Re: [QUAD-L] Sci appearances

[Stacy Harim]

The aides got so frustrated with me when I was in the hospital for the same reason.  They would pull out clothes for me to wear and I spoke up when something didn't go well together.  One wanted to put me in a pajamas pant set. I refused to wear that and it turned into an argument.  I would get visitors and it's not like  they were scheduled.  I definitely directed my care when I was in the hospital.  I would have them pull my hair up because it was so long and they would just do it however not caring if strands were sticking out.  I said something to an aide that put a pony tail way on top of my head to where my hair was falling in my face.  Her reply was 'who's doing this?'  My reply was 'who's head and hair is it?'.  No some of them didn't like me at all. I was so determined to get my arms back just so I could do it myself and not have to hear the crap.   Stacy ----- Original Message ----- From: QuadPirate To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; quad-list@eskimo.com ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Wednesday, January 12, 2005 6:11 PM Subject: Re: [QUAD-L] Sci appearances Yea Houston I make sure my clothes are straight and tell my aids to dress me accordingly. Personal appearance is your first contact with everyone around you and nobody wants to talk to a slob. I also make sure I'm sitting right in my chair and can't stand to look crooked, I know my aids get annoyed sometimes because I'll do it all twice if I think I need it to look presentable. Some quads aren't as vocal or as lucky as some of us and it bugs me to see them looking like a 2 year old dressed them but their situation might not be as good as should be so I try to tell them to be more vocal about their care but some just can't help it.   Mark   -------Original Message-------   From: Houston809 Date: Wednesday, January 12, 2005 4:14:23 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; quadlist; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [QUAD-L] Sci appearances   Jim you are correct about taking care yourself to look attractive. I see a lot of my neighbors there are wheelchairs looking like they just don�t care about their appearance any more. And I fill that them looking and dressing as they do it has an effect of the way others look towards me and everyone else in wheelchairs. Just because I�m disabled doesn�t mean that I have to look as if I and homeless and a bum. Just as several of my neighbors will go up to the grocery store with their overnight bed bag hanging on the outset of their chairs. Which looks a mess it reflects upon the others in our community that are in chairs. I don�t want to see it and I know that the average AB truly doesn�t want to see it. I understand if there�s no other way but if you could put it in a bag so that everyone didn�t have 2 C your piss well why not. They go around as if it�s a new fashion statement. On 1/11/05 3:12 PM, "[EMAIL PROTECTED]" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: Dave,   I know that I'm paralyzed and I accept the fact that I am.  I know what I can do and I know what I cannot do from experience.  When I first got injured I figured I could still do just about everything I did before but I learned quickly how vulnerable I was and what being paralyzed was all about.  It seemed like just about every time I blew off my commonsense and my spider sense I ended up in trouble.  Now, I respect that I am paralyzed and can only do so much so I better pay attention to my senses otherwise am going to be in trouble especially in the wintertime.   I know that I am not looked at as a sexual object because of the way I look in a wheelchair.  Even though I lost a lot of weight since my injury I still have a large quad gut, which makes me look somewhat obese and unattractive.  Even if you are in a wheelchair you still have to take care of yourself to make yourself look attractive to the opposite sex.   Jim