Do you or have you known a person with disabilities? How did he or she impact you life and why?

Question

Do you or have you known a person with disabilities? How did he or she impact you life and why?

Answer 1

I personnaly have hearing impairments, learning disabilities and ADHD. My youger brother is moderatly to severely autistic. He has changed my world so much. I am in classes for people with learning disabilities, and all the other teens in these classes complain about how hard things are for them because they don't learn like everyone else. But my brother never gets down because he is 'different'. He just loves life and takes such joy in the little things. Everything he over comes and accomplishes is so amazing, I only hope that one day I'll be more like him. He loves unconditionaly. He is amazing, and because of him I have patience, accpetance and I havel learnt. My younger brother, and all people are such a blessing from God.

Answer 2

i am a case manager for adults with disabilities so i know quite a few people with disabilities....the first person with a disabilitie that truly impacted my life was a young girl with cognitive disabilities...i had her as a camper when i was in college and she really influenced me into working in this field

Answer 3

Yes.  I have a physical disability and adopted a girl with an emotional disability.  When she was 4 years old, I tried to explain to the teacher that this girl had been exposed to drugs in-utero, was not given love during the first six months of love, and that it took very, very little stimulation to set her off.  She told me she didn't believe in labels, especially at her age.  Yet she sure didn't mind questioning her on every cut and bruise she'd come to school with, but deny seeing anyone pick on her in class.  (I went to school, noticed it first-hand, and the teacher continued to deny it.)

By five, I *HAD* to put her on meds just to calm her a bit, though she'd still be very wound-up.  I'd hear like crazy from teachers and even the school nurse how I should be careful believing psychiatrists that give her meds. I felt like I was on trial, even though people could see what's going on.

Now I homeschool.  Yeah, you can imagine, with it being an "alternative" to regular ways that I get enough flack from that, but honestly, I'd rather people complain at me that I'm doing wrong by having her in my own home, where I can be there when she needs me, help her with her work, and give her drink and bathroom breaks and rest as needed, then let her play when she gets up.  It isn't easy for me, but I know I'm helping her.  She's such a bright girl. She never stops amazing me, and she doesn't get picked on for her problems, because kids only know her as someone they play with, not as someone who acts-up, etc., during school.

      I could explain all day long and not really explain the pain and joy of going through the changes, so I'd rather you read the poem "Welcome to Holland."

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When you're going to have a baby, it's like planning a fabulous vacation trip - to Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum. The Michelangelo David. The gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It's all very exciting.

After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, "Welcome to Holland."

"Holland?!?" you say. "What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I'm supposed to be in Italy. All my life I've dreamed of going to Italy."

But there's been a change in the flight plan. They've landed in Holland and there you must stay.

The important thing is that they haven't taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It's just a different place.

So you must go out and buy new guide books. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met.

It's just a different place. It's slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you've been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around.... and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills....and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts.

But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy... and they're all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say "Yes, that's where I was supposed to go. That's what I had planned."

And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away... because the loss of that dream is a very very significant loss.

But... if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn't get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things ... about Holland.

Answer 4

I have a son with Aspergers.  When he was born he was absolutely beautiful and only had eyes for me.

He was a good feeder and quickly developed a routine. And slept thru the night 10pm to 6am by four months and after 6pm meal  to 6am by 6 months.  He liked to keep things tidy and in their set place and he liked to line up all the shopping before he put it away for me.  He called broccoli little trees and weetbix  bricks.

When he started kindy he was OK and his teacher understood him and it was a small class.  However his preprimary teacher was on the IVF Program and had heavy periods and bad moods and empathy for herself only and often forgot to do the 'what day is it today and what is the weather like outside segment' and she upset my son terribly.

This teacher noticed 3 fingerprint bruise marks on my sons arm which were caused by my husband when our son climbed on our bed early one morning (after my husband came home from a business the night before) and started pounding on daddy to wake up).  My husband picked him up and put him on the floor.  No violence.  She told the principal and he rang Community services who suddenly appeared at our house while we were gardening and started questioning us in the street.  They also said that I told our sons PP teacher that our son was not allowed to use our toilet [ I actually said my husband shuts the door so our son doesn't know to stand up when voiding.]  They called the Police.  The Police questioned us and apologised to us for the behaviour of the Social Workers and the Principal .They sent them a formal warning.  The Community services Department verbally apologised and said they would send out a written apology which we never received.

The other teachers found our son to be very witty and intelligent but disorganised in his school work.  At home he wasn't.

Our son is an absolute joy, yes he has very little empathy, but he has learnt to behave appropriately.  Baby steps. One step at a time

He has taught us patience. Mainly in dealing with ignorant Principals, Registrar Doctors who tell they are going to write thesis on our son and will talk to the school principal and never got around to it because he said he got too busy. We had the best Autism Specialist our country, a professor who just so happened to be on the board at the Catholic Education Office and got that principal a desk job away from children so that he could do no more harm to other families.

Our son has also brought us into contact with other excellent teachers at his highschool who understand him and find him to be very intelligent and witty.  They recommend him to do debating or acting or writing.  He can write with empathy and he loves Shakespeare and Mozart and Beethoven and Vivaldi.  He is teaching himself to play the guitar.  He found the piano lessons to difficult when he was young but wants to play now.  He is 16 and an absolute spunk.  

I teach him how to treat girls well by telling him that his sisters will give them the lowdown if he wasn't nice.

The kids at school find him cool and witty and intelligent but those who don't know him may find him aloof.

He has been difficult at times but not as difficult as other adults who are ignorant and not known to be autistic.

Answer 5

Yes, I know individuals with disabilities.

They have taught me how to find good things in each moment and to enjoy them to the fullest.  

They have taught me how to accept the difficult hand that was dealt to them, with courage and grace.

They have taught me how cruel people can be towards those with disabilities.

They have taught me that there is SO much more to every human than being "normal", or even "better than".

Answer 6

My 5 year old son is adhd, bi polar ocd and borderline autistic.... its been a nightmare of a roller coaster, its been insane and its been overwhelming. everyone keeps telling me that God only gives you what you can handle, and honestly on some days, I question that.... I love my son to death, would never trade him for the world... but yes it has been very up and down!!!!!

Answer 7

i don't not know anyone who is disabled. but there are a few kids in my school with disabilities. and. um. ya. so.

                       peace out girl scouttttt

Answer 8

I am a disablied teen, 16 years old, and I have Autism and ADD (attention deficit disorder). I was not diagnosed until I was 3 and then it took up to 3 months to diagnose. I know a lot of disabled teens, and they have really shown me that no matter if you're disabled or not, you can still be like everyone else. I choose not to follow what everyone's doing, I follow my own paths. But yeah. I do know a few people.

Answer 9

I did not know much about people who have disabilities until all three of my children were diagnosed with autism. It has completely changed my life. I no longer work in a factory I am a one on one aide for special needs children. I am also now a member of our county board of MR/DD. None of these things would have come about if it was not for my children's diagnosis.

Answer 10

When my son was diagnosed with learning disabilities, I was devastated.  So, I went to the library and learned everything I could to help him learn.  I taught him that although his learning style was different, he could achieve anything.  I spent countless hours advocating for him and obtaining tools for him to graduate with a Regents exam.  I was told by the school officials it was impossible for him to do that.  He is a gorgeous young man with difficulties dealing with people that made fun of him.  Nevertheless, he was active in school sports, clubs and served in the local soup kitchen and graduated high school with a Regents exam.

During this time, I became pregnant and he was so excited.  My son prayed everyday that his sibling would not have learning disabilities so as not to go through his misfortunes.  Unfortunately, my second child was born with multiple health issues that would be lifelong.  She is physically disabled.

So, I made the decision that I should go back to school and learn medicine so I can not only advocate for my daughter but understand everything that the medical doctors were discussing.  Halfway through my degree, my daughter needed multiple brain surgeries.  I was devastated and wasn't exactly sure if I would pass or even continue.  I cried and cried and never realized that my son had come home.  He asked me what was wrong and I told him that there was no way I could keep going to school because the intense stress I was under was more than I could handle.  He sat next to me and told me that I was the one who told him that he could overcome anything and never give up.  He made me realize that he had overcome such incredible and who was I to complain.  It gave me pause to wonder how a kid with so many things against him could turn out to be so fantastic.

I am happy to say that all of that ocurred over the last 7 years.  My daughter is disabled but incredibly intelligent.  She has taught me to be patient, compassionate, empathetic and just love life.  She has taught me how not to sweat the small stuff and that everything in life is wonderful even when it doesn't seem like things will work out.  The things that seemed so monumental a task pre-children are just so frivalous.  And in the end, I have been able to find incredible strength through the eyes of my children.

And oh, I did graduate and am happy to say I am a Registered Nurse thanks to my children.