I think this will be the theme of my next YouTube video for my one subscriber. Hey, that's one more than I had yesterday :)
I have so many horror stories from Walmart regarding my disability, I could make like 4 videos just about that. Now there's an idea...
What do you think? Should I do some Walmart rants and never shop there again because they treat disabled people like shit? Seriously, one time an associate yelled at me for using one of those blue plastic baskets! No joke. If you want to hear that story, let me know.
Saturday, March 17, 2018
Wednesday, January 24, 2018
Traveling Alone With Disabilities
Traveling alone for some can be a daunting thought, but traveling alone when you are disabled takes on a whole new meaning of scary. There is so much unknown. Will there be accessibility? Will people be willing to help me? What if I go somewhere and I can't get around? These are just a few of the questions that run through a disabled individuals mind when thinking about going anywhere, let alone traveling to somewhere they've never been.
I can answer these questions fairly simply. Being disabled myself, and requiring the use of a wheelchair, I am familiar with traveling and venturing into the unknown. It is definitely scary at times, but I've learned to overcome that fear by remembering a few key things. First, no matter where you go, you got there somehow, so if things aren't accessible simply turn around and go back the way you came. This isn't exactly a solution to seeing the thing you may have wanted to see, or doing the thing you may have wanted to do, but it's just a way of overcoming the fear of even trying. You can always just turn around and go back the way you came. No harm, no foul.
Second, sometimes people are TOO willing to help; in other words, I've had numerous people ask me if I need help even when I'm quite obviously fine. I've also had people actually physically try to force me through something I didn't fit through (don't do this BTW), and more often than not people will ask me if I need a hand reaching something on a shelf just because I looked up! Generally people are good and decent and if you are in need of assistance you will more than likely find it without much effort. If you can't find help from a stranger, you should be able to find someone who works for whatever establishment you're visiting who will more than likely be happy to help you in whatever way possible.
My third question I suppose is very similar to the first; "what if I go somewhere and I can't get around?" Well, that's the same answer as the answer to "will there be accessibility?" Anywhere you go, you arrived there somehow, so if you can't get around simply turn around and go back the way you came, or find another area to visit that is accessible.
Obviously, before going anywhere, it's a great idea to do your research. Most places, whether they are large tourist attractions or not, will have at least general information available. Calling ahead and simply asking is a viable option as well, but remember that able bodied people don't always realize what the true meaning is of "accessible". I've gone a few places that claimed to be wheelchair accessible, but in fact were not. I can't even count the number of botched ramps, hidden door buttons, etc that I've encountered.
Accessibility has come a long way in the last 20 years, and it will only improve with time. Newer establishments are more likely to be fully accessible, another thing to keep in mind when traveling. Going to older historic places can be a big challenge unless they've been retro-fitted with wider doorways and ramps.
It took me many, many years to overcome my fears of going anywhere alone. I guess you could say I had a bit of a phobia of it. I learned to overcome my fears and have been traveling alone for a while now. It's not as difficult as it might seem, and there are lots of ways to stay safe and still have a great time! I will touch on the safety issues in another post. Just remember to do your research. Call ahead and express you needs if you must. Plan accordingly. Life's too short to let anything hold you back from doing the things you love!
I can answer these questions fairly simply. Being disabled myself, and requiring the use of a wheelchair, I am familiar with traveling and venturing into the unknown. It is definitely scary at times, but I've learned to overcome that fear by remembering a few key things. First, no matter where you go, you got there somehow, so if things aren't accessible simply turn around and go back the way you came. This isn't exactly a solution to seeing the thing you may have wanted to see, or doing the thing you may have wanted to do, but it's just a way of overcoming the fear of even trying. You can always just turn around and go back the way you came. No harm, no foul.
Second, sometimes people are TOO willing to help; in other words, I've had numerous people ask me if I need help even when I'm quite obviously fine. I've also had people actually physically try to force me through something I didn't fit through (don't do this BTW), and more often than not people will ask me if I need a hand reaching something on a shelf just because I looked up! Generally people are good and decent and if you are in need of assistance you will more than likely find it without much effort. If you can't find help from a stranger, you should be able to find someone who works for whatever establishment you're visiting who will more than likely be happy to help you in whatever way possible.
My third question I suppose is very similar to the first; "what if I go somewhere and I can't get around?" Well, that's the same answer as the answer to "will there be accessibility?" Anywhere you go, you arrived there somehow, so if you can't get around simply turn around and go back the way you came, or find another area to visit that is accessible.
Obviously, before going anywhere, it's a great idea to do your research. Most places, whether they are large tourist attractions or not, will have at least general information available. Calling ahead and simply asking is a viable option as well, but remember that able bodied people don't always realize what the true meaning is of "accessible". I've gone a few places that claimed to be wheelchair accessible, but in fact were not. I can't even count the number of botched ramps, hidden door buttons, etc that I've encountered.
Accessibility has come a long way in the last 20 years, and it will only improve with time. Newer establishments are more likely to be fully accessible, another thing to keep in mind when traveling. Going to older historic places can be a big challenge unless they've been retro-fitted with wider doorways and ramps.
It took me many, many years to overcome my fears of going anywhere alone. I guess you could say I had a bit of a phobia of it. I learned to overcome my fears and have been traveling alone for a while now. It's not as difficult as it might seem, and there are lots of ways to stay safe and still have a great time! I will touch on the safety issues in another post. Just remember to do your research. Call ahead and express you needs if you must. Plan accordingly. Life's too short to let anything hold you back from doing the things you love!
Tuesday, January 2, 2018
Sephora Matte Lipstick #31 Golden Gate
One of the biggest issues with online shopping is of course buying something that looks amazing on the website, and subsequently being hugely disappointed at the product itself. Let's face it, none of us enjoys returning anything even to a physical store much less through the mail. That's why I've decided to start doing some reviews of the things I purchase so that I may help someone else before they take the plunge. I'm not a 20 year old model, I don't have perfect skin, and I am brutally honest (to a fault at times). So, without further ado, here's my review of the Sephora lipstick I purchased that just arrived today!
Shipping was extremely fast! I ordered December 26th, it shipped December 27th and arrived January 2nd! Although initially extremely disappointed by the packaging and lack of my chosen samples, I do love this lipstick!
First, it arrived in a box big enough for 100 lipsticks:
Then, they didn't pack the samples I chose at checkout (which I was really looking forward to!)
Besides those mistakes, I do have to say I am impressed with the lipstick itself. Matte lipsticks tend to be dry and chalky. This one is not. It has a very nice velvety texture, a good scent, and doesn't taste like crap -- all very good points to any lipstick, but especially mattes. The packaging is pretty cute, too.
I did take advantage of their "try it on" option and chose a model with a similar skin tone and eye color to mine. I must say it looks as good on me as it did on her!
Overall, I'd give it a 7 out of 10. If you plan to wear it with lip liner, be sure you have a shade that's as close to the shade of lipstick as possible!
After a preliminary eating test, it held up fairly well for that, too! Something that has always been a huge pet peeve of mine!
Shipping was extremely fast! I ordered December 26th, it shipped December 27th and arrived January 2nd! Although initially extremely disappointed by the packaging and lack of my chosen samples, I do love this lipstick!
First, it arrived in a box big enough for 100 lipsticks:
 |
| Luckily I recycle, but most do not. 😠|
Then, they didn't pack the samples I chose at checkout (which I was really looking forward to!)
Besides those mistakes, I do have to say I am impressed with the lipstick itself. Matte lipsticks tend to be dry and chalky. This one is not. It has a very nice velvety texture, a good scent, and doesn't taste like crap -- all very good points to any lipstick, but especially mattes. The packaging is pretty cute, too.
I did take advantage of their "try it on" option and chose a model with a similar skin tone and eye color to mine. I must say it looks as good on me as it did on her!
Overall, I'd give it a 7 out of 10. If you plan to wear it with lip liner, be sure you have a shade that's as close to the shade of lipstick as possible!
After a preliminary eating test, it held up fairly well for that, too! Something that has always been a huge pet peeve of mine!
Aside from the fact they need to educate their shippers better about waste and including chosen samples, I will buy more of these Sephora brand lipsticks in the future. It was only $8!!
Buy yourself this same lipstick here: Sephora #lipstories Lipstick (my shade is Golden Gate)
Buy yourself this same lipstick here: Sephora #lipstories Lipstick (my shade is Golden Gate)
Wednesday, October 25, 2017
SCAM ALERT!! CASH NET USA FRAUD
Almost 7 years ago I made a very big cross-country move. After doing so, my health declined and I was unable to work once again. At the time I didn't know it, but I later learned I had a 4-pound tumor in my uterus along with other smaller tumors. This all led to my having a hysterectomy. During all of this, my finances were less than ideal and it was difficult for me to even put food in the house. My daughter was a teenager in high school and I could barely take care of her. After seeing Montel Williams' commercial with the single mom whose power gets shut off and she subsequently receives a pay day loan from Cash Net USA, I'll admit I got sucked in and applied. Because of my credit (I assume) I was turned down. The only thing on my credit at that time were medical bills (and I monitor my credit constantly as I've been working on fixing it). I NEVER RECEIVED A LOAN FROM THEM OR ANYONE!
Fast forward a couple of years and my brother calls me and tells me that someone called him stating I had used him as a reference for a pay day loan (this never happened, I never used him as a reference for anything). They told him I owed almost a thousand dollars and I still had not even made a payment. None of this was true. They somehow got access to other relatives phone numbers and called them as well, telling them the same story. I owed money, etc. A few of my relatives even offered to loan me the money to pay it off, and I had to assure them that I didn't owe anyone anything, but they thought I did! If that wasn't embarrassing enough, they then began calling my cell phone and leaving threatening messages stating this was my last chance, they would be submitting this to the courts, and they would always end these threatening messages with "good luck" in a very snide and insincere tone.
Finally, I called one of the numbers who had been calling me and my family and I reached what sounded like someone's home. I asked for the woman who had been calling and leaving her name, and I was put "on hold" while he "transferred" me. What this actually sounded like was him putting the phone down and yelling for his cohort in this obnoxious scam. When she came to the phone, she was very rude, sounded like she was hiding in a bathroom, and told me I owed nearly a thousand dollars to Cash Net USA for a pay day loan I had taken out in 2007. First of all, I applied for this loan in 2011. Secondly, I NEVER RECEIVED A PENNY FROM ANYONE!
I purposely asked her a lot of questions like the exact amount I supposedly owed, her name and how to spell it, where she had gotten all of my information (she claims from the loan application she says I received and never paid). I told her I would be contacting the FCC because this is fraudulent activity and I wouldn't stand for it. She began yelling at the top of her voice telling me to go ahead and contact the FCC or the FBI, they will see this debt that I owe and I'll be in trouble. Knowing this was not true, I was not the least bit fearful and I hung up the phone in the middle of her yelling rant.
I got on the internet immediately and began researching how to report fraud. I submitted all of the information I had gotten from her to the FCC website, including all of the phone numbers they had called me or my family from. After that, the calls stopped for a while. At least the threatening ones did.
Since that ONE TIME I applied for a pay day loan through what I THOUGHT was a reputable company, I have received hundreds of phone calls that leave voicemails telling me I am eligible to receive (enter amount here) directly to my bank account within 24 hours. Or I get text messages saying similar things. I have blocked every number and reported every text as spam but they just create new numbers.
My advice to anyone considering applying for a loan through Cash Net USA or their affiliates, DON'T!! I was a single mother who fell on hard times and needed a boost, and all I got was harassed for YEARS. They not only harassed me, but my family as well, which then created chaos within my family that I had done something shady when I had not. In fact, by the time they began calling my family I was already working again and paying off the medical debts which were the ONLY debts I had.
Cash Net USA, Montel Williams and anyone or any company affiliated with them are nothing but fraud!! BEWARE!!
Fast forward a couple of years and my brother calls me and tells me that someone called him stating I had used him as a reference for a pay day loan (this never happened, I never used him as a reference for anything). They told him I owed almost a thousand dollars and I still had not even made a payment. None of this was true. They somehow got access to other relatives phone numbers and called them as well, telling them the same story. I owed money, etc. A few of my relatives even offered to loan me the money to pay it off, and I had to assure them that I didn't owe anyone anything, but they thought I did! If that wasn't embarrassing enough, they then began calling my cell phone and leaving threatening messages stating this was my last chance, they would be submitting this to the courts, and they would always end these threatening messages with "good luck" in a very snide and insincere tone.
Finally, I called one of the numbers who had been calling me and my family and I reached what sounded like someone's home. I asked for the woman who had been calling and leaving her name, and I was put "on hold" while he "transferred" me. What this actually sounded like was him putting the phone down and yelling for his cohort in this obnoxious scam. When she came to the phone, she was very rude, sounded like she was hiding in a bathroom, and told me I owed nearly a thousand dollars to Cash Net USA for a pay day loan I had taken out in 2007. First of all, I applied for this loan in 2011. Secondly, I NEVER RECEIVED A PENNY FROM ANYONE!
I purposely asked her a lot of questions like the exact amount I supposedly owed, her name and how to spell it, where she had gotten all of my information (she claims from the loan application she says I received and never paid). I told her I would be contacting the FCC because this is fraudulent activity and I wouldn't stand for it. She began yelling at the top of her voice telling me to go ahead and contact the FCC or the FBI, they will see this debt that I owe and I'll be in trouble. Knowing this was not true, I was not the least bit fearful and I hung up the phone in the middle of her yelling rant.
I got on the internet immediately and began researching how to report fraud. I submitted all of the information I had gotten from her to the FCC website, including all of the phone numbers they had called me or my family from. After that, the calls stopped for a while. At least the threatening ones did.
Since that ONE TIME I applied for a pay day loan through what I THOUGHT was a reputable company, I have received hundreds of phone calls that leave voicemails telling me I am eligible to receive (enter amount here) directly to my bank account within 24 hours. Or I get text messages saying similar things. I have blocked every number and reported every text as spam but they just create new numbers.
My advice to anyone considering applying for a loan through Cash Net USA or their affiliates, DON'T!! I was a single mother who fell on hard times and needed a boost, and all I got was harassed for YEARS. They not only harassed me, but my family as well, which then created chaos within my family that I had done something shady when I had not. In fact, by the time they began calling my family I was already working again and paying off the medical debts which were the ONLY debts I had.
Cash Net USA, Montel Williams and anyone or any company affiliated with them are nothing but fraud!! BEWARE!!
Monday, February 13, 2017
Cable and Shell Crochet Blanket Free Pattern
Working on this masterpiece today. It already weighs about 15 pounds and it's only about 1/4 done! But, the whole point is for it to be a heavy, weighted blanket for my daughter and her family.
The free pattern is available here: http://www.redheart.com/free-patterns/cabled-shell-throw
I am using Lion Brand Hometown USA super bulky in Napa Valley Pinot with a size N/15 10mm hook.
I should also probably add that one skein only does about two rows when using the yarn and hook I'm using, so when all said and done this will be a very expensive blanket.
Tuesday, May 3, 2016
Quickie 7 Series
So, the new chair they fitted me for is a Quickie 7 series. It has the most amazing back rest, and while being fitted for the chair, the OT was amazed that I've been in my current chair for so long, especially considering I've been sitting all wrong. This current chair has me hunched over, and my hips and back are curving inward at a very unhealthy level. This explains the curve in my lumbar that was found in my last MRI. That is permanent, and was caused by sitting wrong in a wheelchair that was never fitted properly for me. *sad face*
I am praying with every fiber of my being that this new chair goes through because now that I know how terrible my posture has been in the chair I use all day, every day, just sitting in it gives me terrible anxiety and I can't wait to be sitting in a chair that will alleviate a lot of pain and issues. Besides my posture, the new chair is lighter, more narrow, and much easier to get in and out of my car. Life in general will be much easier to live with the new chair. I sure hope Medicare approves at least most of it. I will find a way to scrape together the rest.
She said it can take up to 3 months to find out, but at least it's in the works.
Now, the next step is to get into Physical Therapy, but that will have to wait until my daughter has day care situated for my boy. I will still be crippled up and in need of PT until then.
I am praying with every fiber of my being that this new chair goes through because now that I know how terrible my posture has been in the chair I use all day, every day, just sitting in it gives me terrible anxiety and I can't wait to be sitting in a chair that will alleviate a lot of pain and issues. Besides my posture, the new chair is lighter, more narrow, and much easier to get in and out of my car. Life in general will be much easier to live with the new chair. I sure hope Medicare approves at least most of it. I will find a way to scrape together the rest.
She said it can take up to 3 months to find out, but at least it's in the works.
Now, the next step is to get into Physical Therapy, but that will have to wait until my daughter has day care situated for my boy. I will still be crippled up and in need of PT until then.
Monday, May 2, 2016
I'm Back
I know that I went dark for a little while, and I guess it was just a much needed break. My visit to U of M ended in disappointment, and I think I just became very discouraged. I received a phone call from the neurologist who examined me, and in his words he is "convinced I had some sort of myelitis and this is the unfortunate aftermath". Well, that's kind of obvious and doesn't really help me figure out a solution now does it?
I know I suffered some sort of myelitis. That was not why I was sent all the way to U of M. I was sent there to try to get to the bottom of why things have changed so drastically, and why my legs are making my life a living hell. He did the blood tests, which all came back normal or negative, and he examined my reflexes and level of nerve function, etc, but I guess that's the end of the line. He's not going to go any further with trying to find the cause. He suggested Botox injections and referred me to Physiatry down there, but this is something I can accomplish here at home without all the traveling and stress, so I am not pursuing that avenue.
We are, however, pursuing it here at home. I have Botox injections for my inner thighs and hamstrings scheduled for July 22. This was the soonest we could get it done since it has to be submitted to insurance first, hopefully approved, and then ordered. I am very hopeful that this provides enough relief that I am able to finally get my legs stretched out and a little more mobile and flexible. The fentanyl patch has done wonders for my every day mobility and movement, but my legs still refuse to go completely straight and I am still unable to stand.
I have an appointment today with Occupational Therapy to be measured for a new wheelchair. Hopefully, Medicare will pay for a new one in full, but I am not convinced. Medicare doesn't even pay for my medical bills in full. I am now facing thousands of dollars of bills piling up that are my responsibility, which brings me to my GoFundMe page.
Originally, I created my GoFundMe page for the expenses of driving to, and staying in, Minneapolis for what was supposed to be a lengthy search into what is ailing me. Now that it seems that has hit a dead end, the leftover funds will not go to waste. They will be applied to the medical bills that are currently looming over my head, and also to possibly my share of a new wheelchair. The wheelchair I am in serves its purpose no doubt, but it has seen better days. It's also quite heavy, so a newer, lighter version of a chair would go a long way to lessening the damage being done to my upper body every time I have to lift it in and out of my car.
I turned donations off for a while after I found out U of M was pretty much a dead end, but I have since turned them back on now that I have all the other expenses here at home piling up. I will not be actively sharing or pursuing donations as much as I was, since there was still around $500 that went unused from previous donations, and will now be applied to my previously mentioned bills, but the page is there and donations back on for whomever comes across it and decides to be generous.
So, I have not given up, but the path has changed a bit. Things are staying here at home, which is nice. I would still love to get into Mayo and have them take a stab at my mysterious case, but for now I am happy with where things are and are headed.
Never Give Up
I know I suffered some sort of myelitis. That was not why I was sent all the way to U of M. I was sent there to try to get to the bottom of why things have changed so drastically, and why my legs are making my life a living hell. He did the blood tests, which all came back normal or negative, and he examined my reflexes and level of nerve function, etc, but I guess that's the end of the line. He's not going to go any further with trying to find the cause. He suggested Botox injections and referred me to Physiatry down there, but this is something I can accomplish here at home without all the traveling and stress, so I am not pursuing that avenue.
We are, however, pursuing it here at home. I have Botox injections for my inner thighs and hamstrings scheduled for July 22. This was the soonest we could get it done since it has to be submitted to insurance first, hopefully approved, and then ordered. I am very hopeful that this provides enough relief that I am able to finally get my legs stretched out and a little more mobile and flexible. The fentanyl patch has done wonders for my every day mobility and movement, but my legs still refuse to go completely straight and I am still unable to stand.
I have an appointment today with Occupational Therapy to be measured for a new wheelchair. Hopefully, Medicare will pay for a new one in full, but I am not convinced. Medicare doesn't even pay for my medical bills in full. I am now facing thousands of dollars of bills piling up that are my responsibility, which brings me to my GoFundMe page.
Originally, I created my GoFundMe page for the expenses of driving to, and staying in, Minneapolis for what was supposed to be a lengthy search into what is ailing me. Now that it seems that has hit a dead end, the leftover funds will not go to waste. They will be applied to the medical bills that are currently looming over my head, and also to possibly my share of a new wheelchair. The wheelchair I am in serves its purpose no doubt, but it has seen better days. It's also quite heavy, so a newer, lighter version of a chair would go a long way to lessening the damage being done to my upper body every time I have to lift it in and out of my car.
I turned donations off for a while after I found out U of M was pretty much a dead end, but I have since turned them back on now that I have all the other expenses here at home piling up. I will not be actively sharing or pursuing donations as much as I was, since there was still around $500 that went unused from previous donations, and will now be applied to my previously mentioned bills, but the page is there and donations back on for whomever comes across it and decides to be generous.
So, I have not given up, but the path has changed a bit. Things are staying here at home, which is nice. I would still love to get into Mayo and have them take a stab at my mysterious case, but for now I am happy with where things are and are headed.
Never Give Up
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