Best friends - in sickness, surgery and everything in between - by Jess Cochran and Ferris Knight
Friendship can often be difficult when you have a chronic illness. Pop culture tells us it’s supporting each other through things like break-ups and with frustrating work colleagues. Sometimes people don’t understand other things that may come with the territory, such as hospital admissions, plans cancelled last minute, needing rest or having different priorities. Taking care of yourself can look different for those without chronic illnesses, as can a fun night out.
Travelling as a person with a disability - by Lindsay Nott
Travelling... We all want to go back to travelling however air travel can be a bit more complicated with a spinal cord injury (SCI), but it’s doable as long as you prepare and keep an open mind. I’ve been fortunate enough to travel on more than 50 flights since my accident – and I plan on flying many more times!
Here are my tips and tricks to make flying with an SCI as comfortable as possible.
Air travel
Living on my own – by Alicia Kapa
As mentioned in my last blog, I moved out of home! I moved at the beginning of the year and I am 10 minutes from the city and work which is way better than an hour. It was not really hard to decide as I wanted a change and it was an opportunity for me to become my own person.
Navigating Love while having a disability - by Marlena Katene
I am a sucker for a good chick flick that portrays love as a simple process. However the reality is love is tough, and having a disability it sometimes can be a little tougher, due to barriers that are real or even perceived in our own minds. I long for the day I find my Mr Right and live happily ever after. I believe that there is someone out there for everyone but often the challenge is finding where that someone is.
Bathroom Breaks – by Ian Walker
Hey everybody!
As a wheelchair user, I see my needs as being no different to anyone else’s in the wider community. In the same vein, living with any disability should be of no difference to anyone else’ living in the wider community either. Sadly, even appallingly, this is often not the case. So, when it comes to access to a bathroom, toilet, latrine, lavatory, restroom, commode, W.C., can, head, little boy’s/girl’s room, powder room, privy or any other name you wish to call it, why can’t we disabled people get a break?
Going to University with a Disability – by Susan Seipel
Returning to university was never my plan until the Pandemic hit. The restrictions on travel and competition cancellations forced me to think about my life without sport. During lockdowns, I signed- up for free online courses* which really sparked my interest in pursuing formal study again. Hopefully, I have many years left in my sporting career, but planning for the future and life after sport is always a good idea.
Working Class Man Part II – by Tyrone Cook
On November 29 2020, I wheeled into the office for my first day of work, nervous? Oh yes, that and anxious, I was remembering what happened with the last job and so yes I was trying to keep myself calm.
I need not have worried, my colleagues were and still are amazing people, and just quietly between us, I think they are glad I am there, to be honest.
Journey to a wheelchair - 1. First Trial – by Ferris Knight
I’m new to Invacare, but not new to disability. I first started experiencing chronic pain when I was around ten years old. Little things at first - it hurt to sit on the floor at assemblies and kneeling at church was torturous. It was originally put down to growing pains, but over the years I collected an assortment of diagnoses that explained what I was going through. From Complex Regional Pain Syndrome to fibromyalgia to Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. My friends used to joke that people with chronic illnesses should get a ‘Spoonie’ passport with a new stamp at every new diagnosis.
A Celebration of Invacare’s Community Bloggers – by Geoff Trappett OAM
I have been given the great pleasure of writing Invacare's 60th community blog. That is 60 pieces written by disabled people for disabled people. Pieces where we could be learning from each other, we could be imparting knowledge which is common sense to a disabled person onto the 80% of the population without and ideally a little of both.
The importance of equipment for a person with a disability – by Marlena Katene
As a person with a physical disability and being non-verbal it is essential I have the right equipment to enable me to live in essentially an abled-bodied community. Literally, my day stops if the equipment is not available. The flip side of this however is that with the right equipment the world is my oyster and I can get on with living my life. While I (and many others) advocate for the world to catch up with universal design the reality is the equipment we have can allow us the opportunities we may not have access to without.