[Namron] As a person who happens to have a disability......

[Radei Drchevich]

I agree completely with this.

Not all of us have people "there for us".  My partner died 2 years ago,
and I am only a little over a year in the SCA.  Yes, people have been
great, but where is the harm in a group within the society that offers a
little help to those in need, just for the asking. I don't whine about my
fibromyalgia<20+ years of it>, but I am not 100%<make me mad a lot of the
time, but I live with it>.

You don't want to be involoved, nobody says you have too.  But Why are
you offended that someone is trying to help?  that just does not make
sense.

joy

radei

  ----- Original Message -----
  From: Lisa
  To: "Barony of Namron"
  Subject: Re: [Namron] As a person who happens to have a
  disability......
  Date: Tue, 27 Sep 2005 17:03:38 -0500


  I think that Anya hit the nail on the head when she stated that the
  whole
  issue is "Reasonable Accomodation". Chass and I are trying to get
  ourselves
  set up so that we do NOT have to rely on others for assistance. We
  have
  purchased a tent that he can get in and out of and that we can set up
  with
  minimal assistance, which is usually the friends who camp with us. We
  have
  also purchased a generator (which we will likely get complaints about
  due to
  non period noise) so that he has access to electricity to recharge
  his power
  chair without needing to request setup and access to an electrical
  outlet
  which may or may not even be available depending on the site. We have
  purchased and are in the process of getting roadworthy a van to haul
  all of
  the items that we need to go to an event and enjoy ourselves with
  minimal
  need of assistance from others. We are in the process of finding
  remedies
  that he can use that do not leave him nonfunctional due to pain, but
  it is a
  long term trial and error process. Like Isobel, we are both still new
  to
  his being disabled, he only recently ended up in a wheelchair less,
  than 2
  years ago, due to a freak accident at work that should have never
  happened.

  We had hoped that our experience in the SCA would not mirror our
  experiences
  in the "Real world". Unfortunately, the term "reasonable
  accomodation"
  seems to be open to debate. I personally don't consider it
  unreasonable for
  an event coordinator to do the research to choose a site that doesn't
  destroy vehicles, allows someone in a wheelchair to actually get into
  and
  use the bathroom, and has paths that don't have gullys that endanger
  the
  able bodied and prevent someone in a wheelchair from even leaving
  their
  site.

  We joined the SCA as a way to enjoy ourselves and escape from the
  "real
  world" temporarily. Since his accident it has become less of an
  enjoyment
  and more of a battle similar to what we deal with every day. When we
  request something we see as reasonable accomodation, we are told we
  are
  being militant about his disability, or that we are being aggressive
  and
  demanding special considerations. In our non-SCA daily life, we have
  to
  deal with harrassment from the insurance company's private
  investigator, the
  insurance company refusing to pay for prescribed medications that he
  needs,
  a powerchair that breaks down on a regular basis, chronic pain that
  leaves
  him grumpy if he doesn't take his painkillers and leaves him drugged
  out if
  he does. He is currently trying to get what he needs so that he can
  start
  hunting and fishing again, but until he gets everything together and
  signed,
  our only relaxation/enjoyment that we have left is the SCA and it is
  getting
  to where it is not enjoyable because either we cannot get into the
  chosen
  sites, or if we can, we are basically stuck in camp with our only
  interaction coming from those who came with us or those who come to
  our
  site. As for me, there are days that I want to just hide in the
  bedroom and
  cry due to all of the stress, but that isn't even an option because I
  have
  to care for both Chass and our 4 year old. I could bore you to death
  with a
  lot more that we have to deal with, this is only a small portion of
  it, but
  I won't do so, but I also won't step back and allow the "poor little
  cripple
  who needs to be pitied and should hide in the shadows and keep his
  mouth
  shut" mentality to be applied to my husband or my family. We were
  once told
  that if he couldn't attend an event without his wheelchair we
  shouldn't
  attend events. When that incident made it to the lists, there was a
  major
  uproar and a lot of support for us. Unfortunately, that attitude
  seems to
  disappear when we bring up something that we need to make our
  attendance at
  an event possible, much less enjoyable. This is not directed at any
  one
  person, and definitely not directed at those who offer their
  assistance any
  time it is needed. I will now drop this subject and not respond
  unless it
  is privately to any posts regarding this subject with the exception
  of
  forwarding the contact information for the 5 sites that I know of
  that are
  closer to being accessible than any of those currently in use.

  Elizabeta of Rundel
  mka Lisa Brown

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  Namron at ansteorra.org
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