Hand writing - a dying art.

For those of you who read my blog regularly, you will know that I have hemiparesis on my left side. In the past 10 months, I have worked really hard at building my strength back into my left side and compensating with my right side so that it is not noticeable.

In so many ways now, it is not noticeable. My gross motor skills and strength are excellent. I am possibly the best in my job (and most humble!) at manual handling skills - and by manual handling, I am referring to human beings. Some of the boys are a bit better than me, but for quite a short girl with a slightly weird walk - I am pretty good and I own those skills. I always passed driving requirements, medically speaking.

With my fine motor skills, I am still working on them. I think I am dropping things less than I did. My arm prefers to be bent and my wrist dropped. This is still true, but it is less so than it was. I am working on putting on make up. I am doing this for two reasons.
1) Fine Motor Skills: it's an excellent way to practice my fine motor skills - and just to clarify, I am naturally left handed
2) Self-Esteem. I am not saying you need make up to look and feel good, but in my case I definitely had gotten into a bit of a rut with taking care of myself and this is an exercise that is helping - slowly but surely.

I am also doing activities like straightening my hair - but I am still doing that right handed for the moment, or getting help with them. Slowly but surely.

I had my 21st birthday the other week, and I had a party. It was fun - a clash of different parts of my life, and it was rather a strange and honouring experience. For those who saw on Facebook, I ended up wearing the sparkly silver flats over the jelly shoes - it was a good compromise that my mum and I came to.

Three Best Friends 

"Other Family" - Charmaine's Family. I had done my own make up but had needed help with my hair.

And I was showered with very generous gifts! It was overwhelming and now I am writing thank you notes to everyone for their kindness and for their attendance.

Secret fact about me: I actually have beautiful hand-writing. It isn't well known. Grandmama and Mama keep looking at shock at how neat my hand-writing is. It is taking me a very, very long time to do. It is very difficult to get them to be so neat. I can only two notes before having to take a break. I find it does not only strain my left hand, but my right hand clenches as well.

But - it's such a sense of achievement for me. I can type a blog post in the space of five minutes, but these 20 or so notes will probably take me a week.

And I am going to do it! Just watch me!

A Possibly Life Changing App for Many: Talkitt

I am often busy and therefore blogging is one of those things that get put on the to-do list, much like vacuuming and mopping, and keep getting bumped down for other things - like coffee with friends or getting my hair cut. Yes, side note - for those who don't know, I finally cut off my long locks!

So. that has happened.

But today, as I sit at uni, snacking on nacho cheese flavoured popcorn and scrolling through Facebook I have come across a very interesting and exciting looking app called the Talkitt.

Essentially, the Talkitt takes speech that is seemingly not understandable - from ANY language - and translates it so that it is comprehensible.

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This. Blows. My. MIND.

I am SO keen to see if it works - the video is fairly convincing. I have no idea how it works, but I want to learn. I am the ultimate AAC nerd, yes. But, I am just thinking of my friends who it could help! I have friends who are brighter than their bodies, but I cannot understand what they're saying. Who knows.... maybe this app could revolutionize their lives? Caleigh, over at Caleigh's Corner is quite vocal and her parents can hear verbal language from her at times. Max, over at Love That Max is understood readily at home but imagine how this could be in the community for him? Sophie, at The Butterfly Effect? I don't know how vocal she is, but who knows? Who knows what this app could do? I am keen to see what this app can do. Here is a sneak peek of what it does.

If you are so inclined, there is a campaign going for funding for the app here. I supported it, and if any of my friends are looking to give me a charity gift for my 21st birthday - here is where you should donate!

To the makers of Talkitt, if you are looking for someone to fan-girl all over you - drop me a line. I would be more than happy to fill that position.

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Disability Perks

Disability perks is a phrase that I really stole from John Green, from "The Fault in Our Stars". He talks about cancer perks in it - about the things that people give to children and young people because they have cancer. It's an interesting concept, disability perks - especially when it comes to children.

The other day I went with one of my jobs to Seaworld, with 8 children and 7 workers. Two days later, one worker and I went with two children. It was exhausting. It was great.
It certainly wasn't the place for all of our kids - one of them really had a bad day. He didn't enjoy himself. Others weren't too fussed on Seaworld, and some of them absolutely loved it.

When I talk about disability perks - I am not talking about equal rights. I am not talking about accessible parking or accessible bathrooms. These are not perks - this is equality and basic rights. I'm talking about those little things extra.

I am talking about the people who give the children an extra bag of sweets, because they're in a wheelchair.

I am talking about the people who stop the characters in dress up to take photos with our kids, and shoo away all the "able-bodied" children.

I am talking about the fact that the children with the wheelchairs got the pathways parted for them like the red sea (but not those without the visible disabilities.)

Some people think those perks are sweet and kind. Disability perks kind of get under my skin a bit. I think it is just another marker of society not knowing how to treat people with disabilities and not simply seeing them as children.

But, am I going to actually say no to them?

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