Oh the Disabilities...
"There are some advantages to being in a wheelchair... you get to have cute boys push you around." - Jean Scott (My E.A)
I've never quoted someone I actually know personally on this blog so far, but I thought this one was too funny to pass up. It was a comment made to me when my Educational Assistant met my boyfriend Marc. She is right that my disability can give me the upper hand in some situations. As far as being noticed, I generally receive a lot more attention from others due to my obvious differences, which makes a great platform to speak about my faith. For some reason I have yet to fully understand, people admire me and are inspired by me. Perhaps they wonder how I can be so upbeat with my disability, but it's easy to understand how a person surrounded by loving friends and family and respected by peers would feel pretty cheerful most of the time. No, my disability isn't that bad. In some ways, I've learned to see it as a blessing. There are, however, some downsides to being disabled as well.
Yesterday my mother took me in to have a conference to determine whether I could qualify for disability pay when I turn 18 this November. We are currently receiving about $100 monthly from the government to help pay for medications and other inconveniences which are a part of having cereberal palsy. However, it turns out that I don't qualify to receive anything once I am officially an adult. My wise parents have saved up $5,300 to go towards my education in a savings bond which I can't access except for educational purposes. However, they consider this an asset, something I can use towards myself. Since I have assets of over $5,000, I don't qualify to receive a dime, even though this money can't be used to cover the costs of my disability in any way. Now I know I shouldn't complain, since my parents don't have trouble bringing in enough to support our family, but I know that I do eat a larger hole out of my dad's wallet what with vitamins, chiropractors, osteopaths, orthodics, and frequent drives to appointments and school. Other disabled kids I know qualify for $800 a month, as long as they don't get a job, at which point the coverage ends.
Maybe I'm just angry that I had to be taken out of school just to be told I didn't get a dime, but something about this doesn't seem quite fair.
posted by Leanne @ 8:57 a.m.
6 Comments:
Hey lea ... I think that as this current moment in time, you should be allowed to be angry. That is totally unfair!! I mean, I'm not saying you are completely disabled, but I know that there are some things you can't do as well as most individuals, and the government needs to realize this. If most disabled kids are getting $800 a month, you should get at least that. Sorry I have a tendency to get emotionally 'angry' when it involves one of my friends. I just hope that through all of this you will remain spiritually strong, and hopefully rely entirely on God. He will see you through it.
<3 Victoria
Thanks Tori! I really appreciate it when a friend really cares about what someone's going through enough to get emotionally involved. I think we might be able to find a way to get a little bit of disability money, but it will take some fanangling, and I'm not totally sure if well have any success yet.
lol fanangling?? LOVE it
I just need to unleash my mom on this and she'll have you getting $8000 a month somehow! ;)
Go Marc! You are right, give this to your mom! Leanne, that is really unfair, but doesn't surprise me. Just look into how tough it is for parents of autistic children to get any kind of help at all. Each case should be looked at individually to see what is fair. You getting zero dollars after you turn 18 in blatantly unfair. Start a letter writing campaign. It may not get anywhere, but you might feel better that you tried. Then let the rest of us know and we can send letters as well!
Yeah, it sure doesn't seem fair that your parents are effectively being penalized for thinking ahead and saving up for your education.
But it doesn't surprise me about this government. They need to save the money so they can hush up all the other problems they don't know how to deal with, like Caledonia, etc.
Maybe try talking to a MPP from one of the opposition parties (Liz Witmer?)
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