CRONEWAY

TO THE BEACH

Finally beaches are becoming more accessible. I am a great water, beach person and miss getting into lake waters. Walking on the beach is almost impossible for me. Riding my scooter is definitely impossible.
Last week there was an article about a woman in Brooklyn who was able to get to the water over the beach for the first time in 23 years. There is a new heavy duty mat that cities with beaches are installing that make it easy for scooters, wheelchairs, strollers, walkers to gain access up to the water. How wonderful!!!!!!!! The item is called Mobi-Mat and are incredibly expensive so only cities with funding can purchase them. But cities are stepping up and acquiring them. Persons with disabilities who have used these mats are elated that they and others can get closer to the water. Now to have mats along the beach fronts so one can scooter along for miles, or as long as the beach. Or maybe board walks or cement walks close to the beach edge!

PARKING SPACES

I have a Handicap sticker for my car. It is always in the car and when parking I place on the rear vision mirror. Because of gas prices I have not traveled much this spring and summer. When I do it is usually to my PT and exercise. I noticed the other day where I frequently go that the Handicap places have been reduced. I have also noticed that in other areas where I shop, i.e. Whole Foods. What is going on??? There are more SUV's driven by trophy wives and designer babies who park in the spaces orginially designated as HANDICAP! The older and less able to get around on my own I notice that those of us who are less-abled are less acknowledged. Put somewhere out of the mainstream. Are we going backwards in acceptance and public accommodation? I contacted the police department and the rational was that there were too many Handicap spaces and "regular folks" were complaining they had to walk too far! There is no way the merchants can change this. The only way would be to petition frequent shoppers to get the city to notice. So in reality those with NO DISABILITY are more important to the Merchants than Handicap individuals??????????????????

REMEMBERING SUMMER and POLIO

These hot humid days, a little early I may say, bring to mind and to feelings, lethargy, disappointment, pain, and overheating, and a sense of non-belonging.
There is a new book coming out in August by Julie Silver of Harvard Medical School. She has been a great advocate of those of us who had Polio back in the 40's and 50's. This book is a compilation of stories of polio victims. She felt that these voices needed to be heard before the world forgot about polio and Post-Polio Syndrome. I find it admirable that she wrote such a tome. Yet there are many stories that will never be heard or understood if heard. Each of us is unique in our own struggle with polio. Today, for me, working through all of the issues of being a handicap girl in the 50's is time consuming but healing. What will my story say to my children and grandchildren, my friends? Was my struggle easy? What is it like today compared to my early life, living with a handicap? And thus to my feelings today of non-belonging etc.?
I am not a complainer! I deal with what I have today. I do get angry and sad and upset! Hold a lot inside. Wanting to express myself to the world and unfold what is inside to be positive to feel empowered to live this life. I have more to do in this life. I do not know what that is exactly. I have come a long way in working with my disability to the extent that many of my friends do not consider me disabled. Especially since we are all getting older and have our own set of challenges. So I want my voice to be heard, my story told so that .........WHAT? Maybe it is so I accept myself and my own struggles! I will explore more so that I can feel confident when I have to extend myself in public life. I do know that the older I become the more reclusive I become. This has a lot to do with the amount of energy it takes to just go to the grocery store; and the need to remembering the summers of heat, swimming pools, cool libraries, sitting in a wagon and being taken to the Ice Cream Store, the butcher shop where I got dill pickles from a barrel, and coming home to read Nancy Drew mystery's. Not too bad! But alone.