At the start of her confinement, Lisa noticed stares from people directed towards her. As I have learned myself from my hearing impairment, having hearing problems generally doesn't cause attention. One incident she noted was from a young girl who touched her wheelchair and then ran away.
I remember my own experience being in a wheelchair as a child was limited. Once, I had a concussion and was very upset when I needed to be wheeled around everywhere. I went in the hospital. My mother explained that it was my doctor who had ordered this torture.
Later in my life I filled in as an attendant for a patient named David Terry. David himself was in a wheelchair, yet he worked every weekday at Rancho Los Amigos Hospital, in the pharmacy. This was long before the Americans with Disabilities Act.
David's independence made my job as an attendant so much easier, as he did many things for himself. He went to amusement parks on the week-ends with his many friends. This inspired me, since his drive never let a bad situation keep him down.
Going back to Lisa's story, I felt empathy as she spoke of the discrimination she had to endure concerning her deafness. A local volunteer organization refused to transport Lisa for physical therapy. Their reason was simply that her deafness made her a safety hazard.
I see no sense for actions such as this towards the disabled. This is just contemptible behavior. As this year comes to an end, I hope there will be the necessary changes added. Why can't all of the worlds benefits be accessible to all?
I visited the website CanDo.com where Lisa works as both an editor and a reporter. I read two heartfelt articles. One was written regarding a handicapped man who was an extra on the popular television series ER and has performed at Kennedy Center with Lauren Bacall.
If you'd like to drop Lisa a line, you can reach her at:
Progressive Media Project
409 E. Main Street
Madison, WI 53703
or e-mail Lisa at:
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