What do you do to be involved in the community?
My disabled life is not inclusive of my community because I’m simply not out in it enough. The vast majority of my week is spent in my lift chair with a tablet on my lap. I don’t have many actual friends, with the exception of my husband . So I write to keep myself sane and to invite people into my world, creating a community of people who want to read about it. This blog has been slowly gaining followers since I started it in 2012, before I became disabled and since 2015, when I became disabled it’s definitely become more interesting to read, even as my life has become smaller and smaller. I used to travel and dance and drive and enjoy living life. Now I exist. It’s a depressing change to be forced to make, but 10 years in, I’ve had to accept losing so many things that not much fazes me anymore. The fact that I have multiple aneurysms in my brain means that I must live carefully… very carefully. The fact that I’m paralyzed down my left side means that I must live slowly… very slowly. I am not fun to hang out with anymore, hence so few friends. I don’t get lonely often, but it does happen occasionally . At least I live in a small city with options for entertainment and money enough to enjoy some of it. For example, this month, I will be enjoying a performance from Cirque du Soleil with my mother . I’m lucky to live in a small city that pays attention to accessibility ♿️. I’m very lucky that the city is beautiful and temperate. And I’m the luckiest woman because I have a wonderful husband who takes care of me and puts up with me and my tiny world and makes it less lonely and depressing. And we both couldn’t be luckier because we have two of the sweetest cats ever, and we we’re still enjoying getting to know them. It’s important to focus on what I have and not dwell on the things I miss. If you have your health, don’t squander it, and don’t take it for granted . Get out and enjoy everything you can .
