Personal Disability Experience Articles by people with disabilities New Horizons Un-Limited

Writings and Perspectives

Disability Experiences: Writings and Perspectives is a collection of writings that have been submitted by our community and links to websites that share personal disability experiences and the perspectives of people with disabilities. This section offers individuals a chance to read other's ideas and thoughts. If you have a story, poem or unique perspective to share, please click on our Share Your Personal Experiences Form or Share Your Knowledge.

We also invite you to visit stories of people with disabilities through our A Story of Being Human on our NHU blog. Everyone has a story to tell. We have embarked on this creative endeavor. In this storytelling photography series, we capture the unique lives and stories of humans. These humans also happen to have disabilities. Through photos and words, we are sharing the lives of humans. We've learned that everyone has a perspective worth sharing, and these perspectives help us relate to one another in a day and age where it can be difficult to see eye-to-eye. Oftentimes, people with disabilities are categorized as "other", when in reality, our stories don't always focus on disability, they focus on all the aspects of life our common experiences.

We invite you to follow along as we share the stories of humans, and we hope it encourages you to share your story as well.

New Horizons Un-Limited Articles

What Power is in a Word? How Much Power Will You Give to a Word?

There are words in the English language, or any language, that are derogatory in nature. How do we combat the hurt they bring and make them less powerful over our lives? The answer is to not let the word or words control or define us. By lessening the effect of the word on ourselves and our lives, we take from it the hurt, hatred, and hopefully any damaging effect it has on us. This is not an easy task. I am talking about some major, and some minor, gaffs in our language. There are some words and phrases in our language that should be eliminated now, as the meanings are too emotional and hurtful to consider saying to anyone! When someone says a derogatory word, we need to take control of things over which we have control; ourselves and our reactions to the word. We don’t have control over someone saying or thinking the derogatory word. Once said, it is out there. We do have control of ourselves and our reactions. We give the word its power and it is time to take the power back from the word, and the control it has over us. Continue Reading

Focus on "ABLE" within Disability

When disclosing that I'm disabled with having Multiple Sclerosis, I've tried to concentrate on the word "ABLE" within the term "disability." I haven't had enough energy to continue working full-time since 2005, but I'm quite "ABLE" to work part-time as a professional writer/public relations specialist who is determined to keep challenging myself while trying to... Continue Reading

Hello,

Recently my brother's knees have gotten to the point where he has trouble getting around without his walker. He lives alone and enjoys his independence, but accessibility has become an undeniable issue. My husband and I have been helping him in researching and implementing some changes around the house in order to fit his needs. What else are little sisters for?

More to the point, I wanted to thank you for the information I found on your site. I've been collecting information to share with him, both about making his home more accessible, and just general good advice I come across. It's been interesting for me as well, since my husband and I aren't spring chickens ourselves. I found another one as well, http://www.home-elevator.net/lifts-for-accessibility.php , and thought it would make a good addition to http://www.new-horizons.org/guihou.html .

I hope I was able to help a little bit in return!

Thank you again, Marge

April 2018

Combating Depression: Exercise Your Mind, Body
November 6, 2017 I know it's common for people to not fully respond to medication regimens for curing their anxiety and depression. Therapy can and does help, but if you are like me, you have done almost everything you can think of to adjust your medications, with the help of your doctor. Going through medication adjustments are bad Continue reading

From Secret Entrances to Plywood Ramps: Navigating Your Social Life with a Disability
September 15, 2016

Your twenties are supposed to be the time where you branch out, meet new people, and experience new things for the first time. If you're in college, 'welcome week' brings about many activities, and every weekend there's something going on. If you are not in school, you and your friends are all trying to balance... Continue reading

My Long Road Back to Employment There seems to be a common misconception that working age adults with disabilities would rather sit back and collect benefits than find a job. This could not be further from the truth. We here at New Horizons Un-Limited have had countless individuals come through our doors who want nothing more than to earn a living wage. They don't want to live in poverty while collecting disability benefits. They want to be contributing, working citizens. Unfortunately however, a good-intentioned, yet flawed system, is actually making it very difficult for our citizens with disabilities to pull themselves out of poverty. In this personal experience, Scott shares his rocky, yet determined, journey towards employment.
June 20, 2014

Why doesn't the world care? This personal experience offers insight into the frustration people face with the challenge of chronic health problems and disability from work and not being able to obtain the services they need to help. Unfortunately, when people who can no longer work are denied benefits, where can they turn for help? Amelia describes her life with chronic debilitating illness and disability and her frustration of being denied assistance by Medicaid. People face misunderstanding and discrimination when their disability is invisible. Thank you to Amelia for sharing her experience for the benefit of all of us.
July 15, 2013

Access Technology Computer Recipient, Louise, shares how things have been progressing for her since she received her refurbished computer from New Horizons Un-Limited.

Hello Staff,

I want to thank you for the New Horizon Un-limited refurbished computer program. This program has been an asset to me. The computer has helped me become fluent in my computer skills. The computer has also helped me with continuing my educational studies.
Before coming to your program I was computer illiterate. Since I have had my computer, I have taken a college computer course, that has helped me become advanced in my knowledgeable about the computer and software. I have since finished my associate degree and working on the completion of my bachelor's.
Without the computer I could not have gotten this far. Thank you for this program it has truly been a help to me.

Sincerely,
Louise
July 9, 2013 p

Why Me? Why AEP? Carrie Davis describes her coping strategies growing up with limb loss in a very inspirational message and shares an e-community with NHU community.
September 7, 2012

Difficulties that the Deaf Encounter Because of the Lack of Educational Materials for the Deaf is written by a mother, grandmother, Carol Hill, who has experienced raising her own children and grandchildren who are deaf. She is advocating to not only make literature and printed materials and videos more available to children who are deaf, but that children also require a way to see and feel the sounds of language in order to develop language and reading skills. To compensate for this inequality she developed a system of visual symbols and hand signs for the deaf called Visual Phonics. The program is further developed at the University of Ohio, Literacy and Learning Center. This strategy should not be confused with the commercially available products and materials on the market under the same name. Carol continues to work on producing books for deaf children, with ASL sign language videos included. We look forward to sharing information on these books in the future. © Copyright, 2010, Carol Hill, All Rights Reserved

Veteran Shares Personal Experience - From Karl, USA, --- "I have diabetes, hypoglycemia, Generalized Anxiety, and Tinitus in both ears, constant ringing or high pitched sound. I am a veteran of the Vietnam War Era. I do watercolour art and, I am still an amateur artist in the field of watercolour. Ok yes, I forgot, I am a housebound patient as well. I study art books and have a large collection of art materials that I use with my paintings. I mostly deal with fine arts since, I do not really understand abstract art. I am also very good in photographic art as well."
August 8, 2010

A Couple Living with Disability: Amputation and Epilepsy offers a personal experience with amputation and a husband's experience with epilepsy. Although they had a negative experience with society, this couple is moving on with hope and helping others with disabilities by starting their own faith group. Thank you to Mish for sharing experiences and these helpful suggestions on what people can do when faced with adversity.
April 14, 2010

"One Man's Journey Towards Self Discovery and Employment" offers a personal reflection on the writer's experience of overcoming the obstacles of his disability while navigating the employment service system. This article provides an honest and introspective look back while providing inspiration for others to pursue their goals of employment.
July 31, 2009

"Depression - You Can Feel Better!" is the beginning chapter to Don't Make Depression Your Disability, written by Bobbie Ratcliff. Bobbie has given us a way to look at life that can turn our lives around for the better. Having sustained an injury and subsequent, illness, pain and disability, Bobbie has experienced first hand the extreme down side of disability. Bobbie and Anne, his wife of 24 years, have made their journey together which has brought them to this place and time. Now he has shared their remarkable, yet simple, everyday solutions, their "Cookbook for a Healthy Emotional Diet." With humor and humanity, he persuades us to make the most of life with his self-enlightened ideas to cope with illness and disability. Check back here at New Horizons Un-Limited soon for more chapters of his exciting article! -------- Copyright, 2006, Bobbie Ratcliff, All Rights Reserved.
December 1, 2006

Dizziness and Me is an article written by Phil from Washington and submitted to New Horizons Un-Limited in which he has shared his personal, 33 year experience with a vestibular disorder, an inner ear disorder that causes severe dizziness and nausea. Phil's experience with misdiagnoses and dizziness are unfortunately common with inner ear diseases. Through Phil's experience, we can all begin to understand the complications brought to daily living with vestibular disorders. Thank you to Phil for sharing his experiences and these helpful suggestions on what people with vestibular disorders need from their health professionals and rehabilitation.
April 13, 2006

Rehabilitation from Brain Injury
October 26, 2004

My Brother the Olympian
June 26, 2000

Response to a Commentary on the Monument Honoring President Franklin Delano Roosevelt
June 26, 2000

Response to the NHU Editorial on Legislation
November 30, 2000

National

Cerebral Palsy Guidance Alex has sent us a link to his website, a comprehensive informational website on Cerebral Palsy (CP) with a mission of providing quality cerebral palsy information and assistance to families in need. This site provides information on Cerebral Palsy symptoms and treatments to financial assistance including daily living articles, covering all aspects of cerebral palsy and all of the information is thoroughly researched and cited. Their writing staff includes, Alex, who's lived with cerebral palsy since infancy. His personal experiences of life with Cerebral Palsy makes this website more insightful and places the importance on how critical it is for parents of a child with CP to have access to reliable and comprehensive information on this complex condition. We encourage you to visit the Blog at Cerebral Palsy Guidance and the 15 installments Alex has contributed on Growing Up with Cerebral Palsy

Disability History Museum, with a goal to expand knowledge and understanding about the historical experience of people with disabilities in the United States, has recently made thousands of disability stories and facts available in their online library.

Disability is Natural is an initiative to remind everyone that having a disability is a "natural part of the human experience."

Disabilities Un-Limited is a website created by Bill Micklitz, an award winning writer and speaker whom was born with Arthrogryposis, a muscle and joint disorder. His website features articles and information on his and others' life experiences.

It's Our Story is a fully accessible online database of personal testimonials and oral histories provided by individuals with disabiliites over the last several decades. The collection of testimonials, known as the "Discrimination Diaries", was started in the 1980s by Justin Dart Jr., a disability advocate who played a pivitol role in the passage of the landmark Americans with Disabilities Act. After Mr. Dart's passing, a gentleman named Scott Cooper continued this journey with a video camera, capturing "oral histories" from more than one thousand disability advocates in more than 100 cities across the United States. Now, theses diaries and oral histories have been brought together in a database that will serve as our nation's single most significant collection of primary source records of the disability experience.

Meeting Life's Challenges is a supportive online community created by a woman with MS that has, despite severely limited mobility, lived "a remarkably unlimited life" since her diagnosis 25 years ago. The website offers practical lifestyle information, helpful strategies, and motivation for people whose lives have been affected by chronic illness and disability. The site features essays and articles from a variety of persons with disabilities as well as a number of helpful resources.

The Gift on The New Engagement is written by Mark Elzey, a man who is writing about his life and his personal experiences with facial disfigurement after contracting Polio Encephalitis as a very young child. A few years ago as a result of conversations with several people who are, like him, facially disfigured, he began writing the story of his life. He started a blog in which he has posted the entire book. Thousands of readers have visited the blog from across the globe. In Mark's own words, "This project is simply my story, which is basically how I dealt with my facial difference. In the end I'd like to have people read this and go away with an understanding of what I have gone through. If the reader goes away with a better understanding of what it's like to have a disfigured face, I've done my job. If the stories in this book help lighten the load, just a little, then I've succeeded. If it made you think about how you react to people who are different in any way and you try to understand those feelings, then I have accomplished what I wanted. I wrote these stories because I don't want people to feel alone." This is a very well written blog and definitely explains what it has been like living with physical difference and demonstrates a great awareness of individual perspectives for the person with a difference, parents, caregivers, professionals, and anyone interested in the issues faced by people living with a physical difference.