Author: John Sikon

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Just because you’re broke doesn’t mean you can’t spend money

There’s this perception that if you are on a fixed income, you’re not a senior citizen but live in a senior citizen home you can’t afford anything, this post is to tell you the many ways to spend money while on a fixed income and living in a senior citizen place while you’re not a senior citizen.

Just because you can get nice things doesn’t mean you should buy things every other week, you have to look at your bank account, look at your where ever you may live, and ask yourself did I buy the necessities for my living arrangement, did I buy all the things that I need so I can get the stuff I want?

One way to get the best out of your money is to look for deals, looking for deals is the best way to afford nice things. The best way to purchase the good stuff is to make payments on the things you want, you can make payments on almost anything.

You also should save money for eating as well because more times than not food stamps aren’t enough, you have to consider that. There’s no such thing as a rich-poor person.

Believe it or not at least for me buying things can be therapeutic.

I really shouldn’t say this but most stuff I buy I don’t use. I don’t know why I do that but it’s a habit that I have.

I think the problem I have is that I just have too much time on my hands.

If you do buy luxury things don’t go sharing them with too many people, some people are just too catty.

Don’t ever think you can’t have nice things, ask yourself before you buy it can I afford it, did I get all the necessities, the most important thing is to check your bank account, which you should do anyway.

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Some hospitals are laying off workers while some are getting hit in their computer systems

John Fox the former CEO of Beaumont Health didn’t exactly make friends while he was there, Alienating staff and getting paid millions of dollars for Being the CEO

Hospital systems around the country are experiencing shortages around the country, and what appears to be happening is that there are fewer and fewer patients to take care of leading to hospitals to layoff or furloughing employees.

Some hospitals have said that the cuts that they have made have not affected patients directly, which would assume the cuts they have made are maybe janitor or cafeteria positions, something to that effect.

In my personal experience, I have noticed a drop-off in not only the number of patients but the number of nurses on site.

Hospitals have changed in some ways, however, that could be because of insurance coverage and how the insurance companies pay for things.

In almost any surgery you have in an out-patient surgery.

I know of women who have had mastectomies and were released from the hospital that same day.

The insurance companies don’t make patients’ or medical professionals’ jobs easy, it gets worse all the time.

It’s not just hospitals It’s also nursing homes as well. Nursing homes are trying to run their place of business like a rehab facility but insurance companies are trying to keep nursing homes as nursing homes, not good if you want to make people’s lives better instead of Institutionalizing them.

Insurance companies have too much control over a patient’s well-being. We must have tougher laws for insurance companies, there needs to be tougher legislation for insurance companies to take the power away from them.

Another factor that’s holding up hospitals in the past few months has been cyber hackers breaking into hospital computer systems across the country.

Corwell Health and a few other big hospital systems have been hacked however some hospitals have only had minor issues with the cyber breach.

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When you have to see your doctor no matter how hard it is or how you feel about it

I’m getting another Botox treatment in February for my bladder inconvenience, something I recommend to everyone who has bladder inconvenience issues.

There’s one hurdle I need to get through to get the injections I need for my bladder, my primary doctor wants to see me and I don’t know why, The injections themselves aren’t done by him but by a urologist specialist.

This is what I don’t like about the medical field industry, you’re primary doctor can’t fix your broken bones, and he can’t do a heart transplant, what your primary doctor can do for you is fix your cold that’s it

What I’m upset about is that I being a wheelchair user have to go out and hope that they have cleared the sidewalk so I can use the bus.

The reason that I’m so upset about using the bus is because I’m a wheelchair user and for me getting cold is rather easy.

One of the reasons why I’m upset is because when my doctor’s office called me they just said for me to get cleared for my injections he wants to see you. They didn’t say that he wanted to do blood work or what.

If he wants to see me just to see me, well, that’s a big inconvenience seeing how it’s January and it’s 30 degrees outside.

Some primary care doctors make 170k to 290k a year.

This is what I hate about the medical industry there’s way too much money to be made off of people who have more medical issues than the average person.

When you hear about hospital CEOs and what they get paid annually and their retirement benefits, I can’t help but wonder how much money hospitals make each year?

The sad part about our Healthcare system is that sometimes you have no other choice but to play the game, because you just may not get anything out of it.

How many doctors are in it for the money and how many dollars are in it for the patents?

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Last Friday’s explosion of George Santos proves that nothing will ever get done in Washington

What is it with people in politics? Why is it that these wild people keep getting elected time after in and time out?

Right now, the people elected to help and serve people are not doing so on both sides.

When President Joe Biden was elected, the majority of the Senate and the House of Representatives were Democratic, yet nothing got done

When Donald Trump was elected, despite having the majority of Republicans in the Senate and the House of Representatives they couldn’t get anything done.

What is wrong with this country that people see these weirdos running and winning elections?

George Santos was the last weirdo to be elected into Washington and now is expelled from Washington.

Santos needed to go, but you could say that about a handful of people who serve in Washington.

Having someone like George Santos elected proves nothing significant will ever get done.

What does this have to do with people with disabilities? Well, everything.

There are a lot of essential topics that need to be addressed but will never get addressed because the people who get elected by the people will never help the average citizen, let alone people with disabilities.

Most elected people want camera time, push their beliefs on people, or want to become president of the United States of America.

People think the Affordable Care Act helped solve everything, but it did not.

We have a big problem in this country because nobody cares about the issues for people with disabilities; the people who do care don’t help much, at least for high-functioning people.

What pisses me off is that people that are caring feel too bad to help people with disabilities because they have pity on people with disabilities, which isn’t right. Still, it’s part of Being Human, unfortunately.

What is the future for people with disabilities? Will there ever be a group of people who have innovative ideas that will improve the lives of people with disabilities?

It’s better than it was before, but why not make it better?

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Disabled women are finding out Victoria’s Secret

Victoria’s Secret started in 1977 in San Francisco, California; it was founded by Roy Raymond and his wife, Gaye Raymond.

Disabled women are finding out Victoria’s Secret used to be known for featuring only tall, skinny, long-haired women without any imperfections such as bumps or love handles.

Let’s fast-track to 2023; Victoria’s Secret has again defined what is sexy and what is a sexy woman.

What Victoria’s Secret has done is groundbreaking for women.

Sofia Jirah became the first woman with Down syndrome to model for Victoria’s Secret in 2022. She also has her brand supporting people with Down syndrome.

There’s another woman with cerebral palsy who made her brand on Instagram and is one of the models for the adaptive lingerie line Paula Carozzo, a beautiful Latina Woman.

Victoria’s Secret has a section on its website just for adaptive lingerie.

What Victoria’s Secret has done for all types of women is not a small thing and should be celebrated.

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Why Shopping on Amazon can be a game changer for People with disabilities

Having a disability can be expensive and often requires relying on others to function.

Shopping on Amazon has revolutionized the way people shop online. With the vast selection of products available, Amazon is the go-to destination for online shopping.

People with disabilities or medical needs rely on Amazon for shopping.

Consider buying these Amazon products for disabilities and medical needs.

When using a wheelchair, wound care is critical. Here are wound gels available on Amazon.

Amerigel Hydrogen wound dressing (1 oz) costs $28.30 for one package or $56.50 for two packs. Another Ointment would be LMNOOP Wound Healing Ointment, for 1.76 ounces (pack of one) is $59.99, and $35.99 for a 1.1-ounce package. Terrasil Wound Care gel costs $24 for one once. Coloplast triad Hydrogen wound dressing is what I use for my wounds. It’s a white gel, and it does stick to your hands; however, it’s a best seller on Amazon for wound care gels, and it works.

Let’s discuss the importance of mobility devices for people with disabilities. Various mobility devices are available, such as wheelchairs, walkers, and canes. Here are a few examples available on Amazon.

Let’s first review the simplest ones of them all: canes. It can help people who can walk but need just a little assistance. Ispuoocti Smart Alarm Walking Cane: yes, they make smart cans. This cane has a light and an alarm on it. It’s wild to think that there is a can out there with an LED light. The C-quad model is the least expensive one at $79.99. The next can on the list would be the Healthbazaar All Terrain Walking Cane. It comes in colors black, blue, red, and pink. For the black cane, it’s $20.99. Briggs offset foam grip cane is your basic cane; they have several options. The cheapest one is what’s called purple flowers at the price of $13.07.

Let’s talk about scooters; here are just a few you can buy on Amazon. The Vive 4 Wheel Mobility Scooter is a compact basic scooter. It comes in four different colors, and the price for the scooter is $799.99. Here is the Zipr Traveler 4-Wheel Mobility Scooter Upgraded Battery; this is also compact and has a light in front of it. It’s also $799.99. Looking for a scooter with lights in the front and back, the Metro Mobility 4-wheel scooter is the sharpest scooter on Amazon. It’s also one of the most expensive scooters at $849. This Legtom heavy-duty scooter is for people who weigh 350 lb. It’s equipped with storage department rear-view mirrors and a bright LED light. This one cost $2,499.

Amazon offers a variety of products and services to improve the lives of people with disabilities.

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In 2021, hospitals that had 25 beds or fewer made $32.8 million, healthcare for money, not the patient

Despite what is to be believed about hospitals, they profit. It’s not just CEOs of hospitals that make money. Surgeons and Physicians also make a pretty good amount of money.

Not-for-profit hospitals make a 15.1 percent inpatient all-payer operating profit margin in 2021.

Healthcare overall in 2022 had a loss of 34.9 million dollars due to the decline of investment portfolios.

The operating net income drove 60.7 million dollars as revenue improved to $4.5 billion. The loss on investment values of $95.5 million compared with a net gain of $513.1 million in 2021.

Hospitals do make money according to bed size. A hospital makes $817.1 million for hospitals with 250 beds.

What hospitals don’t and want but are thinking is we want you to be sick; we want you to visit, just not for long because we don’t make a profit off of you all.

Since COVID-19, people aren’t going to the hospitals like they did before COVID-19; that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

Hospitals are seeing a decline in nurses, which is a severe issue.

The problem with hospitals is that they don’t want to improve things by spending money to upgrade their technology and pay their staff.

But, like all things, there’s always an even flow.

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My mother is in a nursing home

After 3 months in hospital (barring six days at home) my mother has been moved to a nursing home. It’s an absolutely beautiful home set in acres of countryside so she has an amazing green view out of full length windows. Finally out of the misery of a busy noisy hospital ward full of patients […]

My mother is in a nursing home

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It’s time for wheelchair basketball players to get there due

For years, women have been complaining about not being equal in sports. Take, for example, women’s basketball before the WNBA was formed; players were forced to play overseas. Things have got better. However, most players still have to go abroad, even though they’re getting paid.

Now, let’s talk about wheelchair basketball players. Like WNBA players, Wheelchair basketball players are forced to play overseas because the National wheelchair basketball Association (NWBA for short) doesn’t pay players, mainly because it doesn’t get the national attention it should.

You know how they say life isn’t fair? That surely applies to wheelchair basketball players.

People like to say that women’s basketball has come a long way, and people get excited about the WNBA, but is that true? Do people other than women care about the WNBA? Maybe to little girls, but as a whole, no.

It’s sickening that we all need to pay attention to women’s basketball and pretend like it’s the same as men playing basketball. Still, when it comes to wheelchair basketball, they talk about it condescendingly.

There are many great wheelchair basketball players out there, yet nobody wants to talk about them.

What is it about people? I understand if you are a woman and you have great skill on the basketball court and you want to showcase your talent, but we need to stop pretending that they are equal to men.

Wheelchair basketball players aren’t equal to non-disabled people, that’s true, but you can’t say when you have the best wheelchair basketball players in the world on one court that that’s not entertaining.

Sure, the disabled population is small, but let’s keep in mind that it doesn’t matter if you have a disability or not. We are all people, and we deserve to be treated as equals.

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Anxiety is a disability, how it’s an unfortunate family thing for my family

Anxiety is a serious thing; I don’t think people understand how serious it is. The bad thing about it is that anybody can get bad. Anybody can be affected by it.

Along with having problems with having a congenital disability, I also have to deal with a lifelong family disorder, anxiety. I don’t know how to explain it. Anxiety is like pent-up frustration; you can feel it there but can’t let it out.

This also coincides with mental health. On my mom’s side, everybody has it, from my aunts to my uncles, my grandma, and even my mom.

From my experience, it affects not only the person experiencing it but also the people around them.

It can be mentally crippling.

You can tell yourself and others you’ll do this and that, yet never follow through.

You can hold grudges against people who never did anything to you.

You can also get depressed easily. One day, you will feel good. The next day, you feel completely numb inside and feel very alone.

Anxiety and depression is a disability because it affects everything as far as getting a job keeping a job doing something fun doing something fun consistently starting a project, and finishing the project; it just is not a good feeling, and I don’t even know why it happens it just does, and it sucks.

The one thing I can remember as a child when I did feel down was having to talk to somebody. When I say talk to somebody, I mean going to counseling and talking to a counselor or psychologist. I know that helps me very much so I can think clearly, and My overall mental health is way better than it used to be.

It’s been a long time since I’ve had counseling. I don’t know why I haven’t done any counseling because I seem to do better when I do have counseling; I feel like I should consider it.

I find it very helpful, at least to me, is just take a day to myself. No one around, just taking a day to watch TV, play games on my phone or Xbox, and not think about anything but relaxation and making sure my mind is clear. Believe it or not, if you are heavy set like I am, drinking water helps as well, making sure your body, as well as your body, can be essential to having good mental health.

If you are reading this and you are feeling hopeless, then don’t hesitate to get help in any way you can. Always remember to do what makes you happy. As long as you’re not hurting anybody else, then as the saying goes, do you and forget the rest.

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What is a joystick module, and why do people need it?

Not many people in electric wheelchairs think of their joystick and what they can do.

Not many people know this, but a joystick is not just called a joystick; its actual name is a joystick module, and different types of it do other things.

There’s a simple module where you do basic things like drive, turn on or off, and adjust the speed.

Another one is where if you have lights on your electric wheelchair, in addition to having all the general buttons, you also have ones for headlights, turn signals, and hazard lights.

There are also ones where you can connect to Bluetooth.

Every wheelchair company has an LED screen joystick module; you must ask for it.

All joystick modules have horns, but they’re not like the horns of a vehicle; they’re soft-sounding horns. They also tell you the battery percentage of the wheelchair as well.

The best thing you can do is to ask your wheelchair vendor about what type of joystick module choice you have. You could also google it or even search on YouTube.

Be aware that insurance companies do not cover some joystick modules.

You could think of a joystick module because it controls the functions of the electric wheelchair.

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What I’ve learned living with Spina Bifida

I’ve had to live a long time with Spina Bifida; it’s been quite the journey.

I’ve had to deal with a lot of surgeries, hospital stays, pain trying to figure things out, all of that plus coping with personal issues as well. It hasn’t been easy at all.

I feel like, as a kid, I was going through the motions. I don’t know how to explain it other than going through the motions and, I guess, trying to be a kid with a disability.

One of the things that sucks about having Spina Bifida is the cognitive issues. I can’t get it sometimes, even today, and I’m 41. Back then, I didn’t get it, which delayed my development. It just absolutely sucked to struggle to understand what’s going on.

Another thing to deal with was my bladder issue, meaning that I was leaking at ages when normal kids were non-disabled; kids don’t leak and are typically potty trained. Still, because of my spina bifida, I leaked a lot and didn’t get treatment until after school ended. I could have used treatment while in school but ended up getting treatment after school. I can’t change it now. I lost friends or had difficulty making friends because of my bladder issues. I wasn’t always confident, either.

Luckily, when I was 36, I finally found a treatment that helps with leaking. Botox is a life-changer.

I also had digestive issues growing up and had to learn how to eat as a person with a disability. Unfortunately, when you have a disability, at least from my perspective, you can’t eat like an average person because it messes up your digestive system. You have accidents, and accidents are very embarrassing. I would rather have a bladder accident than a bowel accident because if you drink plenty of water, then your urine won’t smell, but if you have a bow accident, well, you know what can happen when poop is involved.

Growing up, I had only one sibling, my sister Crystal. It was not easy. She did not make it easy on me. I’m not saying I’m perfect or that I treated her perfectly at all. Still, it was hard because she was not born with a physical disability, so it was hard for her whenever my mom would visit me in the hospital and take me to doctor’s appointments all the time. I felt like she felt she wasn’t getting enough attention, so like siblings do, they take it out on you, so that was tough. We are both middle-aged now, and she has a 4-year-old girl which I rarely see. She doesn’t like to come to my apartment because she thinks I’m dirty, which is frustrating for me. After all, I love my niece. I want to see her before she grows up and does her own thing, but that’s life. I’ve learned that just because somebody is related to you doesn’t mean they will treat you as you should. Unfortunately, other people related to me make me feel like total shit, which hurts very much. Still, I don’t think about it, and I do my own thing. I don’t think about it because it hurts too much to think about it, so I surround myself with electronics and do what makes me happy.

When it comes to my other relatives, I don’t think they mean to treat me like shit, at least I like to think so, but I also believe they don’t know how to talk to somebody with a disability. I guess because I’m related to them, they feel guilty.

So, as I said in my previous blog post, I grew up without a dad, which affected my relationship with my father today. He lives in a different state and has a family of his own. I also have a half-brother and a half-sister from his side, but I rarely see them; I only see them every few years or so. They have kids. My sister has daughters that I’ve never met before.

So yeah, I’ve been through a lot in life, but at the same time, I think that’s made me the person I am. I think it’s made me see things clearly and not see things the way I want to see them, but for what they are, I’m a Loner, but that’s okay. I think it’s okay to be a loner because to be a loner, you do not see things all the time, but sometimes being a loner is a good thing because you don’t have feelings attached to anyone, and you can think clearly.

Purpose of John Sikon Writes

The purpose of John Sikon’s writings is to highlight people with disabilities. People should know that they don’t need to be afraid of people with disabilities regardless of their disability. People need to understand that even though a person has a disability, they are still people, no matter what they may think about people with disabilities!

Adaptive Sports are another purpose for this blog. People should be aware of adaptive Sports; there’s much to choose from. It’s not just good for kids to know about it but for parents as well.

Keeping fresh ideas when it comes to disabilities, we need better ideas so people with disabilities can have better lives.

We are talking about people who help people with disabilities, from EMTs to physical and occupational therapists to doctors and nurses, public transportation workers, and caregivers. They all deserve to be noticed as well. A person with a job to help the disabled community has a challenging job. It’s far from easy.

Some people have health issues from taking of people with special needs. They need a voice to speak for them because no one will.

Finally, if you find this blog helpful and valuable, share it on social media; the more people view my posts, the better I can write content.

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A guide for Future parents of a disabled child

I don’t know everything; I don’t have kids, I do not have a wife or a girlfriend. However, I am a man with a disability who is a single mom raised without a father.

My family consisted of my mom, sister, my grandparents, my two aunts, and my two uncles.

However, I am a blogger, and as a blogger, and as a blogger with a disability, I do think about how the United States and people could be better towards people with disabilities.

This post goes out to families who are expecting or have a baby with somebody who has a disability.

Don’t get me wrong, nobody is perfect, and I don’t have all the answers to everything; however, as a person with a disability who grew up with a single mom without a father, I feel like my life could have been better if my biological father and my mom did things differently.

Let me share with you all what my mom and parents, in general, could do to make kids with disabilities lives better.

If you find out that a kid has a disability and you’re not sure you can handle taking care of a kid with a disability, consider adoption. I mean, we know you might find a person or a couple out there who can’t have children that want somebody to love and care for.

Regardless of what kind of disability a kid is born with, they still have a chance to have a fulfilling and productive life.

Reading is essential in life. Read books with your kids and use a dictionary so they can sound words out. Dictionaries are a game changer.

Get them involved in adaptive Sports. There are several adaptive Sports out there that are great for meeting people and keeping in shape.

It can be tricky looking for adaptive Sports, so look up adaptive Sports in your area.

When it comes to siblings, if you have a non-disabled kid with your disabled kid, make sure that the non-disabled kid understands what’s going on with your disabled kid so they have a chance to have the best sibling relationship they can have.

The last piece of advice I can give to families is to treat your kids almost as if they were non-disabled. Treating them like any other kid will help them in the future.

Now, I want to talk to all the single mothers out there. If you’re going to date, then find someone who not only accepts you but accepts that you have a disabled child and has a natural bond with them. Don’t just date anybody because that person could be the worst in that kid’s life, and people with disabilities already have obstacles.

Okay, one last paragraph. This time, I want to talk to all the men out there. If you knock up a woman, act like a man and stay with that woman regardless if that woman is going to have a kid with a disability or has given birth. If you find out that your son or daughter has a disability, remember that it’s not about you. It’s about ensuring they have the best life possible, so man up. Not having a father figure in a kid’s life can hurt a kid emotionally.

I feel like I had to say something to all the men out there. Not having a positive male in my life affected me as a child.

I’m not saying I know everything; I think about things, maybe too much.

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What lesson I’ve learn from Zion Clark

Man, disabilities are weird. For some disabilities, you’re born without an arm or a leg or sometimes with no legs, like Zion Clark, Zion Clark was born with a rare disability called Caudal regression syndrome, Caudal regression syndrome is a disorder that impacts the development of the lower (caudal) part of the spine. The condition can affect many parts of the lower body, including the lower back and limbs, the genitourinary tract, and the gastrointestinal tract.

He was in foster care from birth to the time he was 16 years old.

Clark says he was abused in foster care until he found a woman who gave him the kind of love we all want and deserve.

Zion is very active; when I researched this brother, I couldn’t believe the stuff he’s done, and he’s not even in his 30s. Here is a list of what Zion Clark does and has accomplished.

He’s wrestled, wheelchair track and field, did MMA, and won his first fight. He even knows how to play drums.

When you see a person like Zion, you can’t help but appreciate and think, is anything possible?

When thinking of Zion, I can’t help but think of why people can’t accept people with disabilities.

Why don’t people care for people with disabilities? Why is it so hard for people to honestly care for one another regardless of disability?

I feel like parents, in general, don’t know what to do with a disabled child.

My mom did the best she could but was not prepared for the kind of obstacles and setbacks I would have in life.

When it comes to Zion Clark, I would like to think that with a little bit of love and caring in a child’s life, anything is possible.

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People with Down syndrome are misunderstood in a world that should care

Growing up, I was always around people with different types of disabilities. That made life difficult because I have always had a physical disability, but I was high-functioning.

Just because I was around people with lowered functioning disabilities doesn’t mean I was better than anyone.

Regarding lower-functioning people with disabilities, I want to talk about Down syndrome. A disability that not only affects chromosomes but is also visibly detected in the face.

Over 400,000 people in the United States alone have Down syndrome.

Down syndrome occurs when an individual has a full or partial extra copy of chromosome 21.

Down syndrome occurs when an individual has a full or partial extra copy of chromosome 21.

For centuries, people with Down syndrome have been alluded to in art, literature, and science. It wasn’t until the late nineteenth century, however, that John Langdon Down, an English physician, published an accurate description of a person with Down syndrome. It was this scholarly work, published in 1866, that earned Down the recognition as the “father” of the syndrome. Although other people had previously recognized the characteristics of the syndrome, it was Down who described the condition as a distinct and separate entity.

In recent history, advances in medicine and science have enabled researchers to investigate the characteristics of people with Down syndrome. In 1959, the French physician Jérôme Lejeune identified Down syndrome as a chromosomal condition. Instead of the usual 46 chromosomes present in each cell, Lejeune observed 47 in the cells of individuals with Down syndrome. It was later determined that an extra partial or whole copy of chromosome 21 results in the characteristics associated with Down syndrome. In 2000, an international team of scientists successfully identified and cataloged each of the approximately 329 genes on chromosome 21. This accomplishment opened the door to significant advances in Down syndrome research.

As always, when it comes to conjugal disabilities, they are not all the same.

People who have lower-functioning disabilities like Down syndrome are and have always been an essential part of Society. By the way, people with Down syndrome aren’t always low-functioning members of society.

Here are some people who did and who have made significant contributions to society who have Down syndrome.

Actor Christopher Joseph Burke was in a popular ground-breaking TV show in the late ’80s and early ’90s, playing Charles Chorky Thatcher on Life Goes On. He lives in New York with his parents but has a weekend home in Long Island. He works for the National Down Syndrome Society, advocating for people with disabilities, and occasionally Acts.

Puerto Rican native Sophia jirau, who’s in her 20s, became the first woman with Down Syndrome to appear in an issue of Victoria’s Secret advertisements, and it was launched on Valentine’s Day.

Grace Strobel is the first model with Down Syndrome to be signed by a skincare line. She is also marked with three different modeling agencies. She is nothing short of remarkable.

All of these people should be celebrated for their accomplishments and for leading the way for people with disabilites.

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Hey, disabled men, just because she’s disabled too doesn’t mean she has to like you

Dating can be a pain in the ass; finding somebody that you connect with is very hard. To some, it comes easy; to others, well, some people search for what could feel like a lifetime.

Some people expect too much, some don’t look hard, or enough.

Let’s face it: dating can be a game; when it comes to dating, some like to play games.

To some, dating while you have a disability is challenging.

To all my disabled men out there, I’m here to tell you if you want a date, you have to be excellent, and well, the truth is that just because a woman has a disability just like you doesn’t automatically mean she needs to date you.

Don’t you get me wrong, Everybody has had unrealistic expectations at a time or two. But men can take the cake when liking somebody similar to us.

I’m speaking from experience.

I will say if you do find who does have a disability similar to yours and you have the same feelings, then don’t let it slip by you. You could miss out on something special.

Believe it or not, women of all types of disabilities can think for themselves, especially in today’s social media world.

I’m no relationship expert, nor am I in one. However, don’t think just because a woman has a disability, she’s so desperate that she wants or needs your love or attention.

So disabled men listen just because you have something in common with women. Say hi if she acts like she doesn’t care or not giving you that vibe, let it go.

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Life is hard for people with disabilities, so the disabled community put on your big boy pants and just deal with it

I used to know a kid named Sam Zink. Sam was a kid I did track and field with, did karate with, and I even went to school with as well.

Sam was born without a disability until one day his parents found out he had a brain tumor, well the doctors were able to cure him but he was never the same.

You see Sam did what people with disabilities should never do. Feel sorry for themselves.

Sam would always act weird around non-disabled people, he would act in a way that at least I think that people would feel sorry for him.

Nobody in this world unless they are dying of cancer or are in a wheelchair stuck on a breathing tube unable to use their arms and legs should feel sorry for themselves.

Let’s face it: people with disabilities like myself have and will endure a lot. It sucks, but going around being miserable isn’t going to change a damn thing, not today, not tomorrow, or any other day. It’s just not going to happen.

The way I look at it, if you do what makes you happy, like watching TV shows or playing games, if you enjoy it and are not hurting anybody, then do it.

Some people lie to themselves because they think they’re making themselves feel better, but in reality, they’re just putting a Band-Aid on something that will haunt them later because they didn’t deal with it then.

Accepting something negative is very healthy and needed for mental health and to live a better life abiding by the shit that happens. Believe it or not, we’ll make you a better person.

Pretending like everything is okay when it’s not, it’s not good at all. However, being miserable all the time is not a good thing at all, either. That’s why doing something you like rather than reading a book, working out, or watching TV shows, whatever it may be, is necessary and very important for dealing with adversity.

If you don’t have anybody to talk to, call your insurance to find out what counselors you can go to that take your insurance to speak to somebody about what’s going on in your life, all the bad things that are going on in your life, it’s worth it better than just pretending like things are always good nothing terrible ever happens.

If you have a hard time finding somebody to be friends with or to have a significant other, being alone is not such a bad thing if it will help with coping.

One of the unfortunate things about life that I found out is that if people aren’t related to you, they’re not always going to be there to help you. They’ll tell you that they’ll help you, they’ll say this and that, but unfortunately, more times than not, they will not be there at all. That’s why it’s always good to do things on your own and figure things out on your own. And depend on people who get paid to help people; you’ll be better off. The unfortunate thing about life is that sometimes, even people you are related to will never be there. We’ll say they’ll do this and do that but never show up or hardly, not necessarily because they don’t care but because they have their own lives to worry about or business they have to take care of.

Bottom line, don’t feel sorry for yourself. Stop making excuses. Please don’t depend on people unless they get paid for you to rely on them and help yourself.

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I spend way too much of my Social Security check: how to do the same opposite of what I do

When I first turned 18 I became eligible for social security, my mother who’s a social worker helped me apply. The first few years of having those checks were golden. I didn’t have to worry too much about bills, although after a while my mom told me to contribute so I paid the cable bill. I was the only one who watched the most TV in the house anyway.

So fast forward to when I started living on my own, and boy did I have to learn how to learn the hard way.

When I first got my apartment I had to get a checking account. This was before cell phones were smart and you could do anything on them.

In my first year of living on my own, I had to learn a very important lesson, as I was late on my rent twice and bounced my checking account as well. I couldn’t blame anybody by myself. I was spending more than I thought I had. I didn’t use my checkbook the way I should have.

I started living on my own when I was 24 and now I am 41, that makes almost 17 years.

Things have changed in 17 years. Streaming is now a thing which, depending on what you like to watch on TV can be very cost effective.

Let me tell you about my impulse to spend money.

So I’m 41 years old, don’t have a significant other, nor do I have any kids. So I have some leeway when it comes to money.

Don’t get me wrong I’m not rich but I do have this impulse to spend money or to buy something just because.

I have to admit that I bought stuff that I never use I’m not proud to say that but I have indeed bought stuff that I have never used or seldom use just because I have the money again I’m not rich but if I have the money to buy something and I see it then I’ll buy it.

That doesn’t mean that I’ll spend hundreds of dollars buying something usually ends up 50 to $60 or on payment plans for like $60 a month or something like that.

One thing I need to do and haven’t done is to have a budget to wear I know what I can buy and can’t buy each month that’s my problem though is that I haven’t done it yet and I’m 41 years old and I don’t have a job on Social Security the one thing I did do smartly was put a no overdraft on my bank account so I can’t overdraft my account after a certain amount is taken out.

Here’s some advice for people with disabilities who are just moving on their own and they’re on Social Security and moving into a low-income apartment.

If you aren’t on Social Security apply for Social Security as soon as you can before you even apply for low-income housing you must have something financially to fall back on.

After you apply for Social Security you’ve been approved and you receive your first check go to the bank and open the checking account after you open that checking account ask what you need to do to put a no overdraft restriction on your account so you don’t overdraft and owe hundreds of dollars on your account.

The second thing you should do if you don’t have money for a deposit is to see if you have family members who could help you out with a deposit for the apartment you applied for.

Once you’ve moved into your apartment and you’re settled and you’re getting ready to make your first rent check and getting ready to pay other bills that you may have make sure to pay those bills before you do anything else because that will dictate what you can buy and how you can spend your money the rest of the month.

If you have a smartphone make sure to get your bank’s app and download it so you can check and see how much money is in your account periodically it’s important to keep checking it periodically so you don’t overspend on things and that you have at least some money towards the end of the month.

So just to be clear I’m not trying to be a note at all and I’m certainly not an expert at saving money or even spending money wisely however throughout the years I’ve learned how to manage my money better I make mistakes I’m human but I’m just trying to help people live their best life while being on a low income budget it’s not easy it’s never easy but it is doable.

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Why America’s Got Talent Has a Positive Impact on the disabled community like No Other

America’s Got Talent has had a positive influence on people’s lives. People from all over the world, very talented people from all over the world have come to the show to show off what makes them special.

You can make the argument that America’s Got Talent is the only platform where everybody is equal.

Yeah, people do judge you but not in the way that Society does with everybody. Looking at it from an outsider’s perspective, watching at home on my TV contestants may be competing against one another but they all support one another.

The one thing that I love as a person with a disability is seeing people with disabilities represented like no other show sitcom, talk show, or what have you.

This past season of America Got Talent was well-represented by people with disabilities.

Every year there has been at least one person with a disability representing the disability community.

However, 2023 was different meaning the amount of talent that came from the disability community was outstanding.

There have been five comedians four singers and one guy born without legs who has done amateur wrestling, he has also done wheelchair racing for track and field, learned how to play drums, and has done MMA. He won his first fight.

Codi Lee won America Got Talent in 2019, the 14th season of America Got Talent. Now he’s got his show in Vegas and won $10000. What makes Codi so cool is that he’s blind and autistic yet still sings and plays the piano.

In the season that just ended Putri Ariani who is also blind and blue judges away when she plays piano ultimately winning the golden buzzer.

Simply put America Got Talent is one of the leaders for helping people with disabilities reach their dreams regardless if they win or not.

The rest of the world could learn what America’s Got Talent has done for the disabled community.