L is for League of the Physically Handicapped. Formed in 1935 as a form of protest against the discrimination put forth by FDR’s Works Progress Administration (WPA).
Members of the League held a nine-day sit-in in protest of the Home Relief Bureau of New York City, which stamped applications by physically handicapped applicants with “PH” for physically handicapped. Deemed unemployable, people with disabilities were denied access to the WPA available jobs. This led to the creation of 1500 jobs for physically handicapped workers in New York City and over 5000 jobs nationwide. The League dissolved by 1939 having served its purpose. 30 years later, the young New Yorkers’ who remembered the League’s impact later formed the New York City Disability Rights Movement. The League of the Physically Handicapped started as just six members and grew to hundreds and was the first direct-action civil disobedience disability organization in the United States. For more on The Great Depression, WPA, and people with disabilities fight for the right to employment, check out this article.
Today I also have my coworker, friend, and fellow proud person with disabilities Izzy O’Connell to talk about their experiences with Lyme. Here’s what Izzy has to say:
L is for Lyme Disease. Lyme is a greatly misunderstood illness, which can have devastating effects. As a survivor of Late Stage Lyme Disease, it took me over 2 years to get a diagnosis — that makes me one of the lucky ones.
Lyme Disease is considered the “Great Imitator” — meaning the symptoms of Lyme Disease mimic the symptoms of many other illnesses. Currently, the state of testing for Lyme Disease is abysmal, with many tests for Lyme either not being sensitive enough, not given within the proper window to catch active infection, and/or are not designed to detect all of the potential Tick-Borne Illnesses. This leads to many false negatives, misdiagnosis, and years of suffering for Lyme patients. Amazingly enough, COVID long-haulers are providing new insight into Late Stage Lyme/Chronic Lyme disease as well–but research is still lagging.
I was fortunate enough to receive the Ron Howard Emergency Grant from my University for $10,000 so that I could go to the Jemsek Specialty Clinic here in DC. Due to the lack of accurate diagnosis, many Lyme patients have outrageous out-of-pocket costs, forcing us into poverty and debt.
By the time I was diagnosed, I was using a Beamer as a mobility service dog, had a walker, a wheelchair part-time, and was declining rapidly. Once a straight-A student, I was suddenly failing classes and taking Incompletes and Withdrawals left and right as my cognitive function plummeted. The disease had made its way into my nervous system and brain, forcing me to undergo extreme treatment. In order to reach remission, I had to take over 20 different medications a day–including a 6-month stint of rotating antibiotics that wrecked my digestive system.
To this day, I still deal with the aftermath that Late Stage Lyme caused. The nervous system damage continues to cause chronic pain, which is treated monthly through Ketamine! My cognitive function may never return to what it once was, but three years later an I can read books without getting migraines again!
If you or someone you know gets bit by a tick, save it. Tell your doctor as soon as possible, as testing is most accurate the sooner you can get it done. If you develop symptoms, you can send the tick out for testing. This is not 100% fool-proof (lol) but can be helpful in the diagnosis process.
Learn more about Lyme Disease Here.