Caring but clueless in Portland
"You just don't understand what it's like...". I hear that a lot from people with ataxia on websites and blogs. Maybe, but my experience with family and friends is that it certainly isn't from lack of trying. Most importantly, it's not from lack of caring. People struggle more with the if, when, and how much help to offer. Often, the strategy is not to do anything that might be perceived as a threat to one's effort at self-sufficiency . People with disabilities can be set in their ways or have their preferred routine. No one wants to unwittingly disrupt that, but we (disabled persons) can also be a pain to deal with. I'd like to say I make it easy by not being easily offended or set off by offers of assistance. Earl has never said, "Tam, what do you want?"—out loud, that is. The thing is, I don't always know. I do ask for help more often now and have found people happy to be useful. Opening a door is a simple task fo