Pivotal Crippie Moments

Ohai!

LAST CHANCE TO ENTER MUH CONTEST PEOPLE

Alrighty, recently I was asked "Besides when you were diagnosed with MHE (and the surgeries that resulted from having MHE), what would be one of your biggest pivotal moments in life (or life-changing so-to-speak)?" 


While I've posted about things that changed my life a while ago, I saw this as a challenge to think of a pivotal moment in my life not related to having a disability. CHALLENGE ACCEPTED *Starts limping/pacing back and forth*. 


Hmm... it seems that most of my pivotal moments involve having a disability in someway or another. *Continues pacing/limping*


20 MINUTES LATER (I'm not kidding) EUREKA! The biggest non-cripple related life changing moment (or moments) was when I was around 2 years old. My mom needed a way to keep my occupied during laundry time so she put paper on the walls and let me color away. First off, no I didn't color on walls without paper, I was a good noodle. Secondly, it taught me that art is freakin' awesome! Early love of art continued to grow and eventually led to my chosen profession! w00t! CHALLENGE COMPLETED!!!


Crippie's Tippie- Enter my contest, this shirt really is freakin' awesome.

CRIPPIE GOT A JOBBIE

Hello!

First off, sorry for the lack of post this week. We just got our power and internet back. This past week has certainly been a challenge but we managed to keep everyone fairly sane and none of our pets died, which is a huge bonus.
Moving on to the title, CRIPPIE'S GREAT JOB HUNT HAS COME TO AN END!!! I saw a job posting a few months back that fit my requirements of
1- Being within a safe driving distance, bonus points if I can avoid a highway
2- Something that is willing to accept recent college grads
3- Something I can physically do
Naturally I applied to the position, a few months passed without hearing a peep from them so I continued on with my search. Last week, right before Irene was gonna hit this place gave a me a call and asked if I could come over for an interview. 24 hours before Irene hit I went to said interview. First off, the place is about a 20 minute drive from me with no highways... FREAKIN AWESOME. Second, it's an entry level design position... COOL! Third and most importantly, I'm qualified for the job and can totally kick butt at it. The interview went really well and they said they would call me by Tuesday if the wanted to me work for them. Over the next 2 days the area that the job is located in, as well as my area got rather flooded. The Tuesday deadline came and went, no call. I figured there would be some weather related delays seeing as how cars were floating minutes away from the office. After Thursday had past with no calls I doubted that they were gonna call at all. I was feeling kinda down about the whole "If I wasn't a cripple I would have a job right now" thing but my mom said "You're time will come". Go figure that time was the next morning when the people called asking if I would like to work for them. After calmly working out some details on the phone I proceeded to jump around my house like a babbling idiot for the remainder of the day.
So I start my first official job on Tuesday! I shall keep you guys updated on what it's like to be a cripple in the workforce. Since I have chosen the "desk-horse" job of graphic designer hopefully my disability won't get in the way more than it already has. Oh, and if you were wondering my disability didn't come up in the interview, I used a smaller standard cane than matched my outfit better than my usual forearm crutch.
Right now I am incredibly happy with how everything is going. I knew finding a job was going to be a massive challenge, and it was. It was a long, hard, and very frustrating process, but it's over now! Being a cripple, I'm used to long arduous challenges. Whether it is finding a pair a shoes that fits or finding a job I can perform it takes patients and the realization that sooner or later it will come. On the plus side, I found a job before some of my able-bodied classmates.

Crippie's Tippie- If you work hard enough, you can achieve anything.

Why Not Me?

Cheerie-o!

OVER 2,000 BLOG VIEWS... OH MY GOOD N' PLENTY!!! I really am thankful that I have so many viewers, followers, and commenters. I have yet to delete a troll comment on this blog (watch, now I'm gonna get a bunch of 'em). As a reward for loyal viewership I'll answer a question that is impossible to answer... "Why do you think you're disabled?"

Honestly, I'm not a very religious person. I'm sorry if this offends anyone but I have never thought that "God  has a plan for you and wanted you to be a cripple" is a valid excuse. Is it possible? Sure, why not. I just don't like the idea of God wanting me to be a cripple if that makes any sense.

Personally I turn to the fact that humans are imperfect and things go wrong with the human body all the time. The simplest thing like a minute change in your DNA can have massive effects on a person. That's what happened to me, one of my genes mutated. The defective gene caused my genetic disorder. My genetic disorder caused my arthritis. Complications from surgery caused my RSD.

Apart from the technicality, I do not believe that there is a reason for me to be a cripple. Sith happens. So as to why I think I'm disabled... I was just lucky enough to have a genetic mutation.

Crippie's Tippie- It really doesn't matter why you are disabled, what really matters is everything you are going to do in spite of it.

Disability & The Work Force

Greetings,

I've been a college graduate for a few months now, and unfortunately I'm still unemployed. This isn't an uncommon problem for people with disabilities. Along with the general sucky-ness of the job market, having a disability puts further strain on my search...
--- No really long commutes. I have chronic fatigue so driving home late at night after a long days work could be kinda dangerous.
--- No subways. Thanks to my RSD my legs are vibration sensitive (in other words my legs hurt when a floor shakes). Sadly, this kinda eliminates the possibility for me to work in the city, which is pretty much every graphic designers dream. The money I'm saving by not having a NYC apartment makes me feel slightly better about this.
---Nothing involving significant amounts of physical labor. I think that one speaks for itself.

While I would just like to find ANY JOB, unlike my "normal" friends I do not have to the luxury of being able to find a "teenage job" like a waitress for the time being. I had a dandy conversation with my grandmother about this subject.

Grannie- How's the job hunt coming?
Crippie- I'm applying to everything I see
Grannie- You should find a small job in the meantime, like a waitress
Crippie- But I can't walk....
Grannie- Retail?
Crippie- Can't lift heavy objects and I can't stand for more than 10 minutes without it hurting
Grannie- hhhhmmmmm
Crippie- yyyyyyeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh
Grannie- yeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

So in the meantime I have been looking locally for any jobs that I might even sorta qualify for. Also, the program that paid for my driving lessons, part of my education, etc has a job placement office. I didn't want to use their help, but it looks like I need it. I have an intake appointment on Wednesday with them. I'll let you guys know how that goes.

Also, I'm trying to see what I can do on the interwebz as far as making money and finding freelance clients. I'm going to be writing articles for blogcritics.org about whatever my little heart desires. At the moment I feel like writing reviews for "pretty books" :D.

Additionally, I've been getting more comfortable with styling my blog and adding HTML/CSS goodies. If anyone out in the blog-o-sphere would like a blogger redesign, HIT CRIPPIE UP. I designed my blog and I am also currently working on THIS blog's design as well. I'll do anything from a badge, banner, to the whole damn blog!

So yeah, expect several job related posts in the next coming weeks/months. Wish Crippie luck!

Crippie's Tippie For Pre-Work Force Crippies- Go to school and become educated in something that a) you enjoy doing and b) you can physically do. Desk jobs seem to do nicely.
Crippie's Tippie For Work Force Age Crippies- There are places and programs that help you find jobs.

I Can Do It

Hello, my name is sister Crippie (Book of Mormon joke btw)

I just realized that it's been several days since I've posted, whoops. The main reason I haven't been blogging is that I have been busy being a scenic artist for a local theatre group. I've literally been painting faux marble and faux wood since Tuesday. It's very hard work and to say it's physically demanding is an understatement.  Doing all this physical work is very difficult, tiring, and painful at times, but I am willing to suck the pain up for theatre! 

aaannnndddd transition to the reason I'm posting/crippie rant 

Most people are surprised when they find out that I physically can paint sets, they don't think I can do it. It annoys me when people automatically assume that I can't do something. I hate it when people ask "oh do you need help?" "it this hurting you?' "can you do this?" and so and so fourth. I know that they mean no harm in asking and are only looking out for me, normal people should follow this general rule of thumb... If I do not ask for help or if I don't tell you I cannot do something... chances are I CAN DO IT ON MY OWN. Unless I ask for help or clearly look like I am struggling there is no need to ask if I need help.

Crippie's Tippie- Let cripples be independent when they can be. 

Reproducing & Producing Problems

Hello,

YAY I've reached over 800 views! As you might have noticed, I'm sprucing up the blog a little. What can I say, I'm a graphic designer... I'll never be happy with how it looks.

Anyway, as a reward for having over 800 page views I figured I would answer the most controversial question I've been asked. "Can you have kids, and if you can, should you?". This question is very sensitive and has flamed many an internet forum. First off, technically I can have children. Now on to the science. My genetic disorder is caused by a dominant gene. This means that only one parent needs to carry the gene for the child to get the disorder. Assuming my at the moment imaginary husband does not carry the gene there is a 50% chance of me passing on the gene to my child. So, just how like my kid could be a boy or a girl, my kid could be normal or a cripple.
Let's move on to ethics. Should I have a kid or try to have a kid willingly knowing that said kid could be a cripple. Here's my take on the situation... while my disability sucks, it's manageable and not terminal.
-But you're willingly making your kid's life difficult
Life is always gonna be difficult, plus I have knowledge and experience as a cripple to make the kid's life less suck-y.
-But your kid is going to be in pain.
Valid point here. I'm not a parent but I can assume that this would be the hardest part of have a cripple as a child, and knowing that it is my fault would be insanely hard. Again, pain sucks, but it's not the end of the world. Pain can be treated and in my opinion dealing with it has made me a stronger person in the end.
-But your kid is gonna be teased!
Weakest.argument.ever. Everyone is teased.
-But you're passing a disability through your bloodline, it could continue for generations
Yeeeeeaaaaahhhhhhhh, I'll admit, I don't want to be the reason my great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandkids are cripples. But again, it's not like I'm passing on some life ruining disease that turns you into a potato, it is manageable.

So what is my overall take on the situation? As long as you are not passing along a terminal illness (and by terminal illness I mean guaranteed to die) go for it. Having a disability is not the end of the world. People with disabilities can lead very productive lives, so why be ashamed!

Crippie's Tippie- Genetic testing is also becoming more of an option, so those who totally disagree with me can spend the money to have IVF selecting only non-cripple eggs.