Do you still hope for a cure?

[Ouch]

I don't take offence with what Claire has said, and I really don't think she was trying to offend anyone. I have great respect for Claire, and it won't be shaken by that post.

[Claire]

cunning69guy: What? Chastise?? Windrider and I are friends, we speak to each other privately all the time, and saying that was very "social model" of him was just a little friendly joke between us, and obviously he took it that way, too. And it *was* a very social model remark, anyway.

Everybody here knows I have BIID, I've admitted elsewhere that my judgment may be clouded on certain things, but Windrider is a wheeler with a physical impairment and I liked what he had to say. And I *never* in this post or any other, have put myself in the place of any wheeler here. Ever. I'm glad that you admit that you don't presume to know what it's like to have BIID because I never presume to have the smallest clue what it's like to be a para. What I presume to know is what it's like to use a wheelchair when one has BIID. I do know a lot about that. As long as you're quoting things I've said, why don't you quote what I said in Fubb's "Appreciation" thread just a few days ago:

"No matter what the circumstances, no matter who you are, no one can ever truly know what it's like to be in any other persons' shoes. "Walking a mile in their moccasins" is still just 1 mile out of the 70,000 miles the average person walks in a lifetime. You know better than you did before, and you become more educated than the average Joe. And you get an idea of how much you still don't know, what questions are left unanswered. That's all you can get out of it. But, that said, any increase in knowledge is a good thing. "

Thanks for reading my blog, btw.

Having BIID doesn't remove the humanity from me; I can see Windrider's point from other perspectives. The social model is a good one, and not everyone who prescribes to it has a biased opinion. Fine, being a wheeler is hell. So is having BIID. We have that much in common at least. I don't judge you or your feelings on any matter or those of any wheeler here. Don't judge me, or be so quick to see evil in what I say and do. Get to know me first, at least. You're suffering from a few misunderstandings that I won't address now, but PM me and I'm happy to talk to you about it.

Wind: thanks.

[Triassic]

i have real problems w/the 'social model of disability', at least the extreme form ; that society OPPRESSES me because i'm disabled. and that i am owed total access and accomodation everywhere everywhere no matter the general cost and trouble. nor do i agree that disabilities are 'neutral', normal, and that in a fully accessible society i would therefore not BE disabled. this is too academic, too intellectual.

[Ouch]

Society doesn't oppress us; biology does. Interesting point Tri, that even in a fully accessable environment, we still not not disabled. I agree...

...though, I don't think it's possible to be too academic, or too intellectual...

[cunning69guy]

Claire (and Wind),

I guess after what I wrote that I should respond and clarify my post.

First off, I'd like to say that I wasn't intending to speak FOR Wind, I was speaking because I, as a wheeler, felt offended by what you wrote in your post to Wind. Also, it wasn't the "social model" comment that drew my ire, but your line:

"However, I can't help but think that the world would be a poorer place if there were no disabled people in it."

As a "crip", I disagree strongly with that sentiment. My belief is that if we all grew up in a world without disability, the world WOULD be better for all (especially we crips). Mind you, I'm in no way condoning euthanasia or anything of that sort, but in an idealistic and utopian model of the world from my point of view, there would be no disability.

Ironically, there would likewise be no devotees as well, for they would never have seen a disability in their formative years that defined their sexual identity and preference.

Perhaps the struggle to be equal that the disabled live through CAN BE a positive and empowering message to the world (the I-word as you call it), but I still believe that in a "perfect world", such "inspiration" wouldn't be necessary, especially at the expense of others' pain.

I'm sorry if my comments came off as too strong or negative. I wasn't meaning to judge you or see evil in you, but was annoyed that your inability to accept a world without disability had all the earmarks of someone speaking from a BIID-biased perspective and nothing to do with devoteeism at all.

Forgive me if I perhaps do indeed suffer from some misconceptions, but I am after all, human, and I am here trying to expand my perspective, for even as a crip, I have very limited insight into the perspective and daily life of other crips, nevermind devotees and others.

[Ouch]

(...and I'm not trying to speak on anyone's behalf here...)

...I think that was not an 'inability' to realise or accept a possibility of a completely utopian world without disability; ratjer a sentiment that perhaps that it would not necessarily be a completely perfect/positive thing in the manner of opinion.

Just as clarification on my part - when I spoke of a 'magic pill' to turn the world into 'utopia-land' (I think those are the very official terms I used ), I envisioned the same thing happening, the elimination of disability (or at least unnatural...because otherwise in theory the elimination of 'all' disability would require a new and strange way of transience out of life, or effective rendering of us immortal...)...what I meant in the latter statement of my post was reinforcing the point, that while it would be great, it does not dominate the entirety of my livelihood each day, becoming an obsessive issue - I'm 'good enough' right now, so I'm not going to complain about things (especially since pharms can't even get a Flu Vacc. right, never mind a Utopia Pill...) and worry myself over the vapourous 'cure'.

[E]

Jun 24, 2008 1:44:07 GMT -5 cunning69guy said:

Ironically, there would likewise be no devotees as well, for they would never have seen a disability in their formative years that defined their sexual identity and preference.

I think it's been pretty well hashed over that such an event is not necessary for one to be a dev.

[Triassic]

there may indeed be fewer disabled folks one day-at least for genetically caused problems or birth defects like MD, spina bifida, maybe some cases of CP, etx...because the combination of more and more accurate prenatal medical screening and legalized abortion will lead to(in fact has led to) a condition of de facto eugenics.

[Ouch]

Yeah...

...and there's this cool thing called a corrective medical procedure which avoids the oversensationalism of legalised abortion...oh, and can correct such things as Spina Bifida, too!

(...and usually by the time you know that your child has CP - your child has already been born...)

[Ouch]

i don't know what year this happened, but china decided that they needed to modernize by completely forgetting the past, so they destroyed a lot of their museums that way they could focus on the future.

Yeah, that was the Cultural Revolution, and the Great Leap Forward. The Great Leap occurred in the late fifties until about 1960, and the Cultural Revolution was in the late sixties, about a decade later...I believe, I may have gotten those backward.

[furthured]

Since going into a chair, I've had more enjoyment in my life than before it, albeit because that is the moment I became truly comfortable with myself. But of course I hope for a cure; can't imagine someone who wouldn't. Yes, I quite enjoy my life now, had girlfriends who enjoy spending the whole day sitting on my lap, am the 'fun uncle' who gives rides to my niece and nephew and other kids, can go on a 15 mile hike without working up a sweat, get places faster than most everyone else, and basically get everywhere I want or need to go. But I'd love to play tennis again, go to friends' brownstones, have sex standing up, drive a small convertable rather than my mini-van (or at least have that choice), hike up a mountain, jump in a lake, not call a restaurant to see whether I need to bring my portable ramp with me, lie in the grass, not worry whether my chair will arrive intact when I get off the plane, not have to 'hold it in' during a cross-country flight, shoot baskets, reach the top shelf at the supermarket, sit anywhere I want at a concert or movie, jump on a trampoline, and dance....And I didn't even mention Matisse's wife yet. ;-)

[benquad]

I think this question is akin those of politics & religion, besides the facts (which are murky @ best for theologian, politician, and gimp alike) there is the undeniable fact that nature & nurture formed a nearly indelible belief structure. I guess giving an example would help sort out my literary diarrhea. In nature it is not uncommon for a weaker or somehow disabled animal to be shunned or even killed. In many cases throughout the animal kingdom just being different in any way is justification to be ostracized, humans are no exception. I saw a movie in which a character expressed sympathy for for a couple that was biracial, gay, & one was hearing impaired; a triple minority, she was saying that it must be hard & ended up with her foot down her throat. The woman came across as insensitive but I am inclined to agree with her as I would/will love my child regardless of how they are I definitely wish them the least strife possible physically & socially. That said I do ascribe to the idea that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger, to a certain extent. I say idea b/c as Rufus from Dogma said "Ideas are easier to change than beliefs". I read an article about deaf couples who had the opportunity for their children to receive cochlear implants only while young but the majority were against it bc they felt it wrong to deny the kids of the deaf culture. My point is that these parents feel so influenced as to trade the hearing of their children for the experience of living deaf. I'm glad I dint have to make a decision like that but I feel that since Ive been in a chair the tough times have made me a better person, I know the question isn't do you wanna remain in a chair but I feel compelled to say that I'm very content as I am now EVEN MORE SO AFTER FINDING DEVS! Hope is a crazy thing & I'm not sure if complacency is my issue but if I never walk again ill be OK. Aug 11th is my 10yr gimpaversary & im almost 30 if there is a "cure" not really sure I can or want to do all the at 2+ yrs of rehab to learn another way to live unless they can guarantee ill be good as new lol
Well that was a really long winded answer but I was away & its good to be back missed you guys!!
sorry 2 write so much

[yoell]

I think this is a great topic. I have been meaning to respond to this, but I wanted to give it some thought before responding. OK, yes they are starting to grow the nerves now. But, from what I see that is only the tip of the ice berg. I have seen many studies showing that the cord can heal to some extent, but the scare tissue prevents that. I have seen studies that are using nanotechnology to assist with growth and eliminating scar tissue. I could go on and on. So, i do know i will walk again. I do have the hope. I know I will walk again. People may tell me I am wrong, but I don't care.

[Pony]

i guess I'm a 'quitter' coz, after 28 years, I'm not so sure they'll fix my cord, which happens to be scarred exactly as you described. But that's fine, I've accepted the 'life sentence' if that's what it is. Of course I'd like to see me vertical in the mirror, but that's a dream on the back burner that I only reach for occasionally.

[Triassic]

au.youtube.com/watch?v=Mtn1ocC9BJk