h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I fully agree with the sentiments about not patronising the disabled,whether it be physical,sensory or learning disabilities.As well as having worked as a nurse,I have also worked with the disabled at a rescouce centre run by the Leonard Cheshire Foundation in North Devon and generally found the users of the centre to be more positive in their outlook on life than able bodied people.

With what you said about talking over the head of someone using a wheelchair reminded of something that one of the users said to me about nine years ago.Sarah - not her real name so as to protect her anonymity - nearly died from an infection of her entire nervous system seventeen years ago and,after quite a spell in hospital receiving physio etc,was confined to a wheelchair for a while.When her mum used to take her out around town,people used to look straight through Sarah and ask her mum how she was.Needless to say,Sarah responded by tellind the people not to f*!%ing patronise her and that she was perfectly capable of answerind questions herself.Fortunately,she has made a reasonably good recovery,but still has residual effects of the illness,including the need to use a guide dog as she has been left visually impaired.

I just wish there were more people like Sarah around and I'm pleased to say we are still good friends seven years after I left North Devon to move to Scarborough.

Hi Compo, Glad you read the thread and found it of interest, it was good to hear that your friend made some recovery. I found that people who have never been involved with working with disabled folk to be the worst at patronising them. Mind you, some carers are also guilty of it at times, like my work mate on the day mentioned in the story.
It will take time for attitudes to change, but some folk still dont realise that although the body may be damaged, the brain is still wroking 100%.
Smudger,

You're right about the brain still being functional,Smudger,but even physical disabilities don't stop people excelling themselves.There was one guy at the same centre where I met Sarah who had cerebral palsy which affected both his speech and mobility but,he still learnt to swim.albeit with the aid of a polystyrene float,and did at least two sponsored walks of at least three miles to raise funds for the centre.I went back down to Devon in 1999 to support him on one of his walks along the Barnstaple section of the Tarka Trail long distance footpath without him knowing I was going to be there.The smile on his face when he saw me made the 700 mile return trip worthwhile.I just wish some of these over paid footballers would stop whinging about being tired all the time and take a leaf out of people like Johns' book.(As with Sarah,John is not his real name.)

Yes Mk2 (second wife) has emphysma, and struggles some days to breathe, she gets really angry when she sees perfectly healthy people abuse their bodies with drugs, and moan about how boring they find life
Your friend sounds like a real trooper, a fighter, and wont give in to the disability. Some healthy folk should take note, and try to follow such a fine example
Smudger,

An excellent article