Hi Emma, yes I can understand exactly where you are coming from.  I
have mild-moderate (never been really quite sure how disabled I really
am, doctors have never really explained, and my parents always treated
me as though it was all a `put on' and I could just `get over it' if I
tried hard enough) spastic CP, use a scooter to get around outside and
have  lived independently ever since
I left home at 17.  Lately my physical strength and co ordination have
been worsening and I have had some bad falls.  So I am now needing
more assistance than I ever have before and it is hard to cope with
sometimes.

Why won't the uni provide you with assistance?  Is it funding
constraints or because they don't think you are `disabled enough'?
Have you tried getting help from your local advocacy organisation, say
PWD?

You are NOT a `whinging disabled kid', you have a legal right to
assistance.

Hang in there
Rayna

On Sun, Apr 22, 2001 at 12:18:55PM +1000, Emma G Murphy wrote:
    Hello,
    thanks to those who have introduced themselves to me.  I guess I joined =
    this list because=20
    just recently I've been feeling "disabled" for the first time in ages.  =
    Can anyone=20
    understand that?  I live fully independently, and have very mild cp =
    which mainly affects=20
    my ability to write (tho' I get sore backs).  I've just returned to a  =
    new uni- Adelaide,=20
    australia- after a few years off, and due to the disability office not =
    providing me with=20
    some basic equipment, I'm suddenly reduced to a whinging disabled kid =
    who can't do=20
    anything for herself.  It is incredibly demoralising.,  I can't really =
    explain it very=20
    well.  I just thought that if anybody understood this frustrating and =
    unjust situation, it=20
    would be others with cp.  Anyway.  I'm tryin to transfer to another uni =
    at the moment,=20
    because I'm tired of fighting and it's not really what I had planned =
    when I  came back to=20
    uni.

    Anyway, more about me. I'm 22.  From Victoria originally- that's where =
    my family is.  I'm=20
    studying linguistics, spanish, an aboriginal language and will take up =
    french next year. =20
    I write poetry occasionally, and have a dog called shed.  Shed as in the =
    shed- her=20
    birthplace!!

    I look forward to getting to know some of you more