8 random thoughts inspired by Stephanie

1. My first thought when starting this list was, “I don’t have 8 thoughts left.” I just got home from work.
2. I don’t understand why one person who I’ve been my best self for can’t ever say, “I’m happy for you,” or “you deserve to be happy.” And why do I care?
3. I find myself grinning a lot lately.
4. My bus driver yesterday tried to hit on me. EEEWWW. Talk about a LONG ride home.
5. I got my first manicure last week, and I enjoyed it but it didn’t rock my world.
6. One of my nephews had kidney trouble last week, and while thinking about it, I realized I would give up a kidney for any of them. It wasn’t that serious (thank God) but it was enlightening to realize how much I love them.
7. I finally started Sudoku and I LOVE it.
8. The disability rights resources in Arkansas are inadequate to say the least.

Bonus thought: I will try to be more positive soon.

Reasonable accommodation

I work in a building with 3 floors. I work on the 2nd floor. When the fire alarm goes off, the elevator automatically locks up, so that no one can use it during a fire. Understandable but a little inconvenient for me. In the past, in these situations, 4 guys have carried me and my chair to safety, but we have fewer men working these days, and the ones upon whom I depended most have moved downstairs. Because of their move, my immediate supervisor requested my 7 person department be moved too. In the 14 years I have worked there, it has been so common for departments to relocate, that I can’t even count the times, but in this instance, knowing the situation with me and my chair, the powers that be denied our request to move, citing it as “unfeasible” and basically said I have 2 choices; be carried down without my chair (since the female co-workers couldn’t lift the chair) or work on the first floor alone, without my department. When I requested they reconsider, I was again told moving the department is “unfeasible” and was asked to offer alternative evacuation options. I, being told about the meeting to discuss this only an hour before it happened, could only stress how much I DO NOT want to be carried downstairs for a variety of reasons; pride and an inability to support myself comfortably once out of my chair among them, and suggested they either purchase a chair (customized because of my need for support) to be waiting for me downstairs once I am lifted, or purchase a wheelchair lift attached to the stairwell.

After the shock of the meeting wore off, I’ve decided to withdraw the suggestion about them purchasing a chair; so many things can happen and it just isn’t safe to be carried down. That only leaves the option of me working downstairs by myself, which I feel is segregation, them, buying a wheelchair lift, or moving us all downstairs which would be so much cheaper for them.

I have worked there 14 years and not asked for one accommodation to my disability, and I am so saddened by their attitudes.

Sometimes I just get tired of fighting.