Re: MDA
Valerie Brew-Parrish (brew-parrish(AT)juno.com)
Mon, 20 Oct 1997 19:31:24 -0500
Blane,
I like your spirit too! Actually, my husband and I planned on traveling
to Las Vegas last yr. to help protest the telethon. My husband also
wanted to check out the braille slot machines! Money was very tight so we
didn't go. I support Adapt. I believe in what they do. There are no local
chapters here. There are 49.9 million Americans with disabilities.
Imagine the political force we could be if we just banded together on
issues. I also support NOT DEAD YET. You are fortunate that you live in
an area that is disability wise. The disabled people in Illinois and
Massachusetts seem to have it together too. Something happened to the
disabled people here in IN. The disability rights movement (with a few
exceptions) passed these people right on by. The apathy is incredible.
The husband and wife team with MD support the telethon and hold Lewis in
awe. I started a polio support group. I kept it going for two yrs. but I
had to stop as I couldn't handle the pity-pot party it was turning into.
I had never encountered such able-bodied people claiming they were
sooooooooo disabled. They sure looked AB to me. They "thought they had
contracted polio." What???!!! Well, they read about this thing called PPS
and it sounded like them. They didn't want to know about the ADA, just
how they could convince their docs they really had polio. I kept
thinking, "What would Gini Laurie do with these people?" One of the
leaders in the group told everyone they were all going to die from PPS. I
had so much damage control to do. One guy called me in hysterics because
this nutty woman told him to sell his house and make plans to go into A
NURSING HOME because his pps was "gonna get him." When I first met her,
she wore leg braces and sat in a wheelchair gasping for air. I was a
basket case over her thinking she was dying. I convinced her to go to St.
Louis and see Oscar. She did. He diagnosed Myoclomis (leg movement at
night) She came back to IN. threw off her braces, jumped out of her
wheelchair and RAN 3 MILES! She went to the papers and said there was a
cure for everyone who ever had polio (I don't think she ever had it). I
was bombarded with calls from all over the country from people who wanted
that little magic pill. Poor Oscar. He really had the calls. In fact,
Oscar talked about the incident at the last polio conference. I know
sometimes I ramble. But honestly, these are the types of disabled people
I have encountered here. It's bizarre. Hey, Blane, want to relocate to
the Hoosier state? They could certainly use your enthusiasm and
disability attitude!
Val