Thursday, June 9, 2011

My Life As An Advocate

I feel the constant pull of being a parent with a child with Autism and being an advocate for people with disabilities. Today is a case in point. The electric company is turning off the electricity at my daughter's appartment complex. It will be off from 4AM to 1PM. She lives on the 6th floor and will have no air or elevator.

I had already confirmed it with the electric company before I called the provider. The electic company is upgrading their system. I called the provider and made plans to get my daughter the night before. I will bring her to my house to spend the night.

In the course of my discussion with the provider they reminded me of all the people who lived in the upper floors of the apartment who used wheelchairs or are elderly. Not all of those people have family to go to. Myself and a friend have been calling various people about it but everyone says it is not their responsibility.

I suppose I need to call the news station but all of this takes so much time and energy. It's not my responsibility. But this is what you find yourself doing when you have a child with Autism or any disability. You become an advocate and do all kinds of things you never thought you would do.

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