While the WSJ’s editorial pages have in recent months slammed the Trump administration, the last week has been different. They have called for investigations of Hillary Clinton and the DNC. They have claimed that she colluded with Russia. They have called for Robert Mueller to resign.
Maybe it’s just happenstance that all of these media outlets that a Trump supporter has a controlling influence in are suddenly marching to the same drum, but it would be a hell of a coincidence.
Proofed an essay on children’s consent to research and the concept of Informed Dissent with child participants in research studies that investigate children’s learning methods, added something, realised it went 200 words over limit, felt my soul leaving my body, I scrolled slowly and deleted half of the words I’d written then added more words. my soul slowly returned, solely because Informed Dissent is such a brilliant concept.
Maybe my favorite incident was when this one older guy barged straight into my cane, actually fell ass over teakettle hard onto pavement (good enough)–then got up in my face cussing about my deliberately tripping him.
I guess that’s one way to try to save face, but at least he made himself look bad enough that a couple of other people who watched it stopped to tell him off.
miss me with that ‘weapon accuracy’ shit. im shooting everything. im laying down cover fire. im shooting the walls. im shooting my teammates. im shooting myself. my accuracy is 100% yall just dont know what im aiming at
I’ve seen a post about first time wheelchair users guide. Since I’ve been using a walking stick for a while now, I thought I’d make one specifically for these types of aids. These will be in no particular order– they’re just things you probably don’t know about using a walking stick.
– if you’ve hurt you left leg/ect., hold the stick in your right hand (if possible) and if you’ve hurt your right leg/ect., hold the stick in your left hand. Trust me, your shoulders and back will thank you
– the pad of your hand will hurt– it just will. You’ll get used to it and your hand will develop more protection there eventually. To start out, look into a pair of fingerless gloves.
– a fold up/collapsable stick is good for beginners because you can take them on public transport/cars without too much hassle (they also fit nicely into desks and under chairs).
– When you’re using your stick, you only have one free hand. This may seem obvious, but it really impacts your every day life. Practice for a while around the house, so you get the feeling down.
-there are a lot of different types of walking sticks: fold up, one leg, two legs, three legs, etc.
(these are only a few of the many designs)
-if possible, go to a shop that specifies in walking sticks. ask to try a few out, they will also help make sure that you’re using on that’s the right height for you.
– a height adjustable walking stick is a miracle, especially if you want to wear high heels to an event.
– you don’t need a prescription to get a stick in most regions (but in some cases they may help get a discount)
– getting a stick that is the right height for you if very important (even with an adjustable one). Too short, and you’ll hurt your shoulder. Too tall, and you can’t put weight on it properly. The correct height is when the highest part of the handle reaches your wrist when the stick is standing straight up, as shown in this image.
– if you’re young (under the age of 60) people will stare, often they wont mean to– it is annoying but you’ll get used to it.
– again, if you’re young, people will ask why you’re using the stick, all. the. time. Even strangers will sometimes ask. You can use a really simple answer like “medical condition” and if they pry further, you can say “That’s all I’m comfortable saying”. If they don’t know you, or don’t know you well, they really have no business asking.
-Children will ask, a lot. Please be gentle with them, especially if they’re really little. I know it’s annoying but you can give children reallllllllly simple answers like “I just need it to help me walk” and most of the time they’ll be perfectly content with that and won’t ask more.
– don’t be afraid to use more advanced mobility aids if needed on bad days, or when readily available (eg. at a supermarket, when they have motorized wheelchairs for customers)
– You don’t have to use your stick every day for you to have a disability or for you to own a stick. Even if you need it once a week, once a month, you can still own one. You’re not less worthy or a mobility aid than those who need one everyday.
-Use backpacks, the ones with 2 well-padded straps that go over your shoulders evenly. Use them as much as you can. Bags that you hold in one hand or have one strap make you unbalanced or take up your only free hand.
– If you want to, decorate your stick, go all out.
Even if you don’t need/use a walking stick, please reblog this to let those who do, know this information.
More tips!
-Your cane will fall over a lot if you prop it against things; I fold mine if half and put it on my desk at work, and prop it against my body on the bus to keep it from falling out of reach and making a bunch of noise.
-Able bodied people will get weird when you are visibly disabled; You may feel like people are going out of their way to inconvenience you (People will cut in lines ahead of you more frequently, pull doors closed behind them, move/use accessible elevators just as you’re about to get on, walk close enough to you that they push you, snd generally pretend as though they can’t see you). Sticking up for yourself is scary, but everybody backs off the second you point out what they’re doing. Don’t let them walk all over you because they will, and it sucks.
-If you’re a transit user, don’t be afraid to ask for a seat if you need it! A lot of the time people sitting on trains and buses zone out or immerse themselves in reading, and they will legitimately not notice you get on. It’s better to talk to a stranger for a second than to potentially fall!
-Holding your cane in the opposite hand to your compromised leg will absolutely save your back and shoulders, however, if your leg is prone to collapsing, it won’t really help you. Holding the cane on the same side allows you to use the cane as support while walking.
I would say that the best way to use a cane very much depends on why you need it, and what you’re using it for. I finally started using one about 10 years ago, when I was having a lot of trouble with a knee unpredictably buckling out from under me–and in that case it’s not necessarily going to help you much in the other hand. Also from personal experience, using a cane on the other side made the situation worse with a not so stable pelvic fracture. Also too relevant sometimes, especially with something like EDS and/or a frozen shoulder thrown into the mix: which arm can reasonably handle it right then.
Basically, it’s important to figure out what’s the most helpful and comfortable approach in your specific situation. Where there may also be multiple considerations to juggle.
Just going to repeat this, as much as it continues to drive me up the wall where I’m living now:
-Able bodied people will get weird when you are visibly disabled; You may feel like people are going out of their way to inconvenience you (People will cut in lines ahead of you more frequently, pull doors closed behind them, move/use accessible elevators just as you’re about to get on, walk close enough to you that they push you, snd generally pretend as though they can’t see you). Sticking up for yourself is scary, but everybody backs off the second you point out what they’re doing. Don’t let them walk all over you because they will, and it sucks.
IME, not everybody will back off. Some will get mouthy and/or put on a show of aggrievement. But, they need the feedback anyway, because jfc. And you’re not the one in the wrong, either for taking up their precious sidewalk space or for having the gall to object to literally getting shoved around 😬
Urocyon's Jaunts 2.0 