...with medical disabilities

[amanda_isabel]

the thought just kinda jumped into my head.

what do you think of people with medical disabilities? not necessarily those who are crippled, etc., but with minor ones, example cleft lip/palate? and what do you think also about those whose disabilities are innate? those which ones may not be obvious? just wanna know your thoughts---i'll tell you why in another post...thanks

[Manfred]

In general I ignore the minor disabilities of others, but this may be due to the fact that I, personally, am an epileptic.
I learned long ago not to mention my disability on job applications, though. Whatever the law may be concerning the hiring of people with disabilities, many employers can find a reason to engage another applicant. In my case, I have found that employers would rather have someone working for them who is less qualified, lazier, less intelligent, and who takes more time off than to risk the potential embarressment of having one of his workers have a siezure in front of a customer. There is also the insurance angle to consider.

[kathycf]

Actually a cleft lip can be quite severe, and almost always requires surgery to fix. As far as my opinion of disabilities? To me, what someone looks like on the outside does not make them any better or worse than anyone else. Is that the type of thing you are talking about? Actually, I have one of those "invisible" disabilities.

People who are disabled are like anyone else, in the sense that the disabled can be smart, stupid, funny, rude, kind, beautiful and any other type of trait you can think of, just like anyone else. I take people the way they are, if someone likes me and I like them that is all that matters to me.

[Manfred]

Yes, I have two uncles with cleft palates; my Father's brothers. They turned out OK. One is a better guy than the other, but that's people.

[mono]

I have always thought of disabilities as entirely subjective - a health care professional, law officer, or common lay person cannot judge nor fathom one disability from the other; as this seems far more determined by the afflicted person.
For example, in some instances of the medical field, one can consider chronic pain as a disability, even if no significant preceding events occurred; some individuals tolerate this well, and can function like anyone else, while others may require extensive treatment, surgery, physical therapy, etc. The severity, of course, plays a role, but also the individuals tolerance; I have even heard of people functioning normally during a myocardial infarction (heart attack), complaining merely of minor pain, while a similar occurrence could have caused significant acute disability in function.

[Manfred]

My girlfriend is both bipolar and suffers from chronic sciatica. Prozac allows her to function in a somewhat normal way, so long as she is not overly stressed. She is on various pain and anti-swelling medications for the sciatica, but still cannot stand, sit, or do repetitive tasks for any legnth of time before resting. Bipolar syndrome is incurable, and the sciatica requires either several days per week of physical therepy--which she cannot do because she is prone to panic attacks among strangers--or surgery--a chancy proposition at best.
Nevertheless, and despite doctor's statements, the State feels she is healthy enough to hold a job, and refuses to allow her disability. This prognosis is made by an overburdened caseworker who sees her twice a year. One can only assume that because she LOOKS healthy to the caseworker, she is being refused for subjective, nonmedical reasons. Ah, the system!

[Pendragon]

My girlfriend is both bipolar and suffers from chronic sciatica. Prozac allows her to function in a somewhat normal way, so long as she is not overly stressed. She is on various pain and anti-swelling medications for the sciatica, but still cannot stand, sit, or do repetitive tasks for any legnth of time before resting. Bipolar syndrome is incurable, and the sciatica requires either several days per week of physical therepy--which she cannot do because she is prone to panic attacks among strangers--or surgery--a chancy proposition at best.
Nevertheless, and despite doctor's statements, the State feels she is healthy enough to hold a job, and refuses to allow her disability. This prognosis is made by an overburdened caseworker who sees her twice a year. One can only assume that because she LOOKS healthy to the caseworker, she is being refused for subjective, nonmedical reasons. Ah, the system!I feel her pain. It is for similar reasons, although my complications are slightly different, that I am declared not only disabled, but also incompetent to handle my own affairs. Yet my medication gives me a somewhat normal life, and few would believe I had the illness at all unless they happened to see me during one of the infrequent attacks. It is because they cannot say with any assurance when an attack may take place that I am disabled and sometimes it so frustrates me, for I have a very high IQ and even with the illness earned an Associates Degree in Computer Information Systems, Summa Cum Laude. But they will not let me work, and that is that. My disability payments come to my wife, not to me. I'm "incompetent". The law is a two-edged thing. Many cannot get help that need it, and some are automatically judged as "can't do" no matter what. Ah, the system, indeed! God bless. :nod:

[ClaesGefvenberg]

Interesting thread... and question.

what do you think of people with medical disabilities? not necessarily those who are crippled, etc., but with minor ones, example cleft lip/palate? and what do you think also about those whose disabilities are innate? those which ones may not be obvious?I have always had people with quite severe (and very obvious) physical disabilities around me, and tend to more or less disregard such things (which also seems to be the way they want it). I also know people with Aspberger's Syndrome, and other similar disorders. So what do I think of them?

Well, I certainly don't think of them as the bloke with this or that _____________ (insert appropriate medical term). They are just people I know... Simple as that. In some cases I have to adapt a bit, that's all, but then again: We always have to adapt to some degree when we interact with people, don't we?

Another thought: Physical as well as mental disorders can befall any one of us, at any given moment. Nobody is immune.
just wanna know your thoughts---i'll tell you why in another post...thanks

Now I'm intrigued. Looking forward to that post.

/Claes

[mono]

I also know people with Aspberger's Syndrome, and other similar disorders. So what do I think of them?
Most people I have encountered with Asperger's syndrome (AS) lead relatively functional lives; most doctors and researches, in fact, have even labeled AS as 'high-functioning autism.' Both autism and AS, indeed, seem very similar, but autism, on average, tends to have a greater degree of impairment on individuals; most of them, however, on the contrary, remain absolute geniuses in some subjects (particularly in mathematics, music, and concrete subjects) and lag in others (more abstract subjects with non-linear thinking).
You can find more information here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asperger's_syndrome).

My girlfriend is both bipolar and suffers from chronic sciatica. Prozac allows her to function in a somewhat normal way, so long as she is not overly stressed. She is on various pain and anti-swelling medications for the sciatica, but still cannot stand, sit, or do repetitive tasks for any legnth of time before resting. Bipolar syndrome is incurable, and the sciatica requires either several days per week of physical therepy--which she cannot do because she is prone to panic attacks among strangers--or surgery--a chancy proposition at best.
Nevertheless, and despite doctor's statements, the State feels she is healthy enough to hold a job, and refuses to allow her disability. This prognosis is made by an overburdened caseworker who sees her twice a year. One can only assume that because she LOOKS healthy to the caseworker, she is being refused for subjective, nonmedical reasons. Ah, the system!
I apologize to hear of your girlfriend, Manfred; both bipolar disorder and chronic sciatica can certainly cause several impairments in one's life. How a case worker judges one case as 'functional' and another 'non-functional,' to me, seems rather subjective and non-specific, hence how so many unfortunate individuals get caught in having to over-cope with their disabilities. I truly apologize for her difficulties, but she probably feels wonderful for having an obviously supportive boyfriend. :)

[Manfred]

I feel her pain. It is for similar reasons, although my complications are slightly different, that I am declared not only disabled, but also incompetent to handle my own affairs. Yet my medication gives me a somewhat normal life, and few would believe I had the illness at all unless they happened to see me during one of the infrequent attacks. It is because they cannot say with any assurance when an attack may take place that I am disabled and sometimes it so frustrates me, for I have a very high IQ and even with the illness earned an Associates Degree in Computer Information Systems, Summa Cum Laude. But they will not let me work, and that is that. My disability payments come to my wife, not to me. I'm "incompetent". The law is a two-edged thing. Many cannot get help that need it, and some are automatically judged as "can't do" no matter what. Ah, the system, indeed! God bless. :nod:

I am an epileptic, but I never inform prospective employers of this, or I would never get a decent job. If they were to find out after I was hired, I would be unceremoniously dumped. I am currently worried about new US laws that allow employers to examine one's medical records for fear of losing my job.
It's not that difficult for me to believe that you have been declared incompetent by the state, we live in a fearful age.

[Manfred]

Most people I have encountered with Asperger's syndrome (AS) lead relatively functional lives; most doctors and researches, in fact, have even labeled AS as 'high-functioning autism.' Both autism and AS, indeed, seem very similar, but autism, on average, tends to have a greater degree of impairment on individuals; most of them, however, on the contrary, remain absolute geniuses in some subjects (particularly in mathematics, music, and concrete subjects) and lag in others (more abstract subjects with non-linear thinking).
You can find more information here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asperger's_syndrome).

I apologize to hear of your girlfriend, Manfred; both bipolar disorder and chronic sciatica can certainly cause several impairments in one's life. How a case worker judges one case as 'functional' and another 'non-functional,' to me, seems rather subjective and non-specific, hence how so many unfortunate individuals get caught in having to over-cope with their disabilities. I truly apologize for her difficulties, but she probably feels wonderful for having an obviously supportive boyfriend. :)

Thank you. I think our love is what keeps her going. Her previous boyfriend was a controlling jerk who abused her in various ways. At least she is rid of that burden.

[amanda_isabel]

thank you all for your replies.. sorry i'm only posting now, i wasn't able to on the net for some time.

anyway, as promised, i'll tell you why i was interested in your thoughts.

i was born with a celft lip and palate, had 2 surgeries before i was a year old. so far one look at me does not give away my medical condition. my lips has grown (ever heard of that? sounds kinda strange.), i talk properly (oral stuff is my strength), my teeth have grown properly (painful trips to the orthodontist paid off), and the scar above my lip is barel noticeable. the people who have worked on my face are geniuses. and by summer next year i'm going to have my final aesthetic surgery-- (it was supposed to have it when i'm sixteen but everything has gone so well so fast my srgeon said i'll have it more than a year early) to lift the nose and everything. a lot of the time im underestimated and belittled, and well, glad to see that many can relate.

thank you all.

[Manfred]

As I mentioned before, 2 of my uncles, Frank and Vic, were born with the same disability. Both are highly intelligent, although Frank was left with a severe speech impediment. Nevertheless, of the two, he is the better man; Vic turned out somewhat domineering.
It goes to show, I think, that these things need not rule our lives, but they can if we let them. I always admired my Uncle Frank, he has a quiet confidence in himself, and raised his children--my cousins--to be strong and independant and to think for themselves.

[ClaesGefvenberg]

the people who have worked on my face are geniuses. and by summer next year i'm going to have my final aesthetic surgeryThat sounds great. :thumbs_up I am really glad to hear that you see the light from the end of the tunnel.

a lot of the time im underestimated and belittledI see. That, unfortunately, would seem to be the rule rather than the exception as soon as anyone strays outside the norm in any way... The Like me - good / unlike me - bad rule is so deeply ingraned in most people :rolleyes: The only known cure is knowledge.

Anyway: Good luck with that final surgery.

/Claes

[kathycf]

Yes, good luck amanda. I hope all goes well for you, and if ignorant folks belittle you, try to forgive their ignorance and know you are a good person. Best wishes,
Kathy

[Mililalil XXIV]

I was born without tear ducts and with an incomplete inner ear, but those both finished forming - rather immediately - before the surgeries I had been scheduled to have. Until about age 6 or 7, my inner ear's balancing ability was inadequate, so that I couldn't ride a bike as soon as all my friends could. That soon was no longer a problem for me.

I split my face open at work over a year ago, when a crank flew up from a machine and struck my cheek. The scar is practically gone now, but has a little more healing to do.

I still have a toe that is deformed from birth - I was told I could get it rebroken to fix it.

For a number of years, I developed asthma so badly that I couldn't do a quick sprint without getting a severe monthlong bronchial cold. One day I threw my inhaler away at school, and I never needed it again.

I had two seizures in my childhood, for which I had cat scans, but the cause was determined to have disappeared, and in my teens through my twenties to my thirties, I have never even had an epileptic symptom.

[amanda_isabel]

:) thanks, kathy & claes. best wishes to you both.

much love,
amanda