----- Original Message -----
From: Betty Alfred <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Saturday, December 11, 1999 1:16 PM
Subject: Re: Disabilities w/family & strangers


> In a message dated 12/11/1999 1:31:00 PM Eastern Standard Time,
> [log in to unmask] writes:
>
> << Betty , you don't have Cerebral Palsy?  If I may ask what is your
> disability
>
> Certainly you can ask Kathy.  I have peripheral neuropathy which affects
my
> arms and legs.  For me it is acting a little like MS, if that helps
describe
> it better.

Betty , may I ask another question. . .  What are you doing on a Cerebral
Palsy list?
>
> Betty brought up a good point here about a cousin.  In my real life ,
people
>  don't want to hear about my disability problems , expect people who will
>  give me sympathy and I don't want or need that.
>   >>
>  I agree.  I was thinking the same thing myself when I was writing about
my
> cousin.  People don't understand about that sometimes.  I didn't
understand
> myself before I had a disability.  I thought I was totally clued in
though.
> I wish that some of the people with disabilities that I knew in those days
> had talked about this a little bit.  I would have wanted to learn more.
But
> maybe they were and I wasn't listening.  I just didn't know the depth of
some
> of the more serious problems.  I didn't know how few of us were in the
> workforce, problems with rehab issues, etc.etc. I had a lot to learn and
> still do have a lot to learn.
> Betty





Kathy >