Yesterday was “Blogging Against Disabalism Day”, but yesterday I was feeling some what frazzled – NOT HUNGOVER! The frazzled feeling was caused by a) the pain that has built up as a result of my “neck-cracking” tic, treated with co-codamol, b) the feminine “out-of-syncness” caused by carbamazapine and c) general tiredness caused by not been able to sleep until stupid o’clock for several nights in a row and the added sleepiness caused by the combination of carbamazapine and venlaflaxine. Yum. So here is my blog, a day late but the thought is there. (Please take head DWP et al, tired = stay at home, no work).
I did however manage to have a look at a couple of blogs that were written yesterday latentexistence.me.uk/if-yo..., this one being the one that illustrates the flavour of the season – “Them against Us” for those in the “know” that’s very much how we’re feeling paranoid and threatened and it’s coming from all sides. Take for example the report published yesterday by the MS Society. mssociety.org.uk/sites/defa... They found that 1 in 4 Britons believe that disabled people exaggerate their disability. (???!!!) I think the reality is that most disabled people, particularly those with TS tend to disguise their disability! “1 in 5 British adults believed that disabled people need to accept that they can’t have the same opportunities in life” I imagine those would those Sun/Daily Mail readers that think we should all get a job. This is easier said than done, those who know me know that I’ve taken a new, creative approach to getting a job. Even though my psychiatrist would take a sharp intake of breath and tell me that getting out and about and meeting people is good, but I’m not quite ready to take such steps and shouldn’t push myself too much.
Wind backwards a few days ago and I spied upon a Facebook post from the mum of a teenage ticcer wondering if it would be a good idea to attach a letter stating how his TS effects him. In the ideal world that would be lovely. But, we’re not currently in the ideal world, we’re edging towards something nasty, something hate-filled, the answer from several adult ticcers was NO WAY! If his TS doesn’t involve the stereotyped coprolalia best explain it away as “interview nerves” if the lad’s got the dreaded “cop” he’s going to have to get “creative” he’s going to have to work twice as had as a non-disabled person to get that job (I wouldn’t suggest sleeping with the boss though, although it would be easier to be a male ticcer to try and get laid than a female ticcer).
You’ll have to excuse my random thought patterns today also, sometime soon, or it should have already happened, there should be some news from the Levinson Enquiry with regards to how people with disabilities have been portrayed in the press, but I haven’t heard anything yet, the BBC still seem to be fixated on the Murdochs (Murdoch junior is quite scary looking don’t you think?).
So, if anybody is reading this that shouldn’t be (you know who you are - and yes I can type, and yes I can type without constantly swearing) thinks that because I can write a blog post (be it a day late) is fit for work, give us a job, lets see how long I last until you sack me. Did you know girls and boys that 94% of calls made to the government’s “shop a scrounger hotline” (I forget its official name) are malicious. Meow. You’d think some people would have better things to do wouldn’t you.
I’ve used this song title for a previous blog post, tourettes-action.healthunlo... but I didn’t use it in the context that John Lennon used it. It’s such a shame that whilst there’s so much going on where we could do with a spokesperson to write some songs to illustrate our plight. Frank Zappa died in 1994, he got straight to the point and named names, and Bob Marley’s no longer with us nor is Ian Dury. So here is a little ditty from the “White Album” and it’s not about pigs. Well, I can’t really see Bono straining himself to write anything that’s going to illustrate any worthy points can you?
Smaller employers and organisations that work within disability/mental health are more forgiving - that's working delivering "projects" rather than care/support work. I did put it to the owner of a wool shop in Bedworth who reckoned there wouldn't be anything wrong with employing me as I'm quite outgoing and articulate (despite the coprolalia) but prehaps a little sign somewhere and leaflets may be helpful.