Author: Grace W. Dow

CW: Death Today is my 27th birthday. The past year has been challenging. It’s been nearly a year since my former paraprofessional passed away. It’s difficult knowing that I won’t hear from her today, especially because a year ago today I received the last message I would ever get from her. While I am filled… Continue reading What 27 Means This Year 

CW: Terrorist Attacks, Death, & Illness Twenty-five years after 9/11, the day still feels strangely quiet, calm before the memorials start, before the names are read, before the country begins its yearly remembrance. The narrative is still the same: heroism, shock, national unity. But disability is part of the story that hasn’t been fully told,… Continue reading Twenty‑Five Years Later, Disability Remains One of 9/11’s Most Human Truths 

CW: Ableism Public attitudes toward disability are largely shaped by a mix of empathy, suspicion, and cultural storytelling. The newest British Social Attitudes survey shows nearly half of people supporting higher disability benefits, even if taxes rise to fund them. That quiet support matters, but it exists alongside louder narratives that divide disabled people into… Continue reading The Quiet Support vs. the Loud Suspicion

CW: Cancer Parents like Susan and Mike Browne have always thought about their sons’ future. They constantly figured out how to keep their sons safe, and how to ensure the world wouldn’t forget their two sons, who are profoundly autistic and can’t advocate for themselves. When Susan, who is now in her seventies, found out… Continue reading The Algorithm That Decides Our Safety 

CW: Institutionalization & Medical Care For 10 years, Nicholas Papadopoulos’s world was contained within the walls of Room 130 at Brown Health & Rehabilitation in Georgia. Papadopoulos has cerebral palsy and lived on his own until he developed cellulitis. Cellulitis is a bacterial infection. It can begin with a small cut or irritated skin. But… Continue reading After Ten Years Indoors, Freedom Begins With a Diet Soda and a Walk Outside

CW: Ableism Disability has entered cultural discussions in new ways, but the idea that it is trendy or cool to be disabled is unrealistic. I have cerebral palsy, and nothing about it is trendy or cool. I’m comfortable with my disability because I’ve had to be, but it is not cool. Cerebral palsy has never… Continue reading Disability Isn’t a Trend 

For many people, traveling is a way to explore new places, see family and friends, or enjoy a relaxing getaway. Disabled people like Lucy Robinson, are lucky if they can travel at all. Robinson relies on care funded by the National Health Service in the United Kingdom. She says it’s difficult to get approval to… Continue reading The Trips They Can’t Take

CW: Drug Overdose & Car Accident Ian Baer’s journey began with a diagnosis delivered by professionals who believed they already understood him. After a car accident in 1986, doctors told his mother he was unresponsive, using words like “vegetative.” But Ian was still there. He laughed at jokes, reacted to familiar voices, and understood far… Continue reading What We Notice When We Slow Down

Drones do all sorts of things now. They can spray fertilizer, fly over fields to check on crops, and find areas of land that need more nutrients. They also deliver packages and take stunning aerial photos and videos. But what if you wanted to fly a drone without using your hands? Christopher Hills, who has… Continue reading What It Means to Lift Off 

CW: Psychiatric Symptoms  The phrase “medical necessity” sounds straightforward. Something that is medically necessary helps someone stay safe and healthy. Unfortunately, insurance companies often disagree with medical professionals. Getting something that is needed is exhausting and frustrating. Instead of being about people, medical necessity is really about budgets. I’ve experienced this myself. Earlier this year,… Continue reading They Say It’s Not Necessary