Update!

It occurs to me that I should make it easier for people with disabilities to participate in my big book project. If you want to participate, respond to the questions below. You can answer as many as you'd like -- just one or all of them. Be forewarned: many are very personal.

--What is your disability? Be as specific as possible.

--Have you had trouble making or keeping friends?
--Describe a situation that demonstrates the difficulty you've had making or keeping friends.
--Describe a situation that demonstrates how important your friends have been in your life.
--Describe a situation in which a friend seemed oblivious to your disability. How did that affect you?
--Describe a situation in which a friend was sensitive to your disability.

--Did you attend public schools?
--Describe a situation in which you struggled with accessibility at your elementary school, junior high or high school (or all three).
--Describe a school activity(ies) from which you were excluded because of your disability.

--Do you have a college degree?
--If not, why?
--If so, what is your degree?
--Describe a situation that demonstrates the difficulty of attending college with a disability.
--Describe a college activity from which you were excluded because of your disability.

--What type of relationship do you have with your parents?
--What type of relationship do you have with your siblings?
--Describe a situation in which your parents and/or siblings seemed oblivious to a particular aspect of your disability. How did that affect you?
--Describe a situation (or situations) in which your parents and/or siblings were sensitive to your disability.

--Are you able to have sexual intercourse? Has your disability affected your sexual function at all? How?
--If not, are you intimate with others? Please describe.
--How have others responded to your inability to have intercourse or to the accommodations necessary for you to be intimate?
--Please describe challenges you have with dating?
--How would you describe your self-esteem/body image.

--Do you have full bladder/bowel control?
--If not, how do you management your bladder/bowels.
--Are your friends/co-workers/others aware of your bladder/bowel issues?
--If so, how have they reacted to it?
--If not, why?
--Have you ever had accidents? Please describe. How did you handle it? How did others react?

--Would you describe yourself as independent?
--Describe specific challenges you have had achieving independence.
--How well did your parents/family prepare you for gaining independence? Did they support or oppose your efforts to gain independence? Please describe.

--Are you employed?
--If so, what do you do for a living?
--Why did you select your career field (assuming you have a \"career\"?)
--Why did you select your current job?
--Have potential employers not hired you because of your disability? (Yeah, I know, it's against the law, but we all know people do it).
--How have employers accommodated your disability?
--What challenges have you faced in the workplace as a result of your disability?
--Describe a situation in which you were excluded from a work activity because of your disability.

--Do you have children?
--Describe how you made the decision to have children? Was factors did you consider? Was it difficult? Were you afraid your child would have birth defects (this is assuming you were born with a birth defect)
--How has having children affected your life?
--Describe the difficulties you have had raising children?

--Please describe other times when you have dealt with accessibility.

--How has your disability affected your personality? Are you happy? Well adjusted? Angry? Frustrated?

--How has your disability progressed as you have aged?

--What are the funniest things that have ever occurred to you as a result of your disability?
--What are the weirdest things that have ever occurred to you as a result of your disability?
--What are the weirdest encounters you've ever experienced as a result of your disability?


--Again, e-mail me your responses at robertallenedwards@yahoo.com. Feel free to address any other subjects you would like. I'm sure I've missed about a million.