It’s scary when you have paralysis and can go paralysed at any moment but you can’t access a wheelchair. If I go paralysed in public like on the sidewalk somewhere?!! I just have to wait there sprawled on the floor. I thought I was just being dramatic but when I mentioned it to my friends they all looked at me really concerned and said “isn’t that really dangerous?”

Answer: yes but doctors don’t care because “it’s all in my head” and “it’s good for me to struggle a bit, it’ll help me get better”.

Feel free to explain further!!

My entire life people have been chiding me to speak more clearly “just slow down” etc, etc. Recently got diagnosed with FND, now I’m realising it’s probably been that all along. I’ve always been really embarrassed of my voice and how difficult it is for me to speak, hopefully now that I have a diagnosis this will change.

I’m having a flair up with symptoms making mobility difficult ❌

mY LeGs dO tirE siRe!!! In a medieval peasant accent ✅

To disabled people: what is the ableist language you encounter most in your life?

• For me the word “special” has always sort of been a thing that people have used to imply insult towards me and others. I’ve also found it particularly demeaning. People often do not respond well to being asked to no longer use such terms.

• For my cane I am frequently called old and compared to an elderly person.

• The word cripple is used startlingly often in conversation. Many people do not realise this is a slur and something to be avoided. As well as handicapped, differently abled and similar words.

• Additionally the use of “super power” when describing disability is one that is “socially acceptable” enough to not be called out, therefore is disturbingly rampant.

• Most often I am called autistic as an insult, people in my generation from my observations will lean towards this option as well as frequent use of the r slur.

(This post is made for disabled people to share their experiences as well as to educate others on outdated ableist language)

I’ve never seen younger people using canes. That is why I use my cane with pride so that I may be the person that assures another that they have a right to stability. They have the right to the independence and support of a mobility aid. I hope that by living my life as I choose I may be able to drown out some of the rampant ableism being fired at the youth of our community.

I’m not beautiful “despite” my acne or “despite” my cane. I am beautiful WITH my acne and WITH my cane.

Does anybody else with FND/coordination issues go to take a drink out of an open water bottle (one without a straw, just an opening to drink out of) then accidentally spill it all over themselves?

It never occurred to me that you could get a seat for showering. I’ve been stumbling around and sitting on the floor this entire time. Woahhhh….the wonders of modern technology.

I went to the doctor today who took back former diagnosis giving me an entirely new one. She said she was sure this time (she said that last time) . I asked her to give her reasoning on why she thought this, she dodged the question. I asked her two more times and she managed to not answer it each time. She said something along the lines of “I judge what disorder a person has based on what it looks like, Tourette’s tics look a certain way, seizures look a certain way, etc”

When I questioned her logic she dodged the question once again before finally admitting she didn’t know the answer. She diagnosed me with two new disorders without even bothering to explain to me what said disorders are.

It’s hard to trust someone when they can’t back up their opinion. Maybe I just hate doctors and that’s something I need to work on, I don’t know. Or I’m too stupid to understand.

Also was told to take a “holistic” approach to my conditions as well as to stop using my cane so I don’t become too reliant on it or like make my muscles worse. So I don’t know what to do now.

I don’t know why I cried for hours straight or why ended up on the floor of the medical centre bathroom sobbing. I just feel like more than ever I’ve been faking it all along.

I hate seeing doctors so much.