This is a story about
why I can't wait for NDIS
(National Disability Insurance Scheme) to commence in the land of OZ.
Miss Chloe has a Personal Trainer to assist to get her fit and out of the Morbid obesity zone. She trains two times a week and is making really good inroads.
I pay for one session and I have a package that pays for the other one, Chloe's PT invoices them directly. Now this is one of those disability organizations we see a bit in this great country that believes they are doing the client a favor, and the client and client's service providers MUST work around them and fit into their boxes.
Chloe's trainer is a micro-business owner. She works for herself and like most
micro-business owners relies on being paid on-time or with the 30 days.
She recently approached me, desperate for some guidance. The disability organization hadn't paid her for 10+weeks...and she had left numerous messages and sent many emails, and had NO response. I was disgusted, as I have lost a service provider before, due to another disability organizations lack of respect or care about paying within an acceptable time. Chloes personal trainer is excellent for Chloe and she really takes her out of her comfort zone. The results have been remarkable. I am not at all keen on losing her, due to this organizations incompetency and lack of decency.
I spoke to my case manager and voiced my concerns. Her supervisor called me back within 24 hours and was lovely. She arranged a manager to call me.
Well, he was on the defensive right from the get-go.
Rude, short and bullying. Silly man, I am not the type to slink away from this behavior. In his words,
"It is very unfortunate that they are 3 months behind,
but accounts are very busy. She will eventually get paid".
I couldn't help but verbalise "would he find it acceptable if they took 3 months to pay him because they are busy?" Well, no, he wouldn't accept that, "but we aren't talking about me..." he said.
He then proceeded to tell me, she should never have spoken to me about the issue, as IT ISN'T MY BUSINESS.
OOOH and of course one of the old favs came out...IT"S A PRIVACY ISSUE!!!
I am really not sure who's business it is when my service provider needs to cut my services because they aren't getting paid. And I explained that she had tried to contact the organisation several times with no joy, so what exactly should she have done?
After a bit of ArgyBargy, they agreed to pay her promptly. I am praying this is every time..not just this time!
When NDIS comes into play, this won't be an issue, as we will be responsible for our own packages and it will be up to us to pay our service providers on time.
AND DISABILITY ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE FULLY SELF-ABSORBED AND BULLYING WILL BE LEFT ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD.
Then the manager won't have to worry about being too busy to pay honest people, he won't have a job to go to himself.
BRING ON N.D.I.S AND GIVE US BACK SOME RESPECT AND DIGNITY.
IGNORANCE -
lacking knowledge or information about something;
not educated (Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary)
So if this is the definition of ignorance -
why is it so many people are offended when some-one says they are ignorant??
I am a member of a few facebook sites specifically for people who love a person with
Down syndrome, I never stop being bemused at people who get angry because
some-one said something 'ignorant' about their child.
Before I had Miss Chloe, I thought all people with Ds needed to be locked away.
I ooozed ignorance in every meaning of the word, I was a person who was not only ignorant herself, but also not interested in learning anything about the topic and was very vocal (if anyone would listen) about my views.
Miss Chloe rocked the very foundation of everything I stood for,
And this was the very best thing that could ever have happened to me!!!
From the time I bought her home and a wonderful person from the
DS Assoc of Victoria came out to visit me (she had a spring in her step & a huge smile on her face), my ignorance around Ds and humankind started to melt away.
I am here to tell you, I never, ever get upset or offended when some-one says something ignorant about my child.
You know, something like: "She isn't severe, is she?", "Does she love music",
"You're so lucky', they are so loving", "Will she grow out of it?",
"Does she understand?", "Will she ever get married?" and on it goes................
You see, I promised myself I would never forget what I was like before I had Chloe,
and these statements and questions are a great reminder of my past life, but they also give
me great clues that a person is genuinely interested in Miss Chloe and is humble enough to admit they don't know everything, but are open to be taught.
And teach them is what I do well. I always feel honored when this happens, as I know with all my heart there will be one more person in the world who is a little more enlightened after our conversation.
It is never tiring and I find it very stimulating.
Everyone is ignorant about something - YEP EVEN YOU!!!!
We just don't know everything about everything. Once you realise you are ignorant about something, you are given two choices:
1. Ignore the information and remain ignorant ( an insult for you and the other person )
2. Listen and learn. ( opportunity to see something in a different light and become aware )
I have just come back from visiting Northern Ireland. Until I went to Belfast, I had an entrenched opinion about the conflict that had taken place over there in recent history. I acquired these strong opinions and ideas from what I had seen on TV and read.
Whilst there I was blessed to be taken on 2 tours, one in Belfast and one in Londonderry/Derry. WOW, what an eye-opener this was for me. Listening to people who have been personally involved in this crisis really made me see,
I had a lot of mis-information.
I came away feeling very moved and with a massive mind-shift around the whole event and the people. It was the most inspiring feeling I have had for many years.
I am one of those people who now love to admit I am ignorant, as it opens up an opportunity for me to learn something new and to become a less judgmental person.
So the next time a person asks what you think is an ignorant opinion or gives an ignorant comment, see it as an opportunity to educate...not as an insult or drag.
REMEMBER WE WILL ALL BE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE TEACHERS IN THIS WORLD - STOP A MINUTE AND THINK ABOUT WHAT KIND OF TEACHER YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE........I WOULD LIKE TO BE A TEACHER WHO ENLIGHTENS PEOPLE.
AND DISABILITY ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE FULLY SELF-ABSORBED AND BULLYING WILL BE LEFT ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD.
