Page 19 - Tom Steyer Issue

moment, this disease can take away my quality of life. Over the past 8 years, as I have travelled as a patient advocate, I have met many people living with MS and other chronic illnesses who are indeed suffering every day with physical, mental and emotional symptoms that have interrupted every aspect of their lives.
As unsettling as the current situation makes us feel, we need to remember the negative effects and restrictions of the pandemic are only temporary. We are all being affect- ed in some way at the same time and are all working together. We are seeing the best of people, neighbors helping neighbors, people interacting in ways we never imagined. We will create a vaccine, our healthcare system will be revamped and we will recover financially. We will find ways to bounce back by helping each other. We will make it through this and we will recover because we are all in this together as one big disabled herd.
Our Covid-19 disruptions have caused each of us some form of disability.
Our ability to dine at restaurants, our ability to shop for the latest fashions, our ability to buy our favorite cuts of meat, our ability to visit our seniors or grandkids, our ability to have a birthday party, attend a graduation or a funeral of a loved one are all affected by something out- side of our control.
When we are all back on the road, working, eating out and enjoying life, I hope we never forget the struggles, heartaches and challenges of living through this pan- demic. I pray we never forget how getting through a few months of Life Disabled made us feel because some among us will continue struggling with disruption in every aspect of their lives forever.
Many of us are experiencing for the very first time the challenges and roadblocks living every day with a dis- ability actually feels like.
Let’s not leave our people living with disabilities
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There are the NO’s.
Want to go to the mall? No, you can’t today.
Want to go to the movies? No, you can’t today. Want to get a haircut? No, you can’t today.
Want to go for a bike ride? No, you can’t today. Want to earn a living? No, you can’t today.
Want to sit down inside a restaurant? No, you can’t today.
Want to get on an airplane? No, You can’t today. Want to go to the beach? No, you can’t today.
behind.
There are also the unknowns, the misinformation, the unpredictability, the loneliness, the shame, the blame and always, disability brings the fear.
Ringing any bells?
If you are having a tough time adjusting or dealing with the uncertainty of a post Covid-19 future, you might want to seek out advice from someone who deals with the fear of the unknown and challenges on a daily basis. Ask a true personal pandemic expert; a person living with a disability.
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