Debilitating – to seriously weaken, to affect your strength or ability to carry on with regular activities. Usually associated with illness or disease.
(Cobbled together from various dictionaries.)
If there’s one thing I do get tired of, it’s the constant association in mainstream media – and therefore the mainstream consciousness – of Down’s syndrome with disease, suffering and generally having a terrible life. So, I thought I’d tell you about Sam’s week, and let you make up your own mind.
Monday – rode bike to school. It was kind of an ordinary day, but I needed my gloves and Mum got cross when I could only find one and Dad got cross when he couldn’t find any.
Tuesday – rode to school with a friend. Went to a college for an art activity, went swimming, went to youth club, hung around with my mates.
Wednesday – didn’t want to get up. Got up. Rode to school with a friend. Grandma picked me up from after school club. Love Grandma.
Thursday – Mum gave me a lift to school because my little sister wasn’t feeling too good, but the traffic was bad so I walked the last bit on my own so that they could turn around and Little Sis wouldn’t be late. Guitar lesson with Dave. Got to love guitars (although the practice not so much).
Friday – bike again to school with Dad. He couldn’t find his gloves again. He was annoyed again. Mum kept out of the way for some reason.
Saturday – football. I’m putting football towards my Duke of Edinburgh Bronze award – it would help if the parents could find the form that the group leader has to sign. Friends came to play. Much mooching.
Sunday – boring, boring, boring. There’s never anything on the telly and if I’m really unlucky, Mum’ll make me go to church or do my homework. I don’t like homework.
Well, Sam didn’t write this. I did. At the moment, he is upstairs in his room playing DREADFUL MUSIC FAR TOO LOUD, in the manner of a soon-to-be fifteen-year-old.
The only debilitating thing about Down’s syndrome is other people’s attitudes. And we need your help to help change those.
The Diary of a Not So Ordinary Boy 
Nancy, you and Sam rock! Love this! Almost as much as I love you being blocked yesterday 😂
Haha! Whoops.
Reblogged this on SENBlogger.
completely agree it is attitudes that need to change
Beautifully said.