Just 2 Minutes, B.S.

Two wrongs does not make a right, but this had too feel good and made people see what a Mother Father he is.  No way he was there for just "2 minutes"!

State To Require Cameras In Special Ed Classrooms

I don't know about this, is this a live feed for parents? Why should cameras just be in class rooms for #SpecialEd students? It is not like they are the only students being mistreated and their privacy is no lesser than any other student. Really is something was going to happen, it would be be easy to go out of camera rage.

9 First Steps to Student-Directed IEPs

http://blog.brookespublishing.com/9-first-steps-to-student-directed-ieps/

I wonder how old are the students when they start going to‪ IEP‬ meetings? I remember IEP meeting season, everyone goes meets in a room and you know everyone was talking about you, but did not know why. I started to go to IEP meeting when I was 16, but I was ask to attend everyone. Especially in high, I think I only got to go to the last one. It was like you can have input in your goals, but only when we say you can, kind of odd.

There has been a lot of good comments on my Facebook Post!

An Example Why PWDs Get in Bubble

Wifey and I sat out today on our errands and I received a check that I wanted to cash on our way.  To get it cash today we went to the check's bank as I have done before, although I do not have an account with this bank. We made sure that we had two forms of ID and my stamp.

so we found a branch of the  bank in the area that we were in, we get up to the teller and gave her the check and both IDs. We also told her that I could make an X, or stamp the check, but right away she asked if I had a payee rep?  I have been to other branches of this bank and never had a problem although I do not have and account with them. Any other time I would just need to put a thumb print on the check and be done in 5 minutes.  After the third time the teller asked  Wifey about a payee rep. I lost it and loud.  She acted like I was not even there and she could not cash it, I just needed to go to my bank. The bank manager stepped in and I got my money. I am sure the manager knew I was pissed.  I know my actions were not appropriate, but I am just done!  I would rather act liked an asshole  and have my voice heard, be sides everyone remember assholes.

This is why People With Disabilities get in a routine, because once we get a comfort zone we feel respected. That is just want from society, but at the same time it becomes a bubble and becomes limited for resources when there is whole world to explore!

Our beloved puppy, Zarrah had left us too soon.

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We have mourned for a week in solace.  Nothing could give us comfort.  Our beloved puppy, Zarrah had left us too soon.

Many of you know that our animals are equal to a human connection because they have a way of loving you unconditionally.  Zarrah's life began in Mother Earth's playground, Tennessee.  There was a sign on a pick up truck $60. Bulldog/Boxer mix.  We were on vacation and I said oh how cute they must be, should we stop…NOT to buy but to look?  Of course, the rest is history.  We fell in love with her, immediately.  She said farewell to her host parents and even hugged her brother by wrapping her head around his.  The owner sobbed as we drove off, I knew how valuable she was the moment I saw his face.  She was a prize and will always remain this way.

Our 5/6 years together were the BEST.  Long before I could shed a tear, she would always lick them dry and muzzle her face into mine.  The way she comforted me in my darkest hours, I will always be in debt to.

Zarrah had trauma a few years back.  There was a male large dog that had intimidation, it spread fear and domination to both of our dogs.  This vortex of new space/new territory created the perfect storm.  Camden had passed the intimidation to Zarrah, biting her and immediately we went to the Pet ER and had Camden euthanized.  2 years later, Zarrah would chase a fox across the road and got hit by a car.  Again, the Pet ER would rescue her life.  Our critic's would say that is why you leash a dog.  Danny and Zarrah had a bond that was so special, especially on those long walks.  As you know wheelchairs aren't friendly to dog leashes (perhaps an invention we need to invest in).  These two life traumatic events, forever changed her.  She started to get very paranoid and would be on high alert, every single noise was intimidating to her.  Especially visitors, the uncertainty.  I suppose she felt she wanted to protect us at all costs.

We would get a new puppy to give Zarrah a new found purpose, being a surrogate mother.  Daisy, our pug is mischievous and it was adorable to watch them both play, tease each other and most importantly give chance to bond.  They were two peas in a pod.  For over a year, the connection grew stronger and stronger between the two.  The protection alerts grew even more intense because she saw herself as a mother.  We began to become more concerned with her reaction to our visitors-family/friends that would come and she would try to nip, then immediately would fall into sadness begging for forgiveness.  Zarrah didn't have control of her emotions and our concern's were growing.  The perfect storm appeared again.  The mailman came by.  Zarrah had came close to biting him and I spanked her 2 times, which was so rare.  On top of it, I ignored her for an hour and created space to show her my sadness…she had never experienced this type of reaction from me.  I was disappointed in her eyes on a level that I had never been.  It broke her spirit.  I could see this, so I finally made up with her and we snuggled together and began the line of forgiveness.  A line of disappointment had crossed and it was very evident that she was changed puppy.  

By the stroke of midnight, a bone.  Yes, a bone.  That's all it took.  We have plenty around but this one had been the "prize".  Hundreds of times, Daisy and Zarrah pass around the bones but tonight it was different.  Zarrah attacked Daisy and we all went into instant survival mode.  I had separated them both with great force and was able to get to a safe area with Daisy. We went Pet ER and would later returned both puppies were in agony in separate levels of the house. The first thing Daisy did was run up the stairs to connect with Zarrah, a door separating them.  Zarrah moaned with sadness and you could hear that she was asking for forgiveness.

Danny comforted Daisy, the agony of pain vs. processing a traumatic situation was so difficult.  Without doubt, he was her shield of amour.  I took Zarrah out.  Grabbed a pillow, water, blanket, leash and a determined outlook to make this…."THE BEST DAY EVER".

Zarrah was always so scared of noises, especially loud ones-ever since her injuries.  We went to a metro station where there was a bunch of grassy area.  We watched the trains, buses, planes, cars go by.  She wasn't any longer scared.  She ran through the grass and into the creek.  Ate two cheeseburgers, drank water out of a big gulp cup.  We snuggled.  I spent every minute I had with her, praising her and telling her she was a "good girl".  I when through memory lane, telling her all the stories we had.  4 hours passed, her tail was underneath her.  Finally, her tail lifted and she gave me peace.  I kissed her so much my lips hurt.

By morning…we were in Zarrah's vet. I asked him, "what should I do?"  He said, "My job is to be the voice of your dog".  After listening to her full story….he said, "Please, give her peace".  It would be irresponsible to give her to a shelter after knowing her traumatic situations and reoccurring disposition.  If you should keep her, I can tell you how difficult it is because I too, have had two dog attacks with our own pets.  They didn't have trauma, it is usually because of two things.  Toy or Food.

Advice from our vet:  If you have a dog(s).  CRATE  or USE SEPERATE ROOMS if they're eating or chewing on bones.  If they have done it a millions times before…consider yourselves LUCKY.  It only takes a heavy scent or behavioral issue to make any "normal situation into an isolated, harmful event".  His dogs are crated when no one is home and always during the feeding/bone times.  He even said, "knowing what he knows about his situation, he would have euthanized his dog too".  It is too difficult to live in fear of safety for you and your animals.

Safety is our gateway to the choice we made.  Although it was the most difficult choice ever, it was the right one.  Please let Zarrah's story resinate with yours and make you think differently when it comes to toy vs. food.

Our hearts will take a great amount of time to heal.  Zarrah passed away in my arms, her head started to raise when she was heading to heaven.  I was singing Silent Night to her and told her to go chase all the angels and rabbits.  Her heart stopped and it felt like mine did too.  The moment I got into the car, her scent was so strong.  She jumped right into the car and came home.  Her presence is ever present.  Daisy let's us know she is here.

Zarrah entered the kingdom.  I shall never fear when I get there because I know she will be the first that I see, waiting for us.

May 1st, 2015.  She shared the date of a famous singer that passed away the same day "Stand by Me".  It also was the day that Justice system played it's first hand to getting justice for Freddie Gray.  State of Maryland vs. MD Police Department.  Both of these two events are a beautiful beginning and ending.

I will say this when I am 99 years old and laying in my bed, knitting with ginormous holes everywhere, "You WERE the BEST dog, I ever had".

New Reddit thread asked disabled people to submit their pet peeves.

My biggest pet peeves is being told to calm down when I trying to talk, or do something.

Is it really that bad to be call inspirational, or will we just end up cutting off our noses in in spite? Really I do not like to be put on a pedestal, I am not perfect by a long shot. I just go the things that I do get the success that I want out of life. Maybe when people call the PWDs inspirational, it might be their way of reaching to us not always from pitty. If you we keep telling people: don't do that, or don't do this at some they will stop trying. When someone says, I am a inspiration to them I act humble and explain anyone can do it when they have a passion.

For example ‪ableism‬ ‪#inspirational porn‬, I myself do not really know what this term mean. The other day I was chatting with a parent and for her all of the new terms are making the lines blurry. How are we going to make other people understand what we want if I may be guilty of contributing to these terms just being myself? Is it not our goal to educate the rest of society about people with disabilities so we are accepted?

Reaction To Date Line's on The Brink

While viewing the show:

Watching the Date Line‬ show, very frustrating are people just realizing the break downs in the system. This is the kind of shit my mom and I were dealing with 20+ years ago. The school system throws their hand up at the age of 21 and other service will not touch you until you are on the streets. what the hell man does everything really comes down to money, what the fuck does that say about us as a society?

Also what direction did the media want to take on the story. The system is not perfect and eats the good people up. I know that i would not who I am without my ninjas in place.

The morning after:

I cannot stop thinking about the dateline show on the Brink, at least no one can say it was inspiration porn. It would be easy to point figures at the parent and teachers, because they all knew the wall was coming. I still say the system just eats up the good people since they get tired of hitting the wall.  For me it makes me think if my voice as an advocate is really being heard, I think shows this can discourage as all. It just show how much more work there is to do.
With my generation we were told be thankful what you get, because people were still locking us away like we did not even exist. People say the young generation are rude, act like they are entitled to everything.  Really I do not think that is a bad thing for PWD, are we not entitled to be treated as equals as members of society. The system is just broken, even if we make too much money or fall in love our benefits are penalized. If you get too much help from your family, you do not qualify for services to make you independent.  Really the system is set up to make People with disabilities fail.