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?”