Five-Star Disability

Hey readers!

And so, I am doing several changes and then some more… Downgraded my site, and everything is groovy!

So, I want to tell you about my evening two weeks ago… Yes, I am that far behind!

My amazing wife had a class one Thursday night; I had to cook for my boys.  I do enjoy it, yet sometimes things happen that are beyond my control!

I wanted to make Waffles, and followed the recipe on the box, yet somehow this crap got stuck to the waffle press!  Ugh!

So, I told my sons, we are going to FreshSlice for Pizza!

We use ASL, and clearly understand each other at FreshSlice just fine! There was no problems at all!

Then, on way home, I decided that I wanted a nice cup of coffee from Starbucks, I informed my boys “I want a coffee, you can wait outside.”  But they followed me in, and asked, nicely, if they could have a snack.  I said “Sure, pick something.”

Now, while they were picking a snack, I was trying to figure out the special drink menu, which changes every week or so.  There was no countertop advertisement on daily drink specials.  So, I tried to use my phone camera to see the chalkboard menu behind the counter.  I have done this with success at various restaurants!  As mentioned, it was a chalkboard, which was already impossible to see!  So I abandoned that camera and told the guy “Tall Blonde,” and I am not sure what he said… So I said it again, “Tall Blonde!”  He said something again, but I guess he cottoned on and got me a tall blonde, and the lady was quite upset!

Oh sorry!  I just had to say that!  A little fun!

But seriously, there are three parts of my Five-Star Disability in play here!

• My vision, I could not see the menu, nor lipread
• My hearing, I could not hear his replies, and I never never verbally ask questions like: “What are your specials today?” because…
• My ataxia, slurs my speech and makes it very difficult for the average person to understand me.  Heck, my own wife of 17 years cannot clearly understand me!  Oh and then there is the Walk of Dribbling Coffee, in which I would spill quite a bit between the counter and the service area!  Which is due to ataxia and gait!
• Actually, I think that Walk of Dribble is more of a Pes Cavus thing, or Areflexia?  Or both?

So, after getting my coffee, and lid, we three walked home!  I left with my head high, but I hope that no one was judging me for being who I am, without actually knowing why.  While I was doing the Walk of Dribble, a guy stopped to watch, I don’t know if he said “Can I help?” or “Hey, watch what you are doing!”

My wife has told me that people often, constantly, say things in passing me that I cannot hear… mostly are degrading or judging!  Please stop this!

I got my kids fed, home and safe!  That is something!