Well
being that I'm executing my bucket list because I will not survive
without a job (only now having to stick to a "price acceptance range")
and will die in protest instead of go on welfare or bankruptcy, here is
an honest and open email sent to the provider fair merry-go-round. It
will give an insight to the lives kept in ruin in NYS because the people
holding jobs need to keep their jobs while those with brain injuries
are just kept on a merry-go-round rather than actually being helped.
Being that my brain injury is from 1978 I have an ahead-of-my-time
understanding that brain injury knowledge was purposefully kept at bay
due to insurance companies and the 1929 Omnibus Act - which is only part
of the reason. When was the automobile made? Late 1800's, early 1900's?
Of all the untreated brain injuries dating back to that time the
government heyday of automobiles would go completely under having to
compensate victims going back that far and then you
consider how our country isheld together by a trucking company bonanza
shipping products all over, it's no big mystery. Anyway, here's my open
and honest response to the medical joke in NYS and I have nothing left
to lose in stating this. I've lost all potential and means of survival
by staying in NYS:
"sorry but I have to give my feedback about why I won't be there
and it won't sound politically correct and is actually a quite tactless
flame.
I was specifically told not to go to the provider fair if
I will overtly give a piece of my mind to the little putz who is the
boss of my former job coach (who is always
there). You can tell that little putz that whoever said I have a body
odor problem has been proven a liar time and again not only by future
agencies I got involved with but also the many people in my every day
life who have verified there is no problem.
Listen up putz (and I
don't care if you're on this list or not) - after this happened, out of
the many people I consulted with to see if there is a problem, one of
them is a woman who stands next to me first thing in the morning. If I
don't have a body odor problem when I'm wide open to my breath stinking
and my body needing washing first thing in the
morning, THERE'S NO PROBLEM YOU CHUAVINISTIC PUTZ EXCEPT YOUR
EVER-PRESENT CHAUVINISM. YOU WASTED TIME IN A LIFE WITH LOTS OF
POTENTIAL AND BY NOW IT'S ALL COMING TO AN END YOU JACKASS. I dare you
to try to deny me freedom of speech - although after what I've seen in
this state it's a great opportunity for another merry-go-round. I've put
up and shut up for long enough.
Everybody just enjoy these
little medical merry-go-rounds you're all riding on. I'll stick to my
holistic health ways which is doing me just fine. I received my injury
early enough in life to be ready for marriage, kids, and a career. I've
lost that all by now and will not be riding a welfare or bankruptcy
merry-go-round. I will not be bowing out gracefully from this place as
you might be able to tell. (will I make it back? hmmm) And you're
welcome to all those who, for job security reasons, haven't been able to
give a piece of your mind to that little chauvinistic putz flying
around on a cloud filled with a false sense of superiority at that disability service provider
and is always at the provider fairs. Job well done NY in ruining a life!
With all wisdom and talent gone to waste,
Occupied Newbie"
--- On Mon, 8/27/12, wrote:
From:
Subject: An idea for us all Date: Sunday, September 9, 2012, 10:11 AM
RB's understandable resignation email (text below) reflects
ongoing concerns some of us have with the communication between BIANYS
leadership and its members and other interested parties. As I mention in
an earlier email, R makes a very salient point when he talks about
people listening to us (us being people with brain injuries) but not
hearing us.
It
is also a concern that while Marie answers these emails and, to her
great credit, engages in discussion, we hear nothing from Judy. The
concern is this is because Judy does not like to put things in writing.
Well,
whether that is true or not, here is what is true. BIANYS leadership
deserves to really hear what those of us who live with brain injuries
and our families are saying. Many of us can't get to Albany to sit down
face to face for a wide variety of reasons. With R's resignation
coupled with the ending of five monthly BIANYS workshops in Albany
because BIANYS says there is no money to reimburse the facilitator (me)
who, at the time was driving 150 miles for each workshop even though we,
the group, asked BIANYS to reimburse at half its mileage rate, means
that six workshops have come to an end.
This is tragic, and in many ways inexcusable. BIANYS raises money fairly aggressively, where does it go? What is it used for?
The
point is, here in an open honest email discussion we can all take part.
I have no problem being wrong about things. I have no problem being
corrected or dealing with it if others get mad at me.
And
so, I propose that we begin a discussion group here in email or perhaps
BIANYS can start a message board in which Judy can communicate with us
all.
In the meantime, I would urge that all BIANYS board members be made aware of this request.
To
be silent or avoid this discussion format would be to reject a way of
communicating with members that is, for many of us, the most feasible as
it is the least expensive.
Please
know this, one of the wounds adults and children with disabilities and
their families face, is being kept on the sidelines, being held at bay,
not being heard, dealing with condescending pats on the backs. We should
not have to establish our equality simply because our equality already
exists.
So, Judy and Marie, what do you say?
P
P.S.
I
think with the money it raises BIANYS ought to reimburse
group facilitators for their mileage. These are, after all, volunteers.
One of the ways companies and agencies keep volunteers volunteering is
by reimbursing them for their expenses.
Dear Marie Cavalo, President, BIANYS Board of Directors.
I'm
hoping you can help me. I'm confussed. I was in attendance at this
years conference, and as usual it was very informative, although I must
admit networking with other Survivors is the most rewarding.
On Wed. morning at the annual Association meeting, you mentioned how
the B.I.A. has been making conference calls to all the Support Group
Leaders. Well thats part of my confusion. When I brought this matter to
your attenton, that in 1.5 years as the Albany Support Group Leader I've
never recieved a conference call, along with the Fact that B.I.A.N.Y.s
web site doesn't even list the Albany Support Group. You appeared to be
concerned, you even asked if I had told anyone else about the web site?
My response was Yes, I had just found out about it on Mon. and told
seveal board members on Tues.
More confusion. I've spoken with other Group Leaders (Survivors), board
members, both past and present, and most agree,that BIANYs don't HEAR
what the Survivors are saying. They may be listing but they don't HEAR
us.
I will give you 3 instances of my own, of not being HEARD. 1st. It's
been 18 months since I've signed paper work for B.I.A.N.Y. taking over
as facilitator of not only the Albany Chapter, but the Albany Support
Group as well. I'ts been over 3 months since I've mentioned that the
B.I.A.N.Y.s website didn't even list there own home base Support Group.
You told every one in attendance that this matter would be taken care
of, still confused. It's still not listed. Am I suppose to
call B.I.A.N.Y.s and beg for it to be listed, NOT. Did someone get there
EGO hurt because I brought it up at the conference. Well that someone
needs to get off there high horse, it's not about you or me it's about
us Suvivors.
What most of you need to realize is,this is the Brain Injury
Association not the brain injury Board Association. the Survivors
looking for support are the ones being hurt. 2nd. For 3 consecutive years
at the conferences Iv'e suggested to several people from Mike and Judy
on down to other board members about how they applaud at the conference
for the Deaf. Always wth thesame results,a pat on the back and thats a
good idea. They may have listened to me but they didn't HEAR me. 3rd. At
the same time I've suggested to them that they all so dim the lights,
because most Survivors are not only noise sensitive but light sensitive
as well. Again with the same results.
Another thing that confuses me. Every year B.I.A.N.Y.s asks all
Survivors to show there ART work at te Empire State Plaza. Well on
several occasions I have tried to submit someof my Wood Carvings, always
with the same results. Either my Carvings are too nice or there too nice
they will get stolen, or that the partitions that the Plaza loans them
are not sturdy enough. Well if all this is True then in the future when
you ask for Artist's in your news letter to submit there Art work,
Please don't ask for all Artist. or put either all Artist's except RB or all Artist' except Wood Carvers.
It's True that people that don't have a T.B.I. try, but don't
understand.a T.B.I. 2 of the biggest obstacles that we as Survivors have
to deal with on a Daily basis is the Ignorant and the Arrogant, and no I
don't recomend getting a T.B.I. to have a better understanding. But we
as Suvivors hope and expect that the B.I.A. would understand just a
little more then the average person.
It's an absolute shame that B.I.A.N.Y.s started out with the sole
purpose of helping the Survivors, now it's all about politics and power
struggles and how you can help your selfs both personnelly and
professionally.
I had 7 years of pure hell, putting up with the powers to be, in a
legal battle due to my injury.I had no Choice but to put up with the
Ignorant and the Arogant everyday. I now have a Choice, and my Choice is
to not put up with the attitudes, like the ones that we as Survivors
are recieving from B.I.A.N.Y.s. So for this reason I am resigning my
position as not only the Support Group Leader but the Albany Chapter
Leader as well. Sept. will be my last meeting as facilitator. Yours
Truely RB (Survivor).
--
******
"First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you...then, you win."
- Mahatma Gandhi
"Be the change you want to see in the world."
- Mahatma Gandhi
"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."
- Martin Luther King Jr.
No comments:
Post a Comment