always at the forefront of your thinking.
My 101
1. Complete summer semester 2008
2. Write a novel draft
3. Buy a smaller laptop
4. Play at least 30 minutes of wii a day for a month
5. Make a budget
6. Drink 1 litre of water a day for a month (0/30)
7. Read the Twilight series
8. Save $5000
9. Find a way to make more $
10. Get some writing published
11. Make $ from writing
12. Eat healthier
13. Walk with k walker again
14. Use my camera more often
15. Sell/trade ds games
16. Buy guitar hero for wii/ps3
17. Cook a meal
18. Blog everyday for a week
19. Have 5 comments on my blog
20. Comment on 10 different blogs
21. Donate to RCH
22. have my medication reviewed
23. See ally and Sebastian again
24. Make fudge
25. Spend more time with Nan & Pa again
26. Create carepage for prayer requests
27. See about helping Zak’s angels team
28. Create Megan’s website
29. Create & publish 101 in 1001 list
30. Collect postcards from around the world
31. Organise dvds
32. Organise cds
33. Volunteer somewhere
34. Go to on a holiday
35. Find a place to rent/buy
36. Organise & pay for care each day
37. Go somewhere on the train
38. Go to the Melbourne zoo
39. Go to the movies
40. Make popcorn
41. Organise internet
42. Cut down amount of lollies/sugar I eat
43. Lose 3 kilos
44. Do a long stitch
45. Watch the movies I own that I haven’t watched yet
46. Go to the dentist
47. Get more fish
48. Organise ipod
49. Take better care of teeth
50. Drink milk each day for a week
51. Do a book purge
52. Sort out clothes
53. Do something nice for a stranger
54. Get a new mobile phone
55. Get a medic alert bracelet
56. *
57. Push self in manual wheelchair more
58. Keep a journal
59. Update cb site everyday
60. Read alex cross series
61. *
62. Eat healthier snacks
63. Sponsor a child (if financially able)
64. Bring lunch to TAFE rather than buy
65. Donate $1 for every goal completed and $2 for every uncompleted goal
66. Wear afos again
67. See a physio/do physio program again
68. Get private health insurance
69. Make pizza
70. Eat icecream
71. Treat myself once a month
72. Go grocery shopping by myself
73. By a new denim jacket
74. Go to a concert
75. Write a song
76. Dejunk my wardrobe
77. Make a cv
78. Post stuff on fanstory
79. Complete a disability blog carnival
80. Complete nanowrimo
81. complete nanoblogmo
82.spend time with blake & Kayden
83. use skype
84. talk to my American friends
85. collect snowglobes
86. treat myself once a week for a year
87. learn to knit
88. learn to cook
89. take keyboard lessons
90. write to 3 famous people
91. re read robin hobb books
92. watch ncis dvds
93. find a hobby
94. join a book club
95. do something outside my comfort zone
96. get seasons 7 & 8 of Mcleoads daughters
97. go bowling again
98. expand my reading horizons
99. read some ‘classic’ novels
100. go to a rodeo again
101. on day 1001 publish a new list
My end date: Monday, 26 September 2011
* private goal
bold goal = completed
Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.
The Criteria:
Tasks must be specific (ie. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (ie. represent some amount of work on my part).
Why 1001 Days?
Many people have created lists in the past - frequently simple goals such as New Year's resolutions. The key to beating procrastination is to set a deadline that is realistic. 1001 Days (about 2.75 years) is a better period of time than a year, because it allows you several seasons to complete the tasks, which is better for organising and timing some tasks such as overseas trips or outdoor activities.
Some common goal setting tips:
1. Be decisive. Know exactly what you want, why you want it, and how you plan to achieve it.
2. Stay Focussed. Any goal requires sustained focus from beginning to end. Constantly evaluate your progress.
3. Welcome Failure. Frequently, very little is learned from a venture that did not experience failure in some form. Failure presents the opportunity to learn and makes the success more worthy.
4. Write down your goals. It clarifies your thinking and reinforces your commitment.
5. Keep your goals in sight. Review them frequently, and ensure that they are always at the forefront of your thinking.
My 101
1. Complete summer semester 2008
2. Write a novel draft
3. Buy a smaller laptop
4. Play at least 30 minutes of wii a day for a month
5. Make a budget
6. Drink 1 litre of water a day for a month (0/30)
7. Read the Twilight series
8. Save $5000
9. Find a way to make more $
10. Get some writing published
11. Make $ from writing
12. Eat healthier
13. Walk with k walker again
14. Use my camera more often
15. Sell/trade ds games
16. Buy guitar hero for wii/ps3
17. Cook a meal
18. Blog everyday for a week
19. Have 5 comments on my blog
20. Comment on 10 different blogs
21. Donate to RCH
22. have my medication reviewed
23. See ally and Sebastian again
24. Make fudge
25. Spend more time with Nan & Pa again
26. Create carepage for prayer requests
27. See about helping Zak’s angels team
28. Create Megan’s website
29. Create & publish 101 in 1001 list
30. Collect postcards from around the world
31. Organise dvds
32. Organise cds
33. Volunteer somewhere
34. Go to on a holiday
35. Find a place to rent/buy
36. Organise & pay for care each day
37. Go somewhere on the train
38. Go to the Melbourne zoo
39. Go to the movies
40. Make popcorn
41. Organise internet
42. Cut down amount of lollies/sugar I eat
43. Lose 3 kilos
44. Do a long stitch
45. Watch the movies I own that I haven’t watched yet
46. Go to the dentist
47. Get more fish
48. Organise ipod
49. Take better care of teeth
50. Drink milk each day for a week
51. Do a book purge
52. Sort out clothes
53. Do something nice for a stranger
54. Get a new mobile phone
55. Get a medic alert bracelet
56. *
57. Push self in manual wheelchair more
58. Keep a journal
59. Update cb site everyday
60. Read alex cross series
61. *
62. Eat healthier snacks
63. Sponsor a child (if financially able)
64. Bring lunch to TAFE rather than buy
65. Donate $1 for every goal completed and $2 for every uncompleted goal
66. Wear afos again
67. See a physio/do physio program again
68. Get private health insurance
69. Make pizza
70. Eat icecream
71. Treat myself once a month
72. Go grocery shopping by myself
73. By a new denim jacket
74. Go to a concert
75. Write a song
76. Dejunk my wardrobe
77. Make a cv
78. Post stuff on fanstory
79. Complete a disability blog carnival
80. Complete nanowrimo
81. complete nanoblogmo
82.spend time with blake & Kayden
83. use skype
84. talk to my American friends
85. collect snowglobes
86. treat myself once a week for a year
87. learn to knit
88. learn to cook
89. take keyboard lessons
90. write to 3 famous people
91. re read robin hobb books
92. watch ncis dvds
93. find a hobby
94. join a book club
95. do something outside my comfort zone
96. get seasons 7 & 8 of Mcleoads daughters
97. go bowling again
98. expand my reading horizons
99. read some ‘classic’ novels
100. go to a rodeo again
101. on day 1001 publish a new list
My end date: Monday, 26 September 2011
* private goal
bold goal = completed
Sunday, January 18, 2009
New look
Thanks to Rebecca at Rebecca Creates for helping me with my new look blog. Please check out her lovely and amazing work and I highly recommend her if you are in the market for a new or new look blog.
About this Blog
My journey has been long & not without many bumps in the road but I believe that I am strong enough to get through them all.
My name is Karen and I’m 24 years old and I live in Australia with my parents and dog whose name is Flea and some goldfish. I attend the local TAFE, and also study law at university. I love to read and write, watch movies, listen to music and I’m a motor sports fanatic. My favourite colour is purple. This page is designed to keep you all updated on my life and medical conditions.
I have Cerebral Palsy and have had many health issues in relation to that but I am lucky in that I am able to be pretty independent. The CP affects my legs and right arm so I use a wheelchair to get around. My biggest issues in relation to the CP are muscle pain and spasms and also the fact that one of my hips dislocates and relocates itself.
I have also recently been diagnosed with Vasculitis but we are still searching for which kind and for an effective treatment plan. The symptoms of the Vasculitis are: Entire body extremely swollen
• Burning sensation throughout body at times
• Lumps on back of legs & wrist at times
• Cough at times
• Trouble breathing at times
• Fatigue
• Pain throughout entire body
• Muscle weakness
• Blue fingers & lips at times
• Tingling in hands/feet at times
• Numbness in legs and arms at times
• Unexplainable bruising
Lack of appetite
I try not to let any of this stop me from having a normal life and this blog will be about every aspect of my life and I hope you enjoy coming along for the ride.
My name is Karen and I’m 24 years old and I live in Australia with my parents and dog whose name is Flea and some goldfish. I attend the local TAFE, and also study law at university. I love to read and write, watch movies, listen to music and I’m a motor sports fanatic. My favourite colour is purple. This page is designed to keep you all updated on my life and medical conditions.
I have Cerebral Palsy and have had many health issues in relation to that but I am lucky in that I am able to be pretty independent. The CP affects my legs and right arm so I use a wheelchair to get around. My biggest issues in relation to the CP are muscle pain and spasms and also the fact that one of my hips dislocates and relocates itself.
I have also recently been diagnosed with Vasculitis but we are still searching for which kind and for an effective treatment plan. The symptoms of the Vasculitis are: Entire body extremely swollen
• Burning sensation throughout body at times
• Lumps on back of legs & wrist at times
• Cough at times
• Trouble breathing at times
• Fatigue
• Pain throughout entire body
• Muscle weakness
• Blue fingers & lips at times
• Tingling in hands/feet at times
• Numbness in legs and arms at times
• Unexplainable bruising
Lack of appetite
I try not to let any of this stop me from having a normal life and this blog will be about every aspect of my life and I hope you enjoy coming along for the ride.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
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