Tuesday, June 29, 2021

Valuing ourselves adds value to our community

      

  Photo: Postmedia Network


      Though my physical presence is not often felt in my community nor was it in the community where I previously lived, I do believe that I am of value — from a distance. I use my voice, via my writing, to share what it means to be differently able and how that impacts  those who are and how we conduct ourselves as we carve out a niché that meets our needs, whether in the short or long term. How we live our lives, in our differentness, is noticed, though perhaps not commented about. Perhaps we’ve influenced the thinking and behaviour of others and will never know about it. Are we supposed to?


According to Martin H. Fischer, a German born and educated physician, “a machine has value only as it produces more than it consumes — so check your value to the community.”


Having been a people watcher from the time I could sit up unaided and explore my world, crawling around before walking became a milestone, I saw boys and girls, men and women, making their way through days, weeks and years, seeming to question their own  worth based on the value, perceived or otherwise, of other people. Frankly, that’s self-defeating and wastes time that could have been spent pulling out the best of ourselves through study, reading, writing,  speaking, sharing.


The word community is, without question, central to human experience. Being part of an engaging community gives us a sense of belonging, enabling us to share a relatedness and support continued personal growth and the growth of others. We are also growing in communion with our environment which leads us to a greater understanding of why it is so important to be WE people.  As best as we are able, we participate, making contact with other human beings; to deny that need diminishes ourselves.


So often we hear people say they ‘wouldn’t want to live like that’, when seeing a person like me or those with even more involved challenges to daily living, yet they embrace the lives of the likes of the Kardashians and the Hollywood ilk. What seems to be ignored is the notion that  people living lives like the  Kardashians may actually be struggling more than I ever will. Many of them fill up their lives with ‘stuff’ because they have the financial resources to do so. The excesses are significant compared to how ‘regular’ people live on so much less money. Then they must contend with hangerson who attach to them simply because they have money. 


Folks in my world don’t have to worry about whether they’re valued for the tangibles in life or the money they may have. In my world, those who have more than they need or want, are very generous in their gifting to their community and beyond, often preferring to be anonymous in their lifting up of those who may need a little extra. Through that very practice of ‘silent partnering’ they are letting the recipient of their gift know that they are, indeed, valued.


We often hear that children learn by example. The same is true of adults, all grown up and out in the world, working, studying, making their way. Many grew up and out of circumstances that tested their resolve; they could have given up but they didn’t because they learned from a few significant people in their world that they are of value and as they grew and matured into their place in the world, they would know it.


Those who struggled to prove they are of value are often the very ones who will extend a hand to lift up another. Naysayers are locked onto the notion that the rich and powerful will always value money and how they can make more to acquire more ‘stuff’. Yes, there are many, with ‘celebrity status’ who thrive on the spotlight and their wealth, often flaunting it, sometimes to their detriment. They’re effectively diminishing their value with their attention seeking. Their ‘best by’ date will come. Then what?


Sadly, some people go into debt to create a facade to boost self-worth; alas, the interest that must be paid back puts a huge stress on daily living — living something that’s not true about  them. Faces and bodies change with age and we must accept that as part of the reality of who we are and what we are meant to be. Contributing our time and attention  to our community is a tangible way we can add value to ourselves and to others. Think about what that means.


Our value comes down to self-acceptance;  how we regard ourselves in spite of what others may say or do. BE and DO for YOU first.


Carla MacInnis Rockwell is a freelance writer and disability rights advocate living outside Fredericton, NB with Miss Lexie, a rambunctious Maltese and Mr. Malcolm, the boisterous Havanese. She can be reached via email at Carla MacInnis Rockwell

Tuesday, June 15, 2021

Ordinary illnesses can be extraordinarily dangerous for those living with disabilities

        

Photo: Brunswick News Archives


        It’s been over a month since I had two teeth extracted; the healing process is slow going and I now understand why. Living with hypothyroidism impacts oral/dental health with regard to wound healing and wound care.  Armed with that knowledge, I stepped up cleansing protocols with a few extra  daily salt water swishes and added an extra round of vitamins and minerals to improve mouth and gum health. Given my age, my gums are in good shape; I wasn’t advised of any concerns by my dentist.


Thyroid problems interfere with the body’s capacity to heal wounds and fight off infection so those with thyroid conditions are often higher risk for gum disease.  Given my since-childhood aversion to dentists, I am almost OCD about oral health care with the brushing, dental rinse, and soap not toothpaste. I wasn’t able to easily floss because of the exaggerated gag reflex but a nifty gadget I got years ago, the Oral-B Hummingbird, now off market helped me a lot. I could put one hand on the sink counter and use the flosser with the other; no gag-choke reflex triggered. Knowing at the time, I’d love it, I got a bunch of the toothpicks and flosser heads. I’m all set for a few years until they decide to re-introduce the product, though Water-Pik does have have something comparable.


So concerned was I that I was drifting into an infection with my recent dentist visit that I consulted with my doctor who provided a script to address the issue.  Living on my own, I didn’t want to find myself in a medical crisis when it could be avoided with intervention. Thankfully, my stepped up proactivity precluded the need to start the course of antibiotics. I panicked prematurely. Since they’re broad spectrum, the prescribed antibiotics are also indicated for lung infections, so if I find myself feeling ‘chesty’, I able to treat immediately. 


These COVID times alter how we who live with disability must function in order to maintain a level of quality health care, either self-driven or with supports from doctors and other clinicians. I’ve spent decades making  my way around growing up with and growing old with CP, and how I function when invaded by infection. I’m fortunate to have had and continue to have a doctor who allows himself to learn from me. Very often, the bodies of persons with CP respond differently to infections; some don’t fare well unless aggressive treatment protocols are introduced early. Sometimes, hospitalizations are indicated, but the best course is to stay the heck away from those ‘germ factories’; we’re at great risk with each admission. Doctors must pay attention when a patient presenting with situations that would be ‘simple’ for everyone else, but significantly debilitating for someone already compromised by deficiencies in how the body functions generally. A tooth issue may be more than just an aching pearly white. It might be a matter of the heart.


Those with an underactive thyroid tend to experience a greater occurrence of dental cavities, tooth sensitivity, bleeding gums, and even decaying molars. I had no sensitive teeth, no bleeding gums, but I did have decaying molars. Over decades, the fillings simply fell apart and the tooth structure degraded to the point where  extraction was the only viable solution. Through it all, I never had a single moment of pain. I was so fortunate in that regard.

 

Thyroid disease, hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism, are often hereditary, so if you have a family member who is being treated with medication to manage hormone imbalance, it would be prudent for you to ask your doctor about blood work.  One family member might have a thyroid disorder and diabetes, while another may have only diabetes. That’s why it’s so importance to seek proper medical advice if you are presenting with symptoms often associated with thyroid disease. Notable among them: elevated heart rate, tiredness, anxiety, weight gain or loss, tremors, running hot or cold, difficulty concentrating, hair loss, digestive issues, muscle aches, sleep issues, dry or oily skin, changes in vision (blurry, gritty feeling).


Keeping up with routine tests and discussions with your physician can potentially save you from serious crises. Make sure to have a conversation with your physician if you’re concerned about inherited conditions and diseases to get ahead of them. Sometimes, ‘doctor drugs’ may not be necessary and an adjustment in diet is all you need. So, have a salad. A glass of water on the side!


Carla MacInnis Rockwell is a freelance writer and disability rights advocate living outside Fredericton, NB with Miss Lexie, a rambunctious Maltese and Mr. Malcolm, the boisterous Havanese. She can be reached via email at Carla MacInnis Rockwell