Our Father

One person many Portlanders and people all over the US will never forget was my father Pete Taylor. Whether on a bus, sitting outdoors, playing football or being with family he never gave up. Pete is well known for his writing and ability to see the good in people while keeping a safe distance. He wrote a lot of different kinds of things. Pete was I hope someone people admired and relied on in times of need.

Pete was never a real emotional guy though. He rarely cried or laughed much but you knew by his expressions what he was thinking or feeling. Pete instead showed he cared though his actions and drive to make the world a better place. If you needed something he’d most times drop what he was doing to help you. You could call him 40 times a day and he always picked up, even if he was napping.  I really liked knowing that he was always just a phone call away. He’d give you a ride or the shirt off he’s back if that’s what you needed. He was also good at making others feel good about themselves even when they made mistakes or went about things the wrong way.

 There were a lot of things Pete had no choice but to leave things unfinished or unsaid. I know he is smiling down on us today because I along with my sister have helped Mom tie up a lot of the lose ends that fell to the wayside. I do know that had he had the chance he would have told both my mom and sister that he was happy and proud of their accomplishments. He would have also wanted them to know that he loved them and continues to today.

I know what happened to Pete was nothing short of fair or something he wanted to go through but he fought till the bitter end. No one can replace Pete, but I hope I can live up to the same standers he did all his life. He was a special person one we will never forget.

Medical Needs

As a child, I needed a lot of medical help because I was born with cerebral palsy. There are many services available to such children through Shriners Hospital, the local school districts and the regional and county programs. I went through a number of therapies and medical procedures. I had the opportunity to try out equipment that made my life workable, such as wheelchairs, standers, and any number of accommodations, such as having an aide in school and regular visits from physical and occupational therapists.

All that changed when I turned 21 years old. As with all other disabled people, the “services” stop, and you are left alone to fend for yourself, in all regards. If you are like me and have medical insurance, you can certainly go to doctors and therapists, but these people “specialize” in their areas and there are very few of them that deal with the problems that disabled persons have, whether or not you have insurance that would pay for such services.

For instance, I needed to have a therapist look at my posture in my power chair because my back was hurting. I was given an appointment and met the therapist that week. She told me right away that she and her department rarely see people with cerebral palsy and after going through some exercises that had nothing to do with the problem, I went home.

This has become an old story. Medical people specialize for efficiency and to get good at what they do. But a problem like cerebral palsy crosses many boundaries and there are few if any generalists that you can rely on.

This is by far the most common problem that persons with disabilities face when dealing with the medical community.

There are other problems and my next blog will discuss independent housing: “Are you poor enough to be eligible for it?”