This is of course terrific news. As our population ages, provided that we don’t decide old people are too much trouble, we should see more of these types of initiatives. Many of my average friends have been surprised at how often the decisions about choosing place of worship had less to do with my agreement with the doctrine, and more to do with the accessibility of the facility, especially the restrooms and the social areas.

After I began the RCIA process, are parishes were consolidated, and my classes were moved to a parish on the far side of town. (There were still Masses at mile parish, but no programs) I could not go to the classes independently. The church restrooms were not accessible, and unlike the church where I attended Mass, there was no public restroom nearby. Those classes were real trial to me, and I didn’t feel comfortable explaining why couldn’t stay and socialize I was terrified of having a bladder accident in my sponsor’s car.

And yet, I so much wanted to be Catholic that I put up with all of that.  And I so wanted to be like everybody else but I didn’t tell anyone what problems I was having.  Some people would just give up.  Some people just don’t go to worship anymore.

[This is my first blog post using Windows voice recognition.  I now have immense respect for anyone who uses this as their primary way to communicate.  I still hope to install Dragon Naturallyspeaking, but I'm having system problems with that.  Cutting and pasting from Wordpad will have to do for now.]

In Need of Your Help

We release this emergency request on behalf of Geraldine Hayes, a patient in Volusia County in Florida.

Geraldine has been in the hospital since August 2007. Her family has been working feverishly for months to get her transferred to another hospital.

We are hoping this alert will find an attorney who can help Geraldine to obtain a transfer to another medical facility.

Please – this is an emergency request. If you or someone you know is a practicing attorney in the state of Florida and can help Geraldine and her family, contact Terri’s Foundation at: info@terrisfight.org or call (727) 490-7603.

I don’t have words. Not a one. So I’ll borrow two.

“At that time people will say to the mountains, ‘Fall upon us!’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us!’

for if these things are done when the wood is green what will happen when it is dry?” – Luke 23:30-31

 

How long, O LORD? I cry for help but you do not listen! I cry out to you, “Violence!” but you do not intervene.

Why do you let me see ruin; why must I look at misery? Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and clamorous discord. This is why the law is benumbed, and judgment is never rendered: Because the wicked circumvent the just; this is why judgment comes forth perverted.   –Habakkuk 1:2-4

 

 

Lord, have mercy.  

 

Good Idea: Make parents aware that ADHD, autism-spectrum disorders, depression, OCD, and related problems can be serious, and can be treated.

Atrocious Idea: Anthropomorphize these conditions as violent kidnappers. Play on the fear and guilt of parents who, if their children are having problems, are already overwhelmed. (And, in the process, reinforce gender stereotypes about what types of conditions affect what sex.)

Back to the drawing board, New York University Child Study Center.  And  here’s a wild idea. Why not ask the children living with these disabilities what they wish the adults in their life understood?

Looks like I spoke too soon.

My chair has been giving me trouble for quite a while now. it overheats, because it’s always got the braking system partly engaged. I believed the wheelchair repair folks when they said that it would be more expensive to repair than to get a new chair.

I chose to believe that, and started the process to get a new chair.

Well.

My HMO case manager just called. They will only fund a bit under $1000 for a scooter — for in-home use.

Now “in-home” is exactly where I do NOT use my scooter. I use my scooter to work, to worship, to get to the doctor, to shop, to take out the garbage. You know, everyday life.  To which I am apparently not entitled.

I have a call in to our local Center for Independent Living for a legal or other adnocaccy referral.

Pray for me, because despair and murderous anger are both mortal sins.

I don’t belong to Second Life (my first life is nuts enough!), but I did just create an avatar on  WeeWorld. I like the WeeWorld avatars because they aren’t particularly buff (they remind me of the “Love is” cartoons from the 70s). And today, when I was perusing the available accessories, I found a wheelchair, and popped her into it. Very happy to do so.
That’s me. Someday I will have a glorified body that does amazing things. And then I suspect I won’t need any mobility aids. but for now, the wheels are a part of how I relate to the world.  Seems incomplete not to include them on a virtual me.

Oct. 1, 2007

To faculty, students and staff:

I’d like to take this opportunity to let you know what measures we are taking to ensure the University of Florida remains a civil and secure environment to host events of all kinds on our campus.

In order to allow ample time for changing policies or protocols in light of the incident following Sen. John Kerry’s town hall forum two weeks ago, I have asked the ACCENT Speaker’s Bureau to reschedule the Oct. 11 appearance of Dr. Jack Kevorkian to a later date this academic year.

The event, and a subsequent panel discussion on assisted suicide by several faculty members in law, medicine and philosophy, now will be held at 8 p.m. on January 15 in the Stephen C. O’Connell Center.

The decision was not an easy one. It was made only after much thought and consultation with the University Police Department, Student Affairs, Student Government and members of ACCENT.

It is our responsibility as an academic institution to provide a safe environment where everyone feels free to express their views, no matter what they are. Like other universities, UF is a special place where free expression and the lively exchange of ideas remain vital to our educational mission.

Speakers appearing on our campus in recent years have spoken against the death penalty, pleaded their innocence in steroid scandals and criticized leaders in opposing political parties. They have been presidents, entertainers, industry icons, sports heroes and the like.

I remain committed to welcoming these kinds of speakers as part of the campus dialogue.

Meanwhile, we are awaiting the results of an independent review by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement of the events that led to the arrest of one of our students two weeks ago. As I have said before, they have our full cooperation and we want them to have every opportunity to conduct a thorough investigation.

Also we plan to announce this week the formation of a nine-member task force consisting of students and faculty to review police protocols and our events management practices. The group will be charged with developing a series of recommendations for the university. Former Faculty Senate President Kim Tanzer has agreed to chair this task force.

On none of these actions have we requested or set any deadlines. While we all would like to see these matters resolved sooner rather than later, I believe we should allow adequate time to make any policy or protocol changes needed to ensure a safe and civil environment for full, free, diverse and lively discourse.

I will continue to provide updates on our progress at www.president.ufl.edu.

Sincerely,

J. Bernard Machen

President

University of Florida

——————

I will be writing President Machen to ask him to ensure that people with disabilities will be represented on that panel. Please continue to pray.

I do not think it is in any way an accident that this announcement was made on the feast day of Saint Therese of Lisieux, who during her painful final illness, was haunted by temptations to end her life,

Thank you for the roses, St. Therese.

The Terri Schindler Schiavo Foundation has an online petition you can sign to protest his appearance, which will be paid for with $50,000 of (mandatory) student fees.

The University administration has defended the selection as “promoting dialogue.”

Well, let’s give them dialogue. Let’s provide UF with the clear message that people who are “freely choosing” suicide when they are suffering from poor pain control and inadequate resources for personal care and independent living are NOT making a free choice.

UF has a large Catholic community (which happens to include the coaches of those championship men’s sports programs you might have heard about, by the way), and that community needs to mobilize. C’mon, y’all. Let’s unmask “death with dignity” and show it for what it is: “death for the convenience of others.”

• Went to vigil Mass at St. Patrick. Actually heard the priest preach about the sanctity of life! “This passage shows clearly that God is in love with us from the womb. … We must love life from the womb. It is just that simple.”
• Today was a day for proximity to fame. Saw both Julie Andrews and Armistead Maupin. Only 100 people got to get books signed by Andrews; Maupin signed multiple books for people and waited while we told him our own stories.
• Do you DC wheelers get to know the holes in the sidewalk pretty well? It’s disconcerting to come up suddenly on an area of missing or uptilted brick.
• I’m in love with the Metro. Even when it’s broken it works!
• Didn’t spend nearly as much time as usual in the exhibits. I just felt squashed by all the walking people. You know, don’t you, walking people, that you don’t walk in straight lines, and that you turn abruptly and walk backwards without looking? Or maybe you really think I’m the erratic and dangerous one.
• That blue and white symbol on the large stall door does not mean “for people in wheelchairs or people with big wheeled luggage.” Just so you know.
• I know we presented an NLS funding resolution to the ALA Council (or will, tomorrow). Don’t know if it will pass, but I expect that it will.
• This is the first time I’ve been on a computer since Thursday. So maybe I really can stop using the Internet any time I want to.
• Then again, I haven’t had supper, and its nearly 8, so maybe my priorities are a bit skewed. Think I’ll go get a bit to eat, and then pack. Later, I’ll tart this post up with relevant links and all.

The substitute amendment has just passed by voice vote; calling for roll call now (sounded close to me!)

Result: The amendment to the amendment passed. So funding has been improved, but not fully restored. Still work to do….