Posted on 11/11/2011 3:04 AM
Sunshine, is there any way that you can set it so that users get an e-mail when their registration request is approved? I had no idea mine had been until I tried to log in today. I generally like confirmation e-mails when I register for new message boards anyway and I didn't get any from the new board. For me it's a matter of knowing what boards I'm registered with and gives me a heads up if someone else uses my e-mail address for something! (Which happens frighteningly often)
Posted on 25/10/2011 4:10 PM
I would suggest consulting a solicitor who knows something about estate
planning (not sure if "estate planning" is the correct term for the UK,
but it's what it would be called in the US).
Unfortunately, I don't know anything about UK law, but in the US what
you're suggesting is definitely possible to do. I wouldn't be surprised
if it was also possible in the UK, but may not be something that is well
known. In the US they're generally known as "Special Needs Trusts"
(yes, the term is horrible) and they get set up so that an independent
executor (can be a family member or other) has the direct control of the
money, but the disabled person can access it for specific sorts of
needs (housing, schooling, and I think medical needs).
Good luck!
Posted on 21/10/2011 3:37 AM
Most of the "big brands" should be okay. I like Seagate drives because I've had a couple Western Digital external drives fail on me (OTOH, had lots of luck with an internal WD I used to replace a laptop HDD at one point), but plenty of the geeks I know who use a lot more storage than I swear by Western Digital. So really I'd say either Seagate or Western Digital should be good. They both offer 1TB or larger drives (I currently have a 2TB Seagate and an older 250GB Seagate as my backup drives). I believe they both also offer large drives that work over a network, but I prefer just regular USB drives.
Also of note, if it says it works with USB 3.0, it will also work with older versions of USB if your computer doesn't do USB 3.0 (if you've bought a computer in the last year, it's probably 3.0, earlier than that and it's probably 2.0, and earlier than about 2002 or so it's probably 1.0 - yes, I know technologies were announced earlier than the years I'm giving, but it does take a couple years for manufacturers to all switch over).
Unless you plan on constantly moving your drive, a regular external drive is fine (compared to a portable one). Portable ones are much more expensive so unless you really plan on carrying it places daily, they're not worth the extra cost.
Posted on 17/10/2011 6:12 AM
I always find the charging to park debates interesting because in the US there are very few places where blue badge holders are given any sort of discount. Some cities give a discount for onstreet parking. Otherwise, I think I've paid the same for parking as anyone else everywhere in the US I've parked. I suspect some of this is that culturally driving is much more prevalent (and public transport in most places a lot less available) in the US so more people will be driving and parking anyway, but I'm not sure it would change if fewer people drove and there was more public transportation.
What you do get (but not specific to blue badge holders) is that many hospitals or medical buildings with a shared car park have facilities to provide "validation" on tickets which may give a discount on parking. For example, when I was doing physio last year (twice a week) and had to park in a public car park, the physio's office would stamp my parking card thing and when I went to pay it knocked an hour's fee off my parking cost. It generally meant I only ended up spending the money for 1/2 hour of parking (although at that car park it was only a saving of about $1 - it's a very inexpensive car park). I also once got a parking card validated by security when visiting a friend in the hospital. I think that one knocked a lot more money off my cost, though, as it was a garage where I'd spent $30+ for 6 hours the night before. Neither of these discounts were specific to the fact I was disabled, though.
Posted on 02/10/2011 5:23 AM
I haven't tested private messages, but I think there's something wrong with Aimoo's server right now. Sometimes the board renders properly and sometimes it doesn't.
Posted on 25/09/2011 9:32 AM
"I don't even see how it makes sense as a nickname!"
To me personally, it's an insult.
I agree it's an insult, but I also just don't understand the logic that has the PA and her mum using it for a baby that doesn't even exist yet. Assuming that the PA and her mum didn't mean it as an insult, they might as well referred to them as Cheese 1 and Cheese 2 in that it's a very random word to choose to use as a nickname for non-existant children. Of course, I also don't understand why she needed nicknames for kids when she's not even pregnant yet, but I know some people plan out names for babies long before they have them so I figure nicknames are just an extension of that.
(edited for formatting)
Posted on 25/09/2011 6:57 AM
Even on my side of the pond (where 'spastic' and 'spaz' are more generally acceptable for most people, although are rarely used in terms of disability when it comes to everyday conversations) no one would use Spastic as a nickname for a baby! I don't even see how it makes sense as a nickname!
Posted on 25/09/2011 6:53 AM
ARider,
Sorry, I missed part of this thread last week while I was traveling for medical appointments.
One thing that someone said to my mother back when I came out was that one of the reasons parents often react badly to their kids coming out is that it reminds them that their kids have sex. Just as most kids don't want to think about their parents having sex, most parents don't want to think about their kids having sex. It was a really useful way to think about part of my parents' reaction. They weren't homophobic before I came out so the fact that their reaction was on the negative side of neutral was a bit of a shock to me.
9 years later, they don't care who I date/am with as long as the person treats me well. It took getting past the first girlfriend (it was a bad relationship for many, many reasons) for them to get to that point, but it got better. I just wanted to put that in! I didn't use any of the things suggested other places in this thread, just kinda figured they'd come round and acted myself like it was no big deal.
Posted on 22/09/2011 6:12 AM
I don't know if it's available in the UK, but I use RXlist for my med reminder (on the iPhone). The best part? It's free and does everything the Guardian one does!
I haven't played with the Dragon apps yet even though I have them. But I love my phone, I really do and there are several ways I use it as a disability aid. :)
Posted on 21/09/2011 8:57 AM
I think the others have good suggestions that I think you should probably look at first. Based on your tone, I'm assuming you're in the US and there are a couple new meds in the US which are aimed at helping people with narcolepsy, but also have some success helping people who have fatigue otherwise. The problem is that insurance commonly won't cover them because it is an off-label use and the meds aren't cheap.
Good luck!
Posted on 21/09/2011 8:49 AM
I'm really sad to see this news today. She will be missed and I hope she has found her peace.
Posted on 14/09/2011 7:25 AM
Good luck! I hope all goes well tomorrow!
Posted on 04/09/2011 6:05 AM
Congrats to KizzyKazzer! I think she'll make a wonderful mod :)
Posted on 27/08/2011 10:09 AM
I had earthquake on Tuesday and tomorrow will either be a hurricane or a tropical storm. I'm also still less an a month out of surgery. I'm expecting high pain, but at least I'm still mostly not going out still so feel less worried about being housebound. I just hope we keep power!
Posted on 23/08/2011 7:18 AM
I think I see independence in more abstract terms. For me it's being able to control my life by whatever means necessary. If it means having a PA who works for me so that I can live on my own and have that control over what I do and eat, that's still independence (I've been living at home for the past year and there's just no way to get that level when you're in with mum & dad, although I suspect it might be easier if I was having PAs in, but it's not something I can afford nor something I could get funded over here). If it means using a wheelchair to get around because I don't walk well or a powerchair so that no one needs to push me, again that's independence for me. I don't worry so much about financial independence from the government or my parents, partially because it's unlikely I ever could be completely financially independent (although I certainly try to be) from both those groups and partially because I am far more concerned about the being able to do what I want to do and having that control part of things.
Posted on 21/08/2011 1:13 PM
Yay for kittens! I just got one myself. She's both helping and hindering my surgery recovery. But at least she's always cute (and loves cuddles now that she knows what they are, she really hadn't had much human contact before us)!
Posted on 09/08/2011 7:00 PM
I have no advice, but I wanted to say congrats!
Posted on 07/08/2011 3:50 PM
Does it count that I changed into a clean nightie when we changed my surgical dressings earlier?
Posted on 07/08/2011 9:56 AM
I hope both Rachel and Sociable that your times in hospital are helpful! Sending good thoughts your way!
Posted on 01/08/2011 5:18 AM
I'll be in chat for the next couple hours as I'm using it as part of my pre-op distraction. I'll check periodically to see if there's anyone else in.
