You've been diagnosed with an illness that impacts your ability to work, play and thrive.

You're overwhelmed by the prospect of doctors, employment issues, new expenses, loss of income and the mountains of paperwork standing between you and your benefits.

You're not alone.  We know what you're facing and we will show you the best way to navigate these new challenges.

The Disability Key blog and the Disability Key Website are designed to assist each person in his/her own unique quest to navigate through the difficult and often conflicting and misleading information about coping with a disability.

Carolyn Magura, noted disability expert, has written an e-Book documenting the process that allowed her to:

a) continue to work and receive her “full salary” while on Long Term Disability; and

b) become the first person in her State to qualify for Social Security Disability the FIRST TIME, in UNDER 30 DAYS.

Click on the "download" link to receive Carolyn 's easy-to-read, easy-to-follow guide through this difficult, trying process.

Click Here To Download Now








Saturday, September 10, 2005

Disability and Managing Change

I may have mentioned it before, but in my "pre-disABILITY" days I loved change - NOT! I'll rephrase that; I loved change that I WAS ABLE TO CREATE; I did NOT love change "foisted" upon me by circumstances beyond my control. So, being the resilient person that I grew to be, I decided to figure out what about the change I created that I liked; what about the change "foisted" upon me I didn't like, and how I could turn as much as I could into the positive.

When I made my lists, I found out that I liked having "projects" to do, where I could schedule and budget my resources: time, energy, finances, etc. I guess that all of this can be considered control. What I didn't like was being unprepared; not having the resources I needed to get the "job" - whatever it was - done. (Note: have you noticed that one of the secrets of reseliency and Expert Patient and Chronic Disease Self-Management is a positive, can do attitude?)

So, fast forward to today, and my chronically progressive Multiple Sclerosis and moving! Here's what I have done to turn this change into something I can control.

  1. As I have stated before, I greatly decreased my belongings, realizing that I really could live a full and quality life without the myriad of "things" that before, I believed that I NEEDED. As a result, it was easer to straighten things up, and create order out of my space - my part of the house.
  2. I got into the habit of washing laundry late at nite, and drying it first thing in the morning - all when my energy peaks were high. I saved greater energy-demanding tasks for after meals, or after long periods of rest, and kept the time bouts shourt (5 or 10 minutes).
  3. I use candles, music, lighting, and other "staging" ideas to make my space as presentable as possible for viewers.
  4. I fought the inclination to volunteer to assist my kids in their part of the house. They can do their own resource budgeting.
  5. Finally, and equally as important, I work with friends, so that in times where I need to be out of the house, I spend the day, or the week-end, with friends. That way, I an enjoying myself, and I can feel free to rest, if I need to do so.

Bottomline, if you don't like your current situation, figure out what you can do to make it better, within the realistic conditions of your current situation. Empowering yourself is a fantastic tool!

I'll be back in two days, after the Public Open House!

posted by Carolyn at 10:32 AM  

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