Hello disabled comrades! This week, I am feeling very relieved for the ceasefire in Gaza and the release of Palestinian hostages. I hope we are all doing okay. If you’re just surviving, barely making it through — I see you and I’m proud of you; and I hope this week brings you a little joy.

As always, we ask that in order to participate in the weekly megathread, one self-identifies as some form of disabled, which is broadly defined in the community sidebar:

“Disability” is an umbrella term which encompasses physical disabilities, emotional/psychiatric disabilities, neurodivergence, intellectual/developmental disabilities, sensory disabilities, invisible disabilities, and more. You do not have to have an official diagnosis to consider yourself disabled.

Mask up, love one another, and stay alive for one more week.

  • DisabledAceSocialist [comrade/them]@hexbear.net
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    28 days ago

    For the first time in months, I amazingly managed to make some appointments at the GP surgery. Lately, it’s been impossible to get an appointment. No matter what’s wrong, they turn me away. I have a lot of side effects from cancer treatment and my stroke, and no matter the problem, they say they don’t have any appointments and send me elsewhere. Got an infection? Go to the pharmacist to be prescribed antibiotics. Musculoskeletal problem? Refer yourself to the physiotherapist (and wait months). Foot issues? Refer yourself to the podiatrist and wait months. Issues with your meds? Wait until you can see the endocrinologist. And on and on. It’s stressful and exhausting. Well as I mentioned after my surgery the surgical wounds on my feet got infected, maybe because I was left to change my own bandages at home. Which is difficult anyway because of mobility issues caused by my stroke. So today I said to the GP receptionist that I need nurse appointments to change these bandages. I fully expected to be turned away again, but she actually made me three appointments for this week, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. They are the only days available . It’s not every day like I need but it’s something. The NHS has fallen pretty low when I’m grateful to get any appointments at all instead of being shocked that they expect me to go without help some days.