Saturday Slumgullion #27

Lots of news articles to share:

From the AARP Bulletin, June 2004, "Suing to get out in the world: San Franciscans break out of nursing homes to live on their own" -- Yep, the story is over 2 years old, but it's worth a read.

This is current. The Associated Press reports this news from LA police: Hospital van spotted dumping paraplegic man on Skid Row. Homeless, without any wheelchair, dragging a "malfunctioning colostomy bag."

An assisted-suicide bill meeting stiff opposition in Hawaii legislature. Variations on this bill have been presented in Hawaii since 1999.

From The Oregonian, the story of the Portland death of a schizophrenic man and the civil rights lawsuit against the police procedures surrounding his death.

A CBS News video from New York Fashion Week featuring a show of disabled, wheelchair-using models. Par for fashion in general, the main woman in the feature seems to live quite a bit more poshly than most of us (she owns her own restaurant and has a huge, beautiful home), but this is a good example of the longing and perceived longing of disabled women to fit into our culture by being seen as more stereotypically girly and feminine. And yet, this is a stereotype-challenging piece with regard to disability.

Poynter Online, a site discussing the profession of journalism, has an article about coverage of the case of Ashley X which includes an interview with bioethicist Arthur Caplan. But read it for the feedback which follows and includes thoughts of actual disabled folk.

From Astoria, Oregon, disabled students and the obstacles faced at a local community college that may have to move to meet long-overdue ADA standards:

The nursing department was relocated and supplied with a lift. A lift was added at the library for wheelchair-access to the second floor. But Hoagland-McGee still can't reach the basement without going outside and down a hill, on a slope that exceeds the ADA-required limits.

She can enter Towler Hall, but mainly just one hallway. To move elsewhere, she has to go outside, even in the snow.

Remodeled restrooms and wider hallways allow wheelchair access at Fertig Hall, but to get there from Towler, where many courses are offered, Hoagland-McGee must go outdoors and wind her way up a steep hill, in the street - the sidewalk there has no wheelchair access - continue up a driveway and essentially double back toward the building on higher ground.

"It's just not practical," she said.

The state-operated Rosewood Center of Maryland may be closed following a report of abuse and inadequate care:

[Rachel London, Maryland Disability Law Center attourney and author of a recent report] cited the example of a deaf patient named Jason who had been without an interpreter for much of his time at Rosewood and had been restrained for bad behavior with a "safety coat," which is similar to a straitjacket.

"These restraints incapacitate Jason's hands, his only means of communication," London wrote.

From Lancaster Online, a Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, apartment complex is being sued over ban on seeing-eye dogs.

Why can't we be like the Brits? Desperados is yet another TV show across the pond that features disabled folks.

Darius Goes West -- From the site: "Darius Weems, a 15-year-old with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, had never left his hometown of Athens, Georgia. In the summer of 2005, he and a group of young college students traveled across the country in a wheelchair-accessible RV to test accessibility in America. Their ultimate goal was to reach Los Angeles and convince MTV's hit show, Pimp My Ride, to customize Darius's wheelchair. Along the way, they found joy, brotherhood, and the knowledge that life, even when imperfect, is always worth the ride."

From The Herald, UK: "I'm blind, but there's no need to talk to my dog"

From NPR: "Examining the inner life of the 'lonely patient' " -- On a doctor's nonfiction exploration of chronic pain and illness.

From the NYT: Emmanuelle Laborit and deaf theater in France.

From the St. Paul Pioneer Press: Health problems linger for 9/11 workers.

And some excellent recent blogging:

David at Growing Up with a Disability writes about his experience with jury duty.

Gerilyn at G in Sri Lanka writes on the her observances of the lives of disabled folks in Kandy, Sri Lanka.

At Soli Libri, a brief review of Pearl S. Buck's The Child Who Never Grew. Apparently, Buck's daughter had a severe disability.

And last, Chronic Babe -- "The question of the day remains: May I touch you?" It should be obvious right? If you have to ask. . . .