8.03.2006

Everyone is Disabled

Yes, most of the time I do not love doctors. For so many reasons, some of which I have written about in the past. Today I had to go get my health forms filled out for the school district, and the doctor I had was a COMPLETE jerk. Now, I'm used to the stereotypes they throw at me, like that I don't exercise and only eat junk. And I'm used to having to say, "No, actually, I exercise almost every day, and try to live pretty healthfully." And I'm used to them not believing me. Whatever. I have learned to stick up for myself. But TODAY was beyond that. Not only did I get those stereotypes thrown at me with gusto, but he totally started devaluing the lives of students with developmental disabilities.
Since I was getting the physical for the district, he asked what kind of teacher I am. I told him I taught special education. He was like, "Oh, the special ed kids." He said that with a tone and look on his face as if he was talking about cow manure. Then he said, "I used to teach special ed, kids that were barely trainable, when I first got out of college." Yes, he said this with the same look of disgust. I think he was expecting me to join him in ribbing on the students with disabilities, and talking about how sad and unbelievably low-functioning they are. Obviously, I did no such thing. I desperately wanted to say, "Well, for the sake of those kids, I'm glad you became a doctor," but I didn't. I just said, "They're good kids. It's a good job."
And it made me realize what I really hate about doctors is how they are obsessed with HEALTH--I mean, that is their job after all, to make people's bodies as healthy as possible. They love bodies that are perfect, healthy, and well-functioning. They can also tolerate bodies that are broken in some respect, as long as they are fixable. But people with disabilities are not in this category--they are going to have limitations in their physical and mental capacities, and will never not be disabled, no matter what the doctor does. So they are not able to see the amazing GIFTS of people with developmental disabilities, because they can never get past the fact that their bodies and minds are "beyond repair."
It makes my heart so sad. What especially disturbs me is the artificial distinction between "people with disabilities" and everyone else. As if there is anyone in this world who is free of limitations and disabilities of their own. We all have gifts, but we are also all broken and flawed, and in profound need of the grace and love of God. But the thing is, people with physical/cognitive disabilities have their disabilities out there in the open, for everyone to see. Whereas people without those types of disabilities can pretend that they are not broken, and that they do not have profound flaws and limitations. And then, these so-called "normal" people can look on people with developmental disabilities with disgust or with a feeling of superiority, when all along they are more disabled than someone with developmental disabilities will ever be.

1 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

I can't you how many times I've gone to doctors who have given me the impression that they think the only reason I got sick or injured was to inconvenience them.

9:56 PM  

Post a Comment

<< Home