I'm Right Here…

Today was definitely a Monday. I was looking forward to dinner time, and was not surprised by not being informed that there was a new worker in training today. What I was surprised by though is the fact that the new worker could see that I was capable of directing my own care, and still proceeded to ask my regular worker what to do and how I liked things.  I know sometimes new workers get nervous and then check with the ones that know me really well, but the thing is I don't just get this behavior from workers. I get it from teachers over the years, inexperienced or not, and even as late in the game as university. They've been too afraid to approach we were to ask what I'm capable of, so they shifted questions onto my EA's or notetakers, often when I'm in the room and have already answered the question for myself. Sometimes it's like I'm speaking a foreign language or something. I think what that bothers me most about situations like these, is the fact that I am able to speak, and that I know somebody out there is less vocal the I am, and they are not able to voice their discomfort or their anger at not being able to communicate and be understood. If there's been anything I've learned from having a disability myself, as well as working with others with various different disabilities, it's that no matter what disability you have, there is always a way to communicate. It just might not be the typical way you'd expect. 

Karli