How to try new things – by Susan Seipel
Trying new things or activities can be difficult with or without a disability. I recently tried a new sport (wheelchair cricket) and wanted to share some of the tips that helped me embrace my new experience.
Planning
Fighting for disability and ME/CFS awareness – by Zoe Simmons
I’m a journalist. My entire life, I’ve told stories that raise awareness, smash stigma, and create change. I truly believe our stories can change the world: or at least, someone’s world.
But lately, I’ve been feeling . . . dissolution.
Pride in Progress - by Ferris Knight
Every week I had a meeting with my school counsellor. My mental health had been bad for quite a few years now and this was a condition of my enrolment. She was wonderful but I felt uncomfortable talking to anyone so quite a large amount of the time we talked about unrelated things.
Late in the year she sat me down and told me she wanted to talk to me about something. I’d been following all of the rules so I didn’t know what she wanted to talk about.
Rooted in Resilience - Finding Joy After Redundancy – by Alicia Kapa
In November last year, I was very sadly made redundant. At the time, I was very worried about what I would do, but also optimistic, as I am young and believe that everything happens for a reason. I am still trying to figure out that reason, but in the meantime, I have embraced my new life as a stay-at-home fiancé!
WEIGHT LOSS HICCUPS – by Bill Fuller
What happens when your weight loss journey hits a hiccup? Everything is going along perfectly, but the scales totally refuse to play the game any longer. In my last blog post I wrote about losing weight and gaining fitness, and life at that stage was just peachy! Weight was falling off me, and I felt 10 feet tall and bulletproof!
But as often happens in life, one has to expect the unexpected, and this is exactly what happened – the plateau effect.
So let’s look at what was then in the wonderful world of weight loss and what is now in the world of the stuck scales!
Navigating Medical Trauma as a Lifelong Healthcare User - by Anja Christoffersen
This may be one of the most vulnerable pieces I have ever written. I feel uncomfortable and exposed, but in 2018, I had a realisation that led me to understand something that would become a bigger part of my life as my experiences compounded: Medical trauma.
WHY IS ATTENDING EVENTS MORE EXPENSIVE FOR THE DISABLED? – by Ian Walker
I wish to take this opportunity to test the validity of why it’s more expensive for me, as a wheelchair user, to pay more to attend events, concerts and the like.
The benefits of Pet ownership – by Marlena Katene
When I was a little kid, my parents used to have a silky terrier named Benji. I don't remember much about him; however, I heard stories of Benji running in circles around me when Mum and Dad brought me home from the hospital. One of my first-ever memories is that Benji was my little guard dog who barked when people came near me. He loved me, and I loved him right back! After Benji passed on, my parents decided not to have a dog because our lives were too busy. Having a disability, my mother was constantly in and out of appointments.
Travelling overseas with a disability – by Natasha Astill
I had the opportunity to travel with my partner for the first time overseas. We travel to Gold Coast for a music festival.
We had planned this trip last year. Back in November. We did some of the planning by ourselves but needed some assistance.
We got through security/border control on the departing airport smoothly and quickly. Unfortunately there was delays in departing. We were able to get pre-board.
When we arrived at Gold Coast Airport the passport control person was super helpful and so was the baggage collection security person.
What Took Me So Long to Use a Mobility Aid?– by Raimy Rose
I remember being on crutches every year from grade 3 to grade 7. Like clockwork, it was a yearly event, with torn ligaments and sprained ankles. They were uncomfortable, a little painful and annoying to use but it never felt weird using them. It wasn’t uncommon to see someone hobbling around on crutches, especially an active child. As a kid, you would even get praised for having crutches. It was new and different, everyone wanted to have a turn with them and you would receive extra attention as if you had achieved something incredible by injuring yourself.