How come whenever I see three people together, two walking and one pushing the wheelchair, I never see the person in the wheelchair being anywhere but in front of the pusher and the other walker beside the pusher? I never see the ‘non-pusher’ walking beside the person in the wheelchair. How come when I see […]
We arrived home to the warmest welcome possible from the security guard, they call him the concierge, working at our building. We hadn’t seen him for 4 years and were surprised to see him back, he’s 77 after all and, he’d be okay with this, looking every day of his age. He’s a man who […]
We’d landed. Joe and I were both mentally prepared for what was to happen next. Pearson Airport, in it’s wisdom, has completely carpeted the very long passageway from the gates where international flights dock to the Canadian Customs hall. It had been my determination, for months, to prepare to do this trip under my own […]
I know I look unhappy. I know my face at rest gives the impression that I’m a sour, maybe even bitter, person. I’m none of those things. Long before I became disabled I had to deal with bartenders, and wait staff, and General J.T.C. Public who would either be wary of me of want to […]
Joe had gone to park the car and I was pushing myself into the Metrocenter, a really large mall close to our hotel in Newcastle. There was a slight rise and I was working to get myself up and over to the accessible door. An elderly woman and her son with an intellectual disability were […]
I lay in bed this morning, waking up a few minutes before having to get up. I could see my wheelchair, parked off to the side outlined by the faint light of morning. I felt this powerful sense of gratitude towards it. Even in the dimness of the light, I could see the wear and […]
I had the opportunity day before yesterday to teach a kind of ‘train the trainer’ session which focused on the abuse prevention curriculum that I developed, and then refined later, years ago. Several people with intellectual disabilities came along, volunteering to be taught in front of an audience of staff, and, to a one, they […]
Just after picking up a ready meal at the grocery store, I left Joe to go and use the loo. I was pleased because it was a very long push from where we had finished shopping and, because the store wasn’t really busy, I got up a real head of steam. It felt good to […]
By Michelle McDonald In 2001 I was having a bad time. The buses were on strike and I couldn’t go to my volunteer job at the Transplant Society. My grandma was in hospital and I couldn’t go to see her on my own. Most taxi drivers were not very helpful to me. I had broken […]
March 2017 At the end of February, the Ministry of Social Development and Social Innovation (MSDSI) introduced major changes to the way that British Columbians apply for disability and income assistance. Here are the main changes as explained by the MSDSI: • People who apply for income and disability assistance are now required to register […]
