My Disability Is NOT A Moral Failing

My disease and disability in not a moral failing. It’s not because I’m a bad person or I made a stupid decision like drunk driving, or I didn’t know how to be healthy. See below for evidence. I was fit, active, and healthy.

Until I wasn’t.

I have a disease and it’s left me disabled. That’s not a moral failing or a reflection of my worth as a human being.

There’s nothing I did or didn’t do that caused this. I’m genetically predisposed for auto-immune disease, and I didn’t have a choice in that. In most of my family, their immune system attacks their thyroid. Mine attacked my brain and spinal cord.

Them’s the breaks, I guess.

Let me be clear though: I’m not less than because of my medical issue.

To the arrogant, redneck conservatives who think that they’re healthy because somehow they’re better or superior….

You’re lucky.

You’re privileged.

Would you say a child diagnosed with cancer is somehow at fault? Or perhaps it’s their parents who should have tried harder, worked harder, been better?

I would certainly hope not. But then why is it okay to act like people like me somehow deserve their disease?

The wife of our Chief Paramedic actually texted me a a few years ago to tell me that I deserve MS and my daughter deserves her brain tumour (diagnosed at 16) because I’m a ‘bad person.’

My crime was that I turned down a social invitation, by the way. (All of them.)

If that’s the attitude of our Chief Paramedic’s spouse, I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that other health care ‘professionals’ are sick of working to pay taxes so ‘lazy bastards can play video games in Mom’s basement.’

I mean, I do live in Alberta, the Alabama of the North.

Listen.

If you have your health and physical capabilities, you aren’t a better or harder-working person than someone who has a medical problem or disability. Trust me when I tell you living with disability is the hardest work I’ve ever done. Every day is exhausting and difficult, even the good days.

But if you don’t understand what that’s like, consider yourself lucky, not superior, and periodically check your privilege.

And try to be less of a dick. Getting a disease might not be in your control, but you can always choose not to be a dick.