Tag Archives: disability

Satisfied Saturday Six

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The SSS celebrates six things that have gone well, or at least okay, in the past week. It is the creation of Terry Egan, who is all things wonderful.

1.  Article on the Regency written and submitted – for a sneak peek, click here.

2. A couple of people I’ve proof-read for are happy to give me a reference if anyone contacts them, which may  be very useful.

3. I’m so delighted for the USA that the judgement on equal marriage has gone through. I know there are plenty of other battles to fight, both here, there and elsewhere, but a step in the right direction is worth celebrating.

4. This being so, perhaps I should also celebrate the fact that my son’s school are finally beginning to acknowledge that it’s inappropriate to park their minibus in the disabled parking spot. A new teacher demanded I move from it (I am a blue badge holder, for the record!) so that they could park the bus there, but after a somewhat heated debate, I did get an apology.

5. And talking of my son, he’s taking part in a football tournament today, about which he is very excited. Some very kind friends have also volunteered to take him and bring him home, which means that when I’ve finished writing this, I’m off for a sleep!

6. I’m beginning to get plans for the summer holidays sorted. There will hopefully be a lot of things going on, including seeing lovely friends and family and spending time in my favourite place, Cornwall.

Friday Fiction (Disability)

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So, I wrote my first piece for the Huffington Post blog today, so I think that really has to be today’s FF.

I Get By With a Little Help From My Friends

Hello, I’m Penelope Friday. I am a disabled mother: I’ve had a diagnosis of moderate to severe ME/CFS for 22 years, and a diagnosis of fibromyalgia for 1 day (yes, really. No thank you, in the nicest possible way, I don’t want to know what you advise for either of them). I have a very wonderful son of nine, but when he was a pre-schooler, I had a horrendous amount of trouble getting him to pre-school. I have been reminded of this recently because my car – fairly vital when you can barely walk – has unfortunately gone the way of all things mechanical. And I’m back to relying on… well, that little (or, in my case, big) bit of help from my friends.

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Satisfied Saturday Six

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The SSS celebrates six things that have gone well, or at least okay, in the past week. It is the creation of Terry Egan, who is all things wonderful.

 

1. I am slightly embarrassed to mention it again, but my novel Petticoats and Promises came out this week. I know, I know, I need to shut up about it. But squee! Novel! Exciting! Yay!

 

2. My lovely sister has been visiting over half-term, and it’s been excellent to spend time with her in person rather than hours on the phone (also good, but actual!real!sister wins).

 

3. AND I saw my gorgeous niece and her boyfriend on Monday, which was also excellent.

 

4. It was confirmed that I’ve been re-awarded disability benefits. As my Satisfied Saturday Six has been over-full of medical appointments over the last months (yes, I did have one this week – but there are NONE next week!), you may possibly have gathered that my health is not precisely the best. I appear to have started doing the SSS at a particularly difficult point in my life, which probably makes it more worthwhile for me, but a bit tedious for readers. Sorry about that!

 

5. It is half-term from school, which means that Child has been around more than usual. He is good value, and also had an excellent time on Wednesday on a day course which covered archery, falconry and bushcraft. I am somewhat jealous!

 

6. Talking of Wednesday, I also went out for a meal with my family that day. Mmm, steak. Mmm, red wine. Delicious.

Friday Fiction (Article)

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Questions of Identity… Coming out as disabled

Having to “come out”. Being called “abnormal”. Or described as “queer”. All of these phrases are regularly used as descriptions of non-straight sexualities, yet they work equally well as definitions of disability.But what is it like “coming out” in two different ways – being disabled and gay/lesbian/ bi/pansexual? And which is the most difficult for others to acknowledge? (Please click text for more.)