Well, 2015 is over and I'm glad. The kinda year that if something could go wrong, it did. Fighting infections, getting sick from the infection treatments, moving to a new environment, losing abilities, skin breakdown, and equipment problems are just a few of the highlights.

Of course, being Mr. Crankypants is not the state of mind I need to be able to present a more positive outlook. I was even hesitant about my first paragraph, but, reality; it is what it is.

Happy New Year and many blessings to all of you. Let's just give it our best shot today.

 An effort to adopt a more in-motion symbol for accessibility is gaining traction with New York requiring all new signage in the state to utilize the “Accessible Icon.” (Accessible Icon Project)

A revamped version of the blue and white icon that’s long symbolized accessibility everywhere from parking lots to restrooms will soon be commonplace in more communities.

Under a bill signed late last week, New York will be come the first state to require all new and replacement signage used to signify accessibility for people with disabilities to include a more active, in-motion image of a person using a wheelchair.

The state will also change the terminology on such signs, employing the word “accessible” instead of “handicapped.”

The shift is about more than aesthetics, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in signing the legislation.

“This bill is an important step toward correcting society’s understanding of accessibility and eliminating a stigma,” Cuomo said.

New York City and a smattering of other localities, businesses and schools have already agreed to adopt the revamped symbol, known as the “Accessible Icon,” which first gained momentum through a grassroots effort in Boston.

What’s more, the icon is currently on display at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City as part of an exhibit of culturally-relevant designs developed in recent decades.

From DisabilityScoop.com

I believe that we are all self conscious. How others see us, how they draw conclusions about the way they think we are; we all care about that, some more than others.

I recall my first 'outing' from the rehab hospital. Five of us patients were herded into the van along with the four support staff. We went to a local restaurant. We were clearly the room's main attraction. Everyone looked and many watched. Some patrons seemed uncomfortable, some had the 'those poor folks' look, some had the 'that's so nice they get out' look, some ate up and left quickly.

I was very uncomfortable. I was learning to use new equipment and still developing methods and control to feed myself.

Since that time, I've learned to be quite adept with the equipment and have a good method of eating. A look at my belly confirms my skill level. I don't think much about how I appear to others anymore. I just focus on the task at hand.

Until I saw the attached picture of me eating my birthday cupcake, I hadn't really thought about my tools and methods for a long time. I have a disability and this is how I do it. Sometimes, you get icing on your nose. I guess my adjustment to disability process has come a long way, too...

        Since I don't drive, I don't really get out of the house very much. Frequently, people seem to feel this is terrible and push to create opportunities to 'help' me. I truly, sincerely appreciate their efforts. However, I don't feel that I am really missing much by getting out except to join others in an outing; sharing a common experience. That is a valid point; sharing / fellowship / comradeship is an important aspect of the human condition. We truly do need each other to share adventures. It is a great method of bonding.
        However, there is the other side to this story. It's the side about bowel and bladder issues. The side about putting other people in a position of caregiver. The side about putting others at risk; requiring them to do things they didn't predict could or would happen. The side about physical pain and struggle. The side that very little of the world is accessible with the kind of deficits specific to me.
        I have been severely disabled for 22 years. I have done the "I'm gonna do this whatever it takes". I have my battle scars. I have my successes and my failures. Rest assured, if it is a priority for me, I'll put a plan together and take the risks. For now, I am very content to enjoy the comfort and safety of home.
        I am grateful to my friends and family who are eager and willing to do whatever it takes to enable me to continue to enjoy  life. That love keeps me going.
        I'm not housebound, I enjoy being at home...

I've been watching lots of the Paralympic events [thanks to NBC Sports for all the coverage]. I was so pleased to hear the statement, "Define yourself by what you CAN do, not by what you can't do." frequently during the broadcasts, especially during the Sled Hockey match today.

This is the same idea that has brought me success and that I share with everyone else. So, figure out what you can do, then, DO IT!

As I struggle throughout each and every day, I do my best to stay positive, find the silver lining, look on the bright side, etc. And, I manage to do that pretty well. However, to be brutally honest, I really do hate having to struggle so much. Sometimes, you just have to admit it and then, move on...

In every single way that matters, disability does not change a person. Instead, disability threatens concepts a person has held about who they are. People bring to their disability whatever mix of beliefs, attitudes, talents, charisma, fears, or social skills they have or have the capacity to develop. Who a person is impacts their ability to adjust to disability.

One of the common questions people with disabilities are asked is, ‘What can I do to help?’ Perhaps the first thing someone can do is to understand that a person with a disability is the same person they were before experiencing their form of disability. It is important not to treat them differently simply because they have a form of disability. Do not expect them to be any weaker or stronger, and do not be surprised if they have found new qualities within themselves that have not surfaced before.

The experience of a form of disability forces the issue of, ‘finding one’s self.’ Some people take pride in the things they learn about themselves through the experience of a form of disability. They appreciate the way disability helps to define their values.

A number of psychological adjustments have little to do with the disability a person experiences; they are issues everyone does. As an example, a person might be frustrated because they are having a hard time finding someone to love and believe it is their form of disability that is the cause of the loneliness they feel. The issue; however, is a part of many people’s lives, whether they experience a form of disability or not. It is important for people with disabilities to avoid making disability a scapegoat for issues that might very well have appeared in their lives anyway.

For the majority of people with disabilities, disability does not define who they are; it is something they deal with when it becomes necessary to do so. One person with a disability noted that the entire human race is essentially disabled because we are unable to live together in peace, something that has always been so, and will continue to be so in the future. The question then becomes, ‘What is normal?’

Excerpt from: Disabled World; Psychological and Social Aspects of Disability
Painting by Tom Kelly