During the summer months many people enjoy having time off and traveling. People will pack their bags and go on an adventure! I love having a break from my job at a school and exploring new places. One thing that I can not take a break from is having a learning disability. I don't get a week, a month or a year off, from it. Disabilities also come with baggage, that I cannot simply check or leave somewhere. Having one is a full time twenty four hour job. It is a shadow that follows me around the house, the community, and at work.
At home it can be hard for me to navigate my house with limited hand dexterity. I find it difficult to lock and unlock the front door. My hands lacked the control and I also confuse my right from my left. I recently had a key helper from Tech Owl. The key helper has enabled me to unlock and lock my door with ease!
I also struggle in the kitchen at home with hand dexterity. It can be a challenge for me to open jars and bottles with tight lids. My hands lack the strength and dexterity to open them. I have an opener for jars and lids that are sealed tightly. Using a manual can opener is also difficult with my hand dexterity and visual perception. Trying to operate a manual one is like flying a spaceship, and I am unsuccessful. When I use an electric opener, I can open cans with ease.
In the community I struggle with having a disability. I am not able to drive to where I need to go and rely on others to take me. I am blessed to have a wonderful husband who is able to take me places and have others who can help as well. I also live in a community where I can walk to the gym, store or other places I need to go. There are also bus services, but they do not go into rural areas. I have used para transit a bus service for people with disabilities, but found it be more of a hassle than it was worth.
Walking is one of my favorite ways to get to places, I need to go. On my walks I am able to stop and smell the flowers. I can also notice details that others may miss while driving. I take many pictures of flowers, butterflies and other parts of nature. If i was driving, many of this beauty would pass me by.
I also struggle in the community with totaling how much I am spending in the store. It is always a surprise when I get to the register and see what my total is. When I use a debit or credit card I don't know how much I am spending, because it is a more abstract concept. Using paper money helps to give me a visual on what I am spending. I can see the dollars and cents disappearing and I don't overspend as much.
Leaving a tip at a restaurant is also difficult. I need to use my phone to calculate what tip I need to give for service. I can remember a waitress that wanted me to calculate the problem on the receipt. I'm not sure if I totaled it correctly or if she had to fix it. Many places have a menu, option when you insert your card, that give you the various tip options and the amounts with each.
The workplace can also create difficulties with having a disability. The staff and students know or will soon find out that I cannot help with math. Using an answer key is of limited use. I can tell what the answer is, but I'm unable to comprehend or explain the process to others. I also struggle to understand new information and to process directions. I have to ask for clarifications if I am unsure of what someone wants and may need it to be repeated. It is also helpful to have a physical or digital copy of information that I can refer back to. Often times I miss information and having it in print helps me to refer back to information.
My disability is not something that I can take a leave from and is constant presence in my life. I cannot put the bag down when I am at home, in the community or at work Having a disability is not my choice, but how I handle it is. Unpacking the bag and finding ways to work with the contents in the bag help it to be lighter. I can manage the contents by using accommodations with math, hand dexterity and not driving. I can also choose to look for the joy in a situation. Instead of being upset that I don't have a ride, I can snap a picture on my walks. I can also choose not to be frustrated that I cannot do math and focus on encouraging someone. Life is too short to let a disability stop me from living my life, to the fullest.
