February happenings...

Things have been quite overwhelming lately. Now I am not "allowed" to read or talk about anything I can't control, especially the government, i.e. the economic stimulus or Medicaid!! There are some good things going on:

1. My lap-band surgery is scheduled for March 16th. My mom is coming from California on March 13th to help me for a few weeks. I'm excited, but scared at the same time...it's even more of a life change than I have made in the last few years. I have lost though 100 lbs. in 2 years. The lap-band will help me lose the rest to be at "normal" weight.

2. My health is very much improved since I have been on oxygen at night (since mid-December). It took only 7 weeks for the doctors and insurance company to approve it for me. There are great signs that it is working. I am going to the University of Michigan in early March to the sleep apnea clinic, so hopefully they will be able to figure out what is going on with my sleep apnea.

3. I am also possibly going to have shoulder surgery in April!!! Let's get it all done why I am covered so well for my medical care...

4. I am going to the state capitol, Lansing, this week to a legislator's luncheon. I will be an example of "how even with Medicaid and having a brain, the government screws those on disability".

5. It's another birthday for me next weekend...

6. I got my federal and state tax refunds :) !

7. I am enjoying lots of snow days here in Michigan. I've really become a Michigander now. Nothing gets to me now with the weather.

8. Sub teaching has been a blast lately. One fun job was alternative education (17-19 year olds), and I learned many things, like how the economic crisis has changed the local illegal drug trade. I would never have thought about this, without subbing. In March, I will be subbing in a preschool for Head Start (4 year olds). I love those little guys!!!

I've promised a little on my story, especially how I went from Sydney, Australia to Niles, Michigan. I "transferred" to the University of Sydney in Lidcome, Australia, (where the 2000 Olympics stadium is), because I was being discriminated and retaliated against at a U.S. university because of my disabilities. I was not being provided my Americans with Disabilities Act accommodations. I had at that time, some lingering affects from being hit in the head by my autistic clients --- I was hit over 200 times over two years. I fought for accommodations, and ending up taking them to the U.S. Department of Education/Office of Civil Rights. I did "win", but the university continued to retaliate against me. Meanwhile, my family went on vacation to Australia. I went in and talked to 5 universities when I was there. I loved their philosphies on occupational therapy. I went back to the U.S. and applied to all 5 and was accepted! The University of Sydney was wonderful to me...I got every disability accommodation I asked for the first day, plus even more, that I didn't ask for! So much for the American's with Disabilities Act.

My course in Australia was wonderful, and I had very caring professors. I still love Australian occupational therapy. Here is the U.S., it's all about money. I lived in the nurse's quarters in a local hospital for 2 1/2 years, while attending the University of Sydney. Life was great there. Unfortunately, I did become a victim of a crime while there, but I was treated much better than I would have been here in the U.S. I had a whole new life set up in Sydney after graduation. Unfortunately, at that time I started having cardiac issues, and couldn't pass the medical exam for becoming a permanent resident. Australia is very strict on their immigration, mostly because of their socialized medicine. So I had to return to the U.S.

I couldn't afford to live in California after graduation, so I went to a place with a low cost of living, where I had a few friends living there...Niles, Michigan. It's very economically depressed, and definitely "midwest". The first year after I returned, I had to wait awhile, and study/take a U.S. National test for occupational therapy. I did pass on my first try. I went to work in early intervention (birth to 3 year olds), and worked for 2 years, travelling over 500 miles a week. It was just too much for me physically, and getting worse from working so hard. In July 2007, I stopped working and in December 2007, I finally got approved for Social Security disability. I enjoy working though, and substitute teach, mostly in the special education classes and the local severely disabled school. There have been no pediatric occupational therapist jobs listed in this area for over 2 years!!!!

I now am working on getting my health better, advocating for those who have little voice in matters that affect them, i.e. disabled children, and developing a life here in the frozen tundra.
It's not the life I imagined, but it is good.