Comments on: Blog Action Day 2008 – Poverty from a Personal Perspective

By: Do It Myself Blog - Glenda Watson Hyatt » Why Barack Obama’s Inauguration Fills Me with Hope

Tue, 20 Jan 2009 08:32:49 +0000

[...] sickened by the appalling treatment of far too many people with disabilities. I face the sting of living below the poverty line and being on social assistance, for [...]

By: Karen Putz / DeafMom

Karen Putz / DeafMom — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 18:59:49 +0000

Glenda, I’m glad you wrote this because the reality is, people with disabilities are unemployed and underemployed in large numbers.

I just saw a full time salary posted for a job that I used to do– $26,000 at a Center for Independent Living. My eyes could not believe it. I was making $21,700 when I left my job to stay home with my first kid and that was quite low back then.

I have a friend who is deaf and put herself through school for the second time (BS in Counseling, went back for medical coding) and she has gone on ten interviews but nothing so far. Getting around the phone hurdle has been hard for her.

Finding well paying jobs for people with disabilities can be a tough thing– we need attitudes to shift in many cases for that to happen.

By: Doug C.

Doug C. — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 23:20:07 +0000

Glenda, if you ever need anything just e-mail me. I’ll do whatever I can to help. I know what it’s like to be down and out and certainly our own government isn’t any help.

Seems we need to rely on each other for that.

By: ...paul

...paul — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 18:11:12 +0000

Glenda, I think you’re right, and being honest with ourselves is the first, important, step. It’s pretty unusual for me to share something as personal so readily too; but sometimes it just feels right.

By: Glenda

Glenda — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 17:43:21 +0000

Cindi, I fully understand how frustrating it is when the body doesn’t keep up with the mind. Perhaps life is a buffet – there is no way to eat everything, so you choose what is most appealing to you with a few nibbles of new foods to taste along the way.

As for Twitter, I’m @GlendaWH. Feel free to follow me, then I can show you the ropes. Really, it takes jumping in and going with it.

By: Glenda

Glenda — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 17:34:57 +0000

Angel, thank you for your kind words. Imagine a world where we all live up to our full potential.

By: Glenda

Glenda — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 17:04:10 +0000

Paul, thank you for sharing your story. I was hesitant to reveal something considered so personal. But, perhaps by sharing, like you have done too, we can begin to become honest (within ourselves and with others) about our financial situations. Perhaps then we can put an end to “keeping up with the Jones” because they are, in fact, struggling as much as we are. Then we can get down to what really matters and help those who are truly in need.

I’m glad you’re happy. Life is too precious to not be happy until…

By: Cyndi in BC

Cyndi in BC — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 17:03:52 +0000

Hi Glenda,

Thanks for another great post! I’m also on provincial disability and working on my self-employment goals.

I have so many things I’d like to do but my body just won’t allow me to move at the pace my mind would like. It’s very frustrating.

BTW, how do you get started with Twitter? I signed up but couldn’t figure out how to get started twittering?

By: Angel Cuala

Angel Cuala — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 16:31:06 +0000

I did not realized that Canada has this kind of data, as I thought my country – Philippines has even worst.

Anyway, with the “disability” that you have, you have gone a long way compared to a lot of “normal” people and I should salute you for that.

By: ...paul

...paul — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 13:16:23 +0000

I don’t know where I would get the figures from for the UK, but I imagine they would be very similar to yours in Canada. Disabled people who haven’t worked enough to have built up any sort of pension rights will be in a very difficult position.

I can empathize with where you are financially Glenda. Since having to give up working ten years or so ago, we have had to struggle. I was too stubborn to give up when I should have done, and we still had a little savings. The last of our savings were eaten up because I was having to take so much time off of work, which wasn’t particularly well paid anyway.

But, as difficult as things are for us as a family, we are wealthy compared to many around the world. Meals are regular, and sufficient. We just about manage the rent for our house. We do have more debt than we’re comfortable with, but the repayments are being met. So, all-in-all, things could be better, but we manage, and we’re happy.

Thanks for looking at this Blog Action Day from this angle. It’s a great help.