Are you physically disabled?

35 Comments

I have an invisible disability that's becoming visible increasingly frequently, as I find myself in need of a wheelchair for certain activities, such as grocery shopping. I'm wondering how many other people with physical disabilities there are on IIN. Are you physically disabled or chronically ill?

Yes, I have a visible physical disability or chronic illness. 6
Yes, I have an invisible physical disability or chronic illness. 10
Yes, I have a physical disability that's sometimes visible. 5
I'm disabled, but not physically disabled. 3
No, I'm not disabled in any way. 48
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Comments ( 35 )
  • Shackleford96
    11 years ago

    No, and sometimes it's easy for me to forget just how fortunate I am.

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    • anti-hero
      11 years ago

      Hear, hear.

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  • VioletTrees
    11 years ago

    Ok, you can all stop saying "NO BUT ALL MY FRIENDS SAY I'M MENTALLY DISABLED LOLOLOLOL" now. Jesus fucking Christ.

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    • PuppyPower
      11 years ago

      Excuse me?

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      • VioletTrees
        11 years ago

        It seems inconsiderate and insensitive to post a joke like that on a poll specifically for disabled people, especially considering that psychiatric and mental disabilities are an option on the poll. I made this poll in hopes of finding other disabled people to talk to and to show other people with disabilities on IIN that they're not alone. I didn't make it as an invitation for non-disabled people to make fun of disabilities or use disabilities as a way to be self-deprecating. That's what the rest of the world is like.

        I'd just like people to think for like 10 seconds before posting demeaning comments. I don't think that's so much to ask.

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        • PuppyPower
          11 years ago

          Girl, I AM mentally disabled!
          WHY CAN'T YOU ACCEPT THAT?

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          • VioletTrees
            11 years ago

            If you are, then that comment wasn't directed at you. It was directed at the people posting jokes about being mentally disabled. Several people made comments like that who aren't disabled.

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    • NotStrangeBird
      11 years ago

      Ha, I was the first!!!

      Come on now, clowns gotta be clownin'.

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      • VioletTrees
        11 years ago

        Oh, I'm not surprised. It's gotten out of hand, though.

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    • PuppyPower
      11 years ago

      And don't say Jesus's name in vain that's bad kapish?

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      • VioletTrees
        11 years ago

        I'm an atheist.

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  • cigs
    11 years ago

    i've got a learning disability speaking in person to someone they don't understand a word i say because what goes along with my disability is i sound slow an i am.

    im not saying my retardation level.

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  • Terence_the_viking
    11 years ago

    No i have a funny walk (so i am told) but i'm not disabled

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    • [Old Memory]
      11 years ago

      is it the poop?

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      • Terence_the_viking
        11 years ago

        Not today i'm fresh as a daisy.

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  • PuppyPower
    11 years ago

    Not physically, but everybody i know tells me i'm mentally disabled lol.

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    • cigs
      11 years ago

      l♥l yeah

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  • howaminotmyself
    11 years ago

    I'm not disabled but my grandmother was an epileptic and eventually wheelchair bound. I try to be sensitive to the needs of others. And a few of my friends have some minor disabilities that we often joke about. The one with permanent short term memory loss is constantly the butt of his own jokes. But for the most part, you would never know. I actually didn't in one case. My assistant at work is missing three fingers. Maybe that's not technically a disability. She would never call it such. But she hides it well and her typing does not suffer because of it. Most people would never guess. I think it's funny that I didn't notice, typing is a huge part of her job. It very fascinating to watch her type. Her eyeballs move with great speed and she probably has the strongest pinky finger I have ever seen on a person.

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  • wigsplitz
    11 years ago

    Sort of, I am dealing with a failed back surgery and there's something seriously wrong with my knees that I haven't had checked out yet. Pain, instability and weakness. I just deal with it as best I can. I have to use a cane sometimes. I try to have fun with that.

    I don't think of myself as disabled though, yes I'm a bit limited and I'm in pain and uncomfortable all the time but I am better off than a lot of people so I'm happy for that.

    The last time I went to the Dr, she said I had a heart murmur but I've never been told that before by any Dr so I don't know if I believe that. I choose to ignore.

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  • dirtybirdy
    11 years ago

    Nope. Mentally is another story.

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    • VioletTrees
      11 years ago

      I can't tell if people are joking, or if they're answering the poll incorrectly. D:

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      • dirtybirdy
        11 years ago

        Sorry I wasn't trying to be insensitive. I'm not physically disabled and don't really know anyone who is. But everyone I have met who is permanently in a wheelchair seems to have a great attitude towards life in general. I'm not sure i'd be the same. Maybe after a while because i'd have no choice but to accept it, but its hard to say.

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        • VioletTrees
          11 years ago

          I can't speak for people in who are permanently in wheelchairs, because that's not my situation, but I hear "disabled people have such great attitudes" and "you're so brave!" quite a bit. The last thing I want to do is invalidate the points of view of other people with disabilities, and this is an expression of my feelings about my disability and the way I'm treated, as well as what I've learned from listening to others.

          I was talking to my friend (who is also disabled) about this, and I think she said it really well: "People who are disabled have to play nice." Instead of being treated as human beings with a full range of emotions, we're expected to be inspirational, positive, and one dimensional. I think we sometimes try to cram ourselves into that mould to protect ourselves. I certainly have on many occasions. I'm expected to overcome my disability in ways that aren't physically possible for me, but I have to pick my battles. I'm always aware that if I object, and especially if I express any degree of bitterness or annoyance, some people will see that as an invitation to criticise me for not trying hard enough, accuse me of laziness or faking, refuse me access to accommodations on the basis of my "bad attitude", or even assault me. Acting pleasant and positive is a survival skill. People who depend more on caregivers are under more pressure than I am to be constantly pleasant, because the abuse rates are so high.

          That's not to say that all disabled people are faking, or that having a good attitude isn't admirable. But remember that people with disabilities are just people, and that however the media might treat us, we're not here for your inspiration. We're just trying to live our lives.

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          • dirtybirdy
            11 years ago

            I understand what you're saying. I have always done my best to treat disabled people just the same as I would treat anyone else, as a person.

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  • NotStrangeBird
    11 years ago

    Nope, I'm in good shape.

    Although everybody tells me I'm mentally disabled.

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    • VioletTrees
      11 years ago

      It's good that you're in good shape. It's worth noting that some people can be both physically disabled and physically fit, though.

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      • NotStrangeBird
        11 years ago

        I guess I meant good shape like you'd say a car is in good shape. All there and operating reasonably well.

        It could be taken to mean physically fit, which I am somewhat but I sure don't have a lifelong focus on fitness. I could walk a mile for a camel though.

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  • dappled
    11 years ago

    No, I'm not physically disabled in any way, but I have always known people in communities like this who were either physically disabled or, in particular, deaf but who didn't say. They enjoy not being different for once and things being easier online. I work with deaf people and have dated one and I understand how isolating it can be.

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    • KeddersPrincess
      11 years ago

      Oh, you're not? For some reason, I always imagine you being a this wheel chair. One of those kinds that you don't have to roll yourself but you push a little button and it makes it move. I also imagine that you wear these little glasses with round frames. I don't know why.

      ...Well, that ruins my entire image of you! Lol.

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      • dappled
        11 years ago

        I actually have had a go in a wheelchair like that! This was me, posting as Frosties:

        http://isitnormal.com/story/is-it-normal-to-lose-in-a-running-race-to-a-disabled-boy-118175/comment-1046115

        Oh, and if you make my glasses very small indeed and soft and that I need to insert them onto my eyeball every morning then, yeah, I wear little round glasses. :P

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    • VioletTrees
      11 years ago

      That makes a lot of sense. I spend a lot of time online when I can't really interact in other ways or do much else, because otherwise I'd have very little interaction with anybody other than my husband. It's also really nice to be able to find people with the same condition as me, because I've never met anybody in real life. I found an NCS community online recently, and I actually got a bit teary. Maybe that seems silly, but it's such a relief to find others.

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      • [Old Memory]
        11 years ago

        what does NCS stand for?

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        • VioletTrees
          11 years ago

          Neurocardiogenic syncope. I have it chronically.

          http://www.syncope.co.uk/
          http://www.dinet.org/NCS/ncs.htm

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