Celebrate Living

Someone wrote on "Celebrate Walking," so I informed people that it wasn't very inclusive of people who still did things but can't walk. As per the 2000 Census, 21.2 million, or 8.2 percent of the population has a limit to basic physical activity, like walking. (http://www.census.gov/prod/2003pubs/c2kbr-17.pdf) I "walked" into that one! "Well Beth, why don't you write an alternative then?" And so this would be the first draft, like the rest of the posts here. Let's see how it goes.

I thought I would go with the title "Celebrate Movement." But then Jean Ann, my former track coach left this world last week due to ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease. Jean Ann could hardly move. But inside, Jean Ann was still there, sending funny emails only 5 days before she left.

Her brother said, "even in the midst of the worst possible thing that could happen, we know life... And we can live also ... not waiting until tomorrow ... but now. Abundantly and full and joyful. Even in the midst of death, we can live."

Celebrate living. Perhaps some people with (physical) disabilities can walk. Perhaps that walk is limited and a cane, crutches, or a walker is/are used. Perhaps walking is celebrated in the sense of being able to walk, even if it is only a few steps. Perhaps it is celebrated with a new medicine designed to help walking with Multiple Sclerosis - maybe it's still a limited walk, but it's better than it was.

Celebrate living. Perhaps people with (physical) disabilities use wheelchairs, power chairs, or scooters. Perhaps these devices are used all the time. Perhaps they are used for distance and the person can walk sometimes. Perhaps we should celebrate rolling - it gives more independence, because wheels allow people to go places. People can go to the mall! People are not stuck at home.

Celebrate living. People with disabilities can experience extreme fatigue. This may keep some at home. From home, the online medical record can be accessed, the physician's office can be called, the physician can be emailed, or medicines can be ordered online (and delivered via mail).

Celebrate living. It can take a lot if energy to go to a medical office - getting out of a car, coming and going. But our flu clinics mean people never have to get out of the car. People can go to a drive-through clinic, roll down the window, and stick out their arm for a shot.

Celebrate living. There isn't a need to walk when there is adaptive skiing (allowing a person to sit), handcycling (a bike powered by arms), accessible ropes courses, accessible anything. There are many activities. If a person can lift their head, start there - it's a sit-up - celebrate that.

Celebrate living. Jean Ann kept a very active life on the Internet by using her eyes to type - many jokes, frustration, happiness. She exemplified how to celebrate life.

Now, what have I missed in draft 1?

Peace.