POSTIVE THOUGHTS MEAN POSTIVE CHANGES

I can no longer afford to keep Lucie. I have decided to give her away because it will be better for both of us. I will have the opportunity to meet the people who are taking her before I give her away. 

the good news is that they will bring her to see me I won't lose total contact with her. 

I am about to lose my van. I will have to learn to get around using transportation services for the disabled, 

I am going to apply for Medicaid. With all these upcoming changes in my life, my emotions are getting the best of me.

Why am I telling you all of this? 

To make sure that you know if you are disabled it's okay to be dependent on others for your daily needs. It doesn't matter how much or how little you can do for yourself, Being dependent does not mean you are inferior to others. Being dependent does not make you a bad person. You are worthy.

It's how you think and how you feel about yourself that is important. There will always be people ready to point out your limitations. 

Focus on your strengths. You have thoughts and ideas. You have something to offer your community.

Focus on the positive things in your life. You'll be surprised at what happens.

ENOUGH

One of my caregivers was fired for mentally abusing me. It's true, she used threats and intimidation to, for lack of a better term, keep me in line. Threatening to call my family if I didn't go to bed when she thought I should, threatening to abandon me and asking if I wanted the police to come to help me, threatening to drop me to the floor and call an ambulance if I didn't stand up when my knee was hurt. I knew the things she said were inappropriate, but I was used to it, used to her. I didn't want someone new in my home. On her last night, when those in the office heard her yelling at me and she was replaced, I began to wonder how many other clients she had treated this way? How many others had put up with her treatment as I had? How could the agency not have known?

Two weeks ago, I couldn't wake up a fill-in caregiver. Turns out, the caregiver could not hear well and that was the reason I had difficulty waking her up. Again, how could the agency not have known this? 

I know that agencies run background checks. I think more needs to be done. Perhaps monthly home visits by someone from an agency to make sure things are going well in the client's home. I had someone from my agency visit me after the caregiver had been fired. They wanted to make sure I was satisfied with the care I am receiving. Why did it take a caregiver to be accused of abuse to have someone visit me to ask how things were going in my home?

There needs to be better monitoring of the staff who work in agencies  Don't wait until a crisis has occurred to put changes into effect.  I am asking that those who work for agencies remember that the people they serve deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. Those in charge should ask themselves,, Is this how I'd want to live? Is this how I'd want to be treated? If one person in charge would stop and ask themselves these questions, it would be the first step towards a cycle of change.

INDEPENDENCE IS A STATE OF MIND

This week I begin the process of looking into skilled nursing facilities. I am grateful for my family's help to find the right place. I don't want to go on government assistance and end up in a Medicaid bed in a facility.

What scares me the most, other than leaving the only home I have ever known,, is losing my independence not being able to get out and do the things I enjoy doing. Losing the ability to make decisions.

I am dependent on others for assistance with almost every aspect of daily living. Yet, I think of myself as an independent person. 

I was talking to a friend/ I told her that I fear losing my independence if I move into a facility. My friend told me that independence is a state of mind. It's how you conduct yourself and how self-assured you are. .If you act in a way that lets people around you know you deserve to be treated with respect and dignity, you will be.

Independence should not be measured in terms of how much assistance someone needs, but, in how they think, and their ability to make well-thought-out decisions.

I want to blog more. I want to help others through my writing. I would like to still contribute to the community by volunteering again. 

I am still the same person,. The only thing that's changing is my address. 

D2K, WHAT A NIGHT

May 20th is Cher's birthday. However, the date has an additional significance for me now. It is the day I sprained my knee. I heard something crack in my knee as my caregiver put me back in my chair. Between the loud crack I heard and the pain I felt, whatever had happened, I knew it wasn't good.

You'll say my priorities weren't in the right place. Yes, I was worried about my knee, but I was also concerned that the diagnosis would keep me from seeing Cher's Dressed to Kill Tour on June 4th. I've had my tickets since last October. I didn't want to miss a concert I had been waiting for over nine months to see.

Thankfully, my knee was not broken. It was just badly sprained. Cher and D2K were still on.

 I'd been tweeting Cher and her friend Paulette daily in hopes of either meeting Paulette or Cher.  I also have a friend on Twitter who is friends with Paulette. I got the surprise of my life when I received an email asking about the location of our seats. Every diehard Cher fan knows that if Paulette asks where you're sitting, it either means you are meeting one or both of them.

The weeks passed. My knee hurt, but I knew nothing would keep me from seeing Cher.

The morning .of the concert, I received an email from my friend on Twitter saying Paulette would definitely come by and say hello to us. Since I was on bed rest until it was time to get ready for the concert, I called my friend, JoAnn who was going to the concert with me. "Paulette's coming by to see us," I told her. I still had hopes of meeting Cher too. Whatever happened, I knew it would be a night to remember. I sent JoAnn on a mission to get gifts for Cher.

Before I knew it we were on our way to the concert venue. It was exciting to see all the fans waiting to go inside. We found our seats and had only been there a few minutes when someone said, "Hi, are you, Joanne? I'm Paulette." JoAnn had gotten a beautiful bouquet of white roses and pink lilies as well as a box of chocolate truffles because she'd read online that white roses and lilies are Cher's favorite flowers. She likes chocolate too. Paulette told me Cher was busy backstage and a meet and greet were not possible that night. Paulette said Cher knew about me and that she would take my gifts backstage to her. We took pictures and then it was time for Paulette to go. She stopped to talk with other fans. As she was leaving. I heard her say, "Bye Joanne."

Cyndi Lauper sang many songs from her She's So Unusual album. The album is thirty years old this year. Cyndi really connects with the audience. What impressed me most was how she went out into the audience, shaking hands with as many people as she could.  Cher could not have chosen a better performer to open for her.

Cher was amazing. From costumes to songs, to special effects, Cher did not disappoint. I loved the entire show. I especially liked the circus introduction to Gypsies, Tramps, and Thieves. Cher sang The Beat Goes On and I Got  You, Babe, With Sonny. Watching her sing with a video of Sonny was very moving. Seeing her suspended and fly over the audience while singing I Hope You Find It was awesome.

Several days later, I received an email from Paulette saying how much Cher liked my gifts. I look at that email now and still can't believe it.

Thank you, Jill, Paulette, JoAnn, Gary, and Cher for giving me a night I'll never forget.








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THE LOVE AND EMOTIONS ARE REAL

I went out for the afternoon. Lucie is old and sick. I was going to be gone for several hours, I left Lucie with my neighbor. My neighbor loves Lucie and Lucie loves her. I knew she’d be okay. 

During the afternoon, I wondered how Lucie was doing. Was she barking too much? Was she crying to come home as she’d done in the past? Was she having accidents in my neighbor's house? I tried to push these thoughts from my mind, but they kept coming back.

I couldn't wait to see Lucie. We even went to eat at a restaurant close to my house so we'd get home faster. 

When we got to my neighbor's house to pick Lucie up my neighbor said she'd bring her home later that evening. It got later and later and my neighbor still had not brought Lucie home.

Finally, my neighbor called to ask if I wanted her to keep Lucie overnight. She knows my caregivers are not required to care for Lucie. My neighbor wanted to give my caregiver a break. I was not sure about this as Lucie had never been away from home overnight, but I agreed.

We had a thunderstorm during the night. I worried about Lucie because she's afraid of storms.

My neighbor called this morning. Lucie had done none of the things I had worried about. She had been the perfect dog.

Lucie is home now. asleep on the floor next to my bed. Her presence keeping me company as I type this.

I expected her to want to jump into my lap, so happy to be home, but she barely acknowledged me. Perhaps it was because my neighbor had dog treats.

After my neighbor left, Lucie went to her spot in my room. She knew she was home.

I  realized our separation was a lot harder on me than it was on Lucie. I was the one who was a wreck. She was fine. 

A mother worries and wants their child to be able to handle being away from home. It doesn't matter if you're mothering a child or a furry friend. The love and emotions are the same.

I will never have the experience of parenting a child. I am sure it is very from looking after a pet. Lucie has given me the opportunity to experience emotions that I may not have had the opportunity to experience were it not for her.  Fo that I am grateful   

Have a safe and happy Mother's Day.

MY BUCKET LIST 2014

I saw this story on the talk show, Katie, this morning/ It's the story of nine-year-old Ben Pierce who is gradually losing his sight. They don't know when but they know it's coming. His parents are trying to give him as many experiences as they can so that when the inevitable happens, Ben will always be able to see the experiences through his mind's eye. Katie gave him a fun-filled day in New York City as well as other surprises/

 If we knew we were going to lose our sight or were told we had a terminal illness, what would we want to do or see? What would be important to us?

I started a bucket list. There are only three items on it.

1. To have an article published in a magazine
2. To visit California again
3. To see Cher in concert again

My list isn't very long. The things I thought of seemed inconsequential.

I depend on others all the time. I think a good entry for me would be to try and help others in some way.

 I'd, want to do help all homeless, abused and neglected dogs. I would love to volunteer at the Humane Society. I can't give money, but I can give love.

Writing a bucket list motivates you. It makes you think about what's really important to you.

I hope that Ben Pierce gets to do as many things as he can before his vision fails. He'll have plenty of pictures to view in his mind's eye. Plenty of memories.

 What's on your bucket list?

EMAIL FRUSTRATIONS

I only type with one finger. Staying signed in to my email account is a lot easier for me. I have had the same email provider for a very long time and never had an issue. Periodically, I would have to sign in again, but that was no problem, I would just re-enter my password. Everything was fine. Until this past month.

I was prompted to verify who I was by retyping my password. I did. I was told what I had typed was incorrect. I tried several times. I changed my password and thought everything would be fine.

I enjoy composing and sending emails on my Kindle.  I type slower and have to proofread them really well because I make more errors. I like to sit at my kitchen table and send emails. That proved to be a problem because when I tried to enter the new password on my Kindle my email provider wouldn't recognize it.

I tried every password I'd ever used. Eventually, I got locked out of my own account. Twice. I guess they thought I was a hacker. I found a toll-free number, called, and was going to explain my situation, but all I got was a busy signal. I envisioned a future of being locked out of my own email account once a month forever. I was very frustrated. I called my internet service provider. They were of no help.

I have switched email providers and things are fine with my Kindle and email I have a problem with an update not installing. I'm thankful that I have family and friends to assist me with computer issues.

I love my laptop. it allows me to stay in touch with friends and family, play games, and do research for stories. But when there is a problem I sometimes feel like throwing it out the window.

I have tremendous respect for those who can diagnose technical computer issues and fix them.

YOU ROCK!!!

Last week I had a new caregiver for two days. This is always stressful for me as I do not adapt to change well. I have had the same three caregivers for several years. .They are used to me and I am used to them. We work well together.

When I have had a new caregiver in the past, the agency has allowed the new caregiver to stop by my home so that one of my regular caregivers can show them how to transfer me as well as other things that need to be done for me. This was not done last week, although I was assured by the agency that the new caregiver could perform the type of transfer I needed. I was told by the office, "She's the best worker we have." I prayed that she was

The caregiver would not take direction from me at all. She would not do a transfer where she would assist me in standing up and I pivoted. She lifted me up out of my chair and placed me on the toilet.  I told her again and again she'd hurt herself if she continued to physically pick me up as she was doing. Sure enough, by the end of the day, she was complaining that her back hurt.

A person who's disabled knows what works best when someone is assisting them. Caregivers should be open to taking direction from their clients. And, clients should be open to trying new ways of doing things.

If you are a temporary caregiver, ask your client if there is anything they'd like for you to do. Please don't use the excuse of, "I'm just filling in. I don't know the routine," then watch TV and make plans for the weekend on your phone. A client's house needs to be clean. it doesn't matter if your a temporary caregiver or not, the client's needs still need to be met.

 Never fail to appreciate your caregivers. Never take them for granted. I have three of the best caregivers. They help me and Lucie in any way they can. We'd be lost without them.

A LONG, HARD ROAD

When I started Meramec Community College, in nineteen seventy-six, offices for the disabled didn't exist. There was one counselor for the disabled. I went to him for a while. When got into the Human Services Program, I no longer needed his assistance. 

I was responsible for taking my own class notes (I transcribed them from a tape recorder.) and making sure I was given extra time if I needed it when taking tests  

There were no automatic doors and elevator buttons were out of my reach which meant I was always waiting for someone to either open a door or push a button for me. The college did have a campus nurse who helped me to the bathroom during the day. My time as a student at Meramec was one of the happiest in my life. The faculty and staff supported and assisted students with disabilities long before it was required by law.

I obtained my Bachelor's Degree in Human Services from Fontbonne University. I was the first student ever to use a power chair. A ramp was put in at the entrance to one of the buildings. There wasn't a nurse available, so I had to find someone to assist me during the day. The secretary from Student Services helped me whenever I needed it. 

By the time I got to Fontbonne, I had discovered carbon paper. On the first day of class, I would go up to someone, introduce myself, and ask if they'd mind using the carbon paper so I could a copy of their notes. I made some good friends in the process too. 

I was in a dual enrollment program with Fontbonne and The George Warren Brown School of Social Work at Washington University. I was only on campus at Fontbonne for a year because, in my senior year at Fontbonne, I began working on my Masters at Wash U. The credit counted for both degrees.

 I wouldn't say that Meramec and Fontbonne were difficult schools, frustrating at times maybe, but not hard. The title of this post definitely describes my years at Wash U. The school made it clear they didn't want me as a  student.

My first advisor said he'd rather see me fail than help me. I registered early so that all my classes could be moved to the only two classrooms on the first floor. a ramp was put in so that could actually get to the first floor from inside the door. Changes were made in one of the restrooms to accommodate my chair The first year I could get to the Student Center. The second-year construction work was being done and I was unable to safely get there. In between classes, I was in a little room used by part-time faculty I studied because there was nowhere else to go. I was isolated and alone most of the time, that last year. In my last semester, I took four of the most difficult courses because my first advisor failed to tell me about them. They almost did me in. A dean tried to put me at the end of the line for graduation, but my second advisor intervened.

I think it's important to remind young people with disabilities things weren't always the way they are now. Services weren't provided. Schools could tell you they didn't want you. You had to find ways to get what you needed on your own. Sometimes I think the ADA makes it too easy. I'm glad I had to find ways to get the things I needed on campus myself. I think it made me stronger.

KEEP ON DREAMING

I have been having difficulty coming up with meaningful blog posts topics. I thought about writing about getting a new laptop and my struggles in going from Windows XP to  Windows 8.1. I wrote approximately two paragraphs and was bored, so I knew you would be too. I thought about writing about how professional my caregivers were in getting Lucie and me to a safe place in my house during the storms last week. But then I remembered I'd been there and done that. I even thought about writing about updating my resume, but who wants to read about something as mundane as that?

Then, I had an idea. Cher will be making a stop in St. Louis in June during her Dressed to Kill Tour or as she calls it her, "Farewell, Farewell Tour." I'm going to try to get a letter to her. One of Cher's friends is on Twitter. I plan to tweet her daily in hopes of getting a reply. 
I figure her friend will either reply or block me. I couldn't write about that. No one would take me seriously as a writer. You'd all stop reading my blog immediately

What I can write about is that dreams don't always have to be sensible. Sometimes you can go after something just because you want to. Because it would make you happy. So what, if people think your dream is silly. It's not their dream, it's yours. I encourage you to dream outside of the box once in a while. Your dreams don't always have to change the world. Sometimes all that matters is that they are important to you.

"Just remember that without our dreams we'd be dead. "  Grace told me that.

I plan to make the concert the best night I have had since my mom died. if I am able to get a letter to Cher, it will make it even more special.

LISTEN TO YOUR MOTHER

This past Tuesday I had the privilege of auditioning to be part of a national show celebrating mothers and motherhood in the form of the spoken word. The show is called Listen To Your Mother. It is performed in thirty-two cities across the country. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2nd-annual-listen-to-your-mother-st-louis-tickets-10716877469

When I submitted my piece for consideration I did not think I'd be chosen to audition. Needless to say, I was overwhelmed when I was selected to be part of this amazing show. Sadly, I didn't think it through very well. Arranging caregivers and hours would have been too difficult especially on the day of the show, so I declined the offer. I want to thank Ellie, Laura, and Naomi for allowing me to audition and for thinking my story was good enough. I wish things could have worked out differently. .I encourage all of you to get tickets for the show on May 10th. You won't be disappointed.

It was suggested to me that I post my submission piece here. Since it will soon be four years since my mother's passing that seemed like a good way to mark the upcoming anniversary of her death.

SHE NEVER GAVE UP

My mother was a hard worker. Raising three sons and a daughter with a disability was no easy task. Along with doing all the things a mother is responsible for, she also worked with my father in our family’s grocery store. My father worked hard to provide for us but did little around the house. It was a different time. Men weren't as enlightened as they are today. They didn't know it was okay to help with household chores. My grandmother helped as much as she could by babysitting me and doing some of the cooking. Even with my grandmother’s help, my mother still had a lot on her plate. She never complained.

Once my parents learned I had Cerebral Palsy there were doctor visits and physical therapy sessions. My physical therapy was to be done at home too. I’m sure mom was tired by the end of the day, but she did my limb stretching anyway. She never complained.

When I was seven I joined the Girl Scouts. Mom would leave the store and meet my bus at a stop along the route so that I wouldn’t be late for the meetings. She never complained. And, when I was eleven, I was in Shriners Hospital for over three months. Mom only missed one day visiting me and on the day she was unable to visit me in person she sent a card.

In 1970 my father died. It was an unimaginable loss to our family. My two oldest brothers were grown and out of the house. I was twelve and my brother Bob was fifteen. Mom still had to put us through school. I’m sure she was scared and wondered how she’d do it. She never complained. She got a job at my school after having volunteered there. My brother and I both got our degrees.

My mother did what she had to so that we had what we needed and most of the things we wanted. It didn’t matter if she had to get up before six in the morning so that she could drive me to my college classes and make it to work on time. Or that she had to spend her entire Sunday afternoon typing the final draft of a term paper I’d written. I only type with one finger and it was before the age of computers. She did it and never complained.

Mom broke her hip after falling when she got up because I had to use the bathroom. She managed to go upstairs to get a crutch and try to help me. She couldn't and I had to call 911. When the paramedics arrived the first thing she said was, “My daughter has to go to the bathroom. Would you help her?" They did. When she was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2005, she showed the same spirit. Mom did well after surgery and we thought she’d beaten it, but in 2009, the Cancer returned. Even after being placed on Hospice, Mom tried to do as much around the e as she could as well as making sure caregivers did everything for us the way she would have done it. When she couldn't do things herself anymore she supervised.

My mother passed away on March 30, 2010. She was almost ninety-two years old. She taught me to work hard and never give up.

Happy Mother’s Day Mom, I love you

ONE TWEET AT A TIME

I saw this story on our local news this morning

http://www.ksdk.com/story/news/2014/03/04/fort-zumwalt-south-get-andrew-honerkamp-on-espn-sportscaster-twitter/6030551/

It's the story of how students at a local area high school organized a twitter campaign to help a fellow student realize his dream of being on ESPN'S Sports Center. Andrew's goal is to be a sports broadcaster. What makes this story unique is that their classmate, Andrew Honerkamp, has Cerebral Palsy. He is unable to participate in sports but loves to watch them 

A big shout out Andrew's classmates for supporting him and trying to make his dream a reality. I have no doubt that it will happen. I am happy that Andrew has such a support system in his classmates and school.

This story illustrates why inclusion and mainstreaming are so important to children and young people with disabilities. Not only for academics but for socialization and acceptance as well. When I was in high school we were not given many positive messages. We were not encouraged to dream or set goals for ourselves because I doubt our teachers thought we could achieve them. I'm so glad it is not that way today.

I encourage anyone with a twitter account to tweet at #ANDREWONSPORTSCENTER and show your support for Andrew. If you don't have a twitter account, sign up. 

The top 10 reasons that Andrew should on ESPN;

 ttps://www.ksdk.com/article/news/local/classmates-share-top-10-reasons-why-andrew-should-be-on-espn/282205986

Come on everyone. Tweet.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY COLIN

Imagine being a young boy with disabilities that cause you to act out in class. Your classmates don't like you. You eat lunch in an office at school every day rather than having another student be forced to eat lunch with you. And, when your mom asks you about celebrating your birthday with a party, you tell her there is no point because you have no friends. This is the case for Colin.  

To have others send positive messages and birthday wishes to her son, his mom created this Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/Coliniseleven Collin is now receiving messages from all over the world.  Great news. Why then, does it bother me?

This is 2014. I thought children would have been taught a little more about compassion and accepting others for who they are. Children need to be taught and shown by example that we are all unique and special people with gifts to offer the world. 

Before I attended my first Girl Scout meeting the troop leader prepared the girls for my arrival the following week. I don't know what she told them, all I know is that my time as a Girl Scout was one of the happiest times in my life. The girls accepted me without question and always found a way to include me in whatever they were doing.

The last time I wrote a post on inclusion http://confessionsofadisableddiva.blogspot.com/2012/11/inclusion-is-beautiful-thing.html I received comments about how difficult it can be to have a child with special needs in the classroom. That it took time away from the other children. I know teaching is a difficult job. You have large classes of students who all need and deserve the best education possible. All I'm suggesting is that if children have a classmate with special needs perhaps teachers could have a lesson on compassion and acceptance. so that a child with special needs can feel they are not a valued member of the class.

.I was saddened by the fact that Colin's mother had to create a Facebook page to ensure that her son would receive birthday wishes for his birthday on March 9th. I hope you'll all wish Colin a happy birthday. I hope that next year a Facebook page won't be needed, I pray that he'll have friends to celebrate his birthday with.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY COLIN!

MY JOURNEY TO WRITING

I have a  Masters in Social Work. If anyone had told me, when I was in college, that I would end up being the author of a children's book, a blogger as well as a columnist for a local newspaper, I would not have believed them. 

I wanted to be a Medical Social Worker. In graduate school, I did an internship at a local children's hospital. The hospital was sharing a social worker with another children's hospital that served children with disabilities.  My supervisor hoped I would be offered the position after graduation. Sadly, I had no work experience and since the hospital wanted someone with two years of work experience, I knew I wouldn't get the job.

When it became clear to me that a position in social work would not be in my future I began volunteering in the data processing lab at the community college I had attended. Volunteering in the lab led to my developing classes in Word and Windows that I taught, on an individualized basis (part-time) through the Continuing Education Department. I retired in 2005.

While I was teaching I audited a class in creative writing. I enjoyed the class and decided I wanted to try to write a romance novel in which the heroine had a disability and used a power chair. I was having difficulty finishing the novel. It just wasn't coming together. A friend, who taught preschool, asked if I would write children's stories for her class.  I began writing my Bianca Bear stories and, in 2010, my book The Busy World of Bianca Bear was published.

I began blogging by writing a blog featuring more of my Bianca stories. A year and a half ago, I started a second blog called Confessions of a Disabled Diva which focuses on raising disability awareness.

 I have been a contributor to the West End Word online for a year now. I am very pleased that my columns will now run monthly in their print edition as well. I will continue to raise awareness regarding the issues people with disabilities face  I hope you'll want to continue on my journey with me.

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I WANNA WATCH TV

Several weeks ago, I received a recorded phone message alerting me that my cable company was going to all-digital programming effective January 14th. This meant that I would need a second digital box for the small TV in my kitchen. The message went on to explain my options for getting additional boxes. They could either (a) mail the box and installation kit to me and I would be responsible for installing the box or (b) I could pick a box up from one of their offices. I knew neither option would work for me.

I called the next morning. After listening to the friendly automated voice for several minutes, and getting nowhere, I was finally connected to an agent. The agent went through the same options I had heard the night before. I explained that I was disabled and was unable to install the box myself I told the agent I thought the installation should be free since it was something the company was forcing me to do. After several minutes of discussion, the agent said they would make a notation and I would receive a free box for one year, a free installation by a technician, and a replacement remote for my larger TV. I was told to call to schedule the installation appointment.

Last week, I called to schedule the appointment. I told the agent what I had been promised the previous week. The second agent informed me that the installation was thirty dollars.  The only way to get free installation was to have six or more boxes installed and a replacement remote would cost eleven dollars. I was very angry. (Last fall the company tried to charge me forty-five dollars when a technician had to come out because the cable wire fell due to wind. I refused to pay and the charge was waived.) It was finally agreed upon that I'd pay the one time thirty dollar installation charge.  I would get two new boxes and remotes. One box free for a year. Getting two new boxes meant I didn't have to pay for a replacement remote.

The technician came out this morning. The technician had a problem with the installation and had to call the office for assistance.  Everything's working now.

Not everyone is capable of picking up a kit and doing an installation. Even technicians have difficulty.  If someone is disabled or elderly and on a fixed income,  charges for a tech to come out should be waived. TV providers charge enough. Watching TV may be the only enjoyment some people with disabilities have.  Don't make it harder for us to get it.

EXTRA, EXTRA READ ALL ABOUT IT

You may remember, back in November, I submitted an op-ed piece to the St.  Louis Post Dispatch, on the Cost of Living Adjustment for 2014. Last week, it was published.  If you'd like to read it click on the link below.

http://www.stltoday.com/news/opinion/columns/higher-increases-for-social-security-are-much-needed/article_36b81c48-c746-5ecb-8518-a3a68a8397cc.html

Many of my blog posts have a recurring theme. Never give up on your dreams. The publication of my editorial signifies that I'm one step closer to achieving my goal of becoming a freelance writer. Never give up. You can achieve your goals.

HOPE

My wish for you in 2014 is that you have a year filled with hope and promise.  Hope that you will succeed in most, if not all, of your endeavors. and those that you don't, succeed at, you learn from. The year is a year filled with more positives for you than negatives. Only listen to people who focus on the things you can do.  Focus on what you can do. Do your best, and keep trying. Never give up hope that you will be successful in life.  

You may not have a lot of money, but if you treat others with dignity, and respect and are never judgmental, you will have achieved success more valuable than monetary wealth.

I hope the year holds the promise of good things for you. Never give up hope.  Never give up on your dreams. 

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!