Late but Fierce

Here we are, Lovelies! Almost to the last weekday and I still haven't written:( But in my defense, it kind of snuck up on me. I've been thinking and planning so many "moves" lately I haven't stopped. My mind is reeling! This blog is a wonderful anchor. When I'm not focusing on "the world" or my faith, I can center in on what defines me, which is indeed what we all (I think) ultimately focus on at the end of the day, when we have to make decisions. Not that the aforementioned characteristics DON'T define me. But they do tend to fade into the mist around a busy life, which I have (almost without realizing it) built myself. Nor do I want the plight of the Disabled community to BECOME one of the things that fades into the mist. That would be counter-intuitive to my very well-being! Because if I don't at least acknowledge the things about me that make me "different" and admit that I need adjustments now and then to MAKE that life less difficult, I would lose myself. So let me take you back a few days to when apartment maintenance showed up and immediately repaired THREE long-standing issues I've been living with. They were simple things, so I've more or less been "living around them" for probably four months. The other day I finally decided to have them fixed. I never expected same day repair, but that was what I surprisingly got! In our discussion of how exactly my towel rack had "popped off" the wall, I admitted that many months ago I had grabbed at it to keep myself from falling (which I'm sure it did, to an extent, though it fell too), and brought it down with me:) No harm was ultimately done, but of course I got the "what you told me scared me" speech. Very often the well-meaning but ignorant of my situation insult my intelligence. They talk to me like a child, or a feeble adult, as if they think I'm incapable of grasping the conversation unless it's spoon fed. So they make it about themselves, so I'll feel bad (hehe), and that provides a platform for their "ingenious" solution. He then proceeded to mention that he'd suggest the addition of a grab bar next to my bath tub with his supervisor, which I was glad to hear. But it's not the FIRST I'd mentioned needing an accessible apartment. On the application (filled out three years ago), they DO ask if I would benefit from a barrier-free lifestyle. And three years ago, I said "why yes, yes I would." This was apparently filed and forgotten. So, grabbing the reigns in my conversation with the superintendent, I told him this story, and then remarked that I had been very surprised to end up here in spite of it. In defense of the indefensible, it's possible there had been no barrier-free units when I applied, and they just hustled me into the first available spot. But if that's the case, they probably need to take the accessibility icon off their website, and remove the "barrier free" descriptor from all of their apartments. Not that I ever feel endangered here, or that my challenges EVER make me feel unsafe. But I am very, very tired of false advertising, and being taken advantage of. Which is why I "grabbed the reigns" so to speak--to show Maintenance Man I know what I am talking about, and just exactly the kind sticky situation he could clearly be in. Of course at the time I didn't threaten, and I didn't even suggest that I could sue. But I could. As all of us must in this community of the vulnerable, while I'm still young(ish) with my wits about me, we need to stick up for ourselves. To be our own advocates. And advocate FOR those unable to do so. Nobody's different. We're all trying to live a good life in fairness. Those who would deny that are the only ones at a disadvantage in this game.