November 02, 2004
What is the day centre?
Recently, I was out with my PA. We were parked up and I was about to get out of my vehicle, when an older lady came over to talk to my PA. She asked my PA where she was working now, to which she replied, with Lianne Crowe. "Oh yes...", she knew who I was as she had read about me in the paper. At this point, I was still sitting in my vehicle and she couldn't see me because of the blacked out rear windows. She then proceeded to ask, "Is she at the day centre?", to which my PA replied, "No, she's in the back of the vehicle; we're actually going shopping". Although I found this really amusing, I still thought to myself, are some people really that ignorant? And what exactly is the day centre? Is it where you are presumed to go if you are disabled? I do actually attend a monthly physio club and I enjoy it. However, it annoys me when some people can't see past my disability. I am not just 'Lianne Crowe, the paralysed woman'. I know I probably sound over-sensitive but it is hard to challenge and overcome the negative stereotypes associated with disability. General ignorance has affected my self-image and the way I think others perceive me.
Posted by Lianne at 01:35 PM | Comments (0) | Main web pages
October 31, 2004
I'm not ill!
Yes, I have a spinal injury but I am perfectly healthy. Infact, I have not suffered any real illnesses over the past two years. I look after myself as I know that I have a higher risk of getting a chest or urine infection, or a pressure sore. However, despite these risks, I am not ill! There is a local woman who really bugs me when she always asks if I'm feeling any better and treats me like I have an illness! I find her really patronising. I know she is only trying to be kind and I must sound really ungrateful. I just wish she would see that disability is not an illness!
Posted by Lianne at 06:43 PM | Comments (0) | Main web pages