All Forum Posts by: Vicki Gleitz

I have heard that putting together a vision board can subconsciously help a person achieve their goals.  But some things ARE kindof spooky.

A couple of years ago, I was looking at the vision board I had made about 6 months earlier. . Professional,personal, spiritual goals, there was a mix of all. So many things had already manifested. I was an advanced unit leader in a cosmetic company [yes Ben, I really am a little old Avon lady] I had met both Michael Moore and Temple Grandin [ Keith Olberman and Oprah were also on the board, haven't met them...yet]

I looked at several cruise ship pictures I had glued to the posterboard. And I remember thinking that with now having breast cancer and being totally broke from having spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on trying to find a cure for my seriously ill son, that it would be very shallow of me to still hope for a cruise but that I still was going to believe for one.

THAT VERY NIGHT, maybe 3 hours later, my husband came home from work and told me that we had won a week long cruise from NAPA [auto parts] It included transportation, taxes and government fees, tips, and even $500 on-line credit.  It was not until we were in one of the long lines to get onto the ship that it dawned on me that it was my one year "canniversary,"  

The cruise ship went on my board again.  The circumstances, still awesome, are not NEARLY so "OMG, too coincidental to be a coincidence,' " this time, BUT we are leaving on a cruise out of Galveston on February First. We will not be starting the cruise on my "canniversary" this year, but we will be on our way on it. [Also, the Super Bowl is on the first, and if we get to the Super Bowl, if we lose, I will have one heck of a week being comforted "inmy time of need" in great style.  Yeah!]

I think it is sad that people exist who will lie to get what they want so that they do not have to pay for it.  As far as people who truly benefit from an emotional support animal. I have mentioned in another thread that I spend a large amount of time in the homes of disabled people. From personal observation, emotional support animals are treated exceedingly well by their people, and homes with a support animal tend to be MUCH better maintained than those without one. 

People with emotional and developmental issues quite often have a constant fight against inertia. A support animal can totally change that.

Also, please understand why a potential tenant would be more than a little hesitant about disclosing their need for a support animal upfront. It is not because they are deceitful, underhanded people. Being different, in a way that many people think of as "crazy" does cause a lot of doors to be slammed in the different persons face. It is sometimes too hard, too frightening, almost like asking for rejection, to share such sensitive information with someone [even a landlord] they do not even know. 

Please don't recommend that your tenants get a new animal.  The law only mandates REASONABLE accomodations.  If you can get it in writing that your insurance company refuses to continue to insure your house, then you do NOT have to rent it out. That would not be reasonable.  The insurance company refusing coverage could be in trouble though.

nice!

One BIG difference between a service dog and and emotional support animal...a regular service dog costs tens of thousands of dollars for all of their training.  Most disabled people cannot afford that.

Okay, everyone gave you good advice.  You might think of taking a jog outside and, as you relax from the exercise, practice in your mind what you will say when you call these people.  And remember, when you call,smile.  People can hear that smile and they will like it.

I do not think some of you are aware of your level of discrimination.  I am not talking pit bulls. The conversation veered way off of the original posters question. [ which I will continue with]

Here is my story [and I can provide documentation for all I say] As a kid I had no idea why I could not fit in, why I could not speak for nearly 8 years, why people hurt me, rape me and tell me no one would believe me [ no one I told did] but I grew up.  

Because as a young woman I had the body that people now pay plastic surgeons for [ they didnt back then] and was cute, and that was enough back then, I was able to marry and have kids and be happy. After first husband passed, I met another wonderful man. Life was good.

My youngest son became ill [not from his autism]  and suffered extreme neurological pain. For years he begged me, "Mommy, if you love me, help me die."  At this point, I had been diagnosed with autism, but I could "pass." 

We were members of a nudist club.[clothes HURT] People were supportive of my son, and admired my husband and myself for how we dealt with the situation.

We had spent years and hundreds of thousands of dollars to try to help my son. We spent ALL of our money to help our son. In a 3 month period of time [1] I came out of the closet with being Autistics [2] we bought and moved into a travel trailer because we had spent all of our money, and I was naive enough to tell everyone that we were now poor but so blessed and did not care because we now lived near our wonderful friends in the mountains [3] I was diagnosed with breast cancer and had a double mastectomy [4]  swiftly bloated up 30 pounds, developed lizard skin, hair loss and was no longer cute and young looking for my age [5] meds made me cry over anything and seemed to suck out all my brain cells [chemo brain is real]

But this was all okay, because I had the support of all of my wonderful friends, right?  If ONLY lack of support had been the only problem.  Someone I love started a rumor that I was faking cancer [ can provide documentation to anyone that I am not faking, no problem] and people, my FRIENDS chose to believe it. Friends who had been there at the hospital during my mastectomy chose to believe it. Friends who had seen my scarred chest CHOSE to believe the lies, including one person who had helped me drain and measure my tubes.And when people start beliving such a horrible lie about a person, other lies pile up.

Suicide is the leading cause of death among most "high functioning" Autistic age groups [maybe all] but I had NEVER felt suicidal in my entire life, not until then. And I swore to do my best to keep my Autistic brothers and sisters from such feelings of utter hopelesness.

The people who did this were all nice people. Really. [that made it hurt worse] I know that non-Autistics find Autistics strange.  Can't be any stranger than we find them.  None of these people would ever discriminate, except, they did. And in typical non- Autistic thinking, they developed a crazy mob mentality. [ it got so much worse]

I am very sensitive about all of this. I am getting treatment for PTSD. If I am being too sensitive, I apologize.  But...my good friends that I was sure would be there for me were wonderful people who would never discriminate. But...they did. And some comments on this thread, sure seem like excuses for discrimination and judgement. I have read other threads where different groups seemed to be viewed as "less than," but this one, it was the straw.

Because of my neurology, I do [well, did] maybe go too far in trusting other people, and need to work on that. But, maybe those with NT neurology need to work on trusting more. 

Actually Brandon, my issues are not with you, but with those who made the comments about making people prove their "invisible" disabilities and those who mentioned "finding a reason" to exclude disabled people. 

I am happy that your son is doing well. I am sure that is mostly attributable to your wifes [and your] actions. I do not consider being Autistic an illness. I believe it is a different neurology that is much more sensitive to the toxins in the environment [ causing most of the many co-morbidities that so often accompany it] Though we might agree to disagree on whether autism could or should be cured, we can both agree that you and your wife are doing wonderful things that will help assure your son has a wonderful life.I have the greatest respect for parents like you.

I am going to post this, and then come back to finish with what I wanted to say.

Marcia wrote "We have a determination process and SOME HOOPS for the tenant to go through to demonstrate they have a qualified disability"   Ableists attitudes really anger me, though I suppose I should be used to NTs'[neurotypicals] seeing only what they wish to even when it is right in front of their faces.

You need "some way" to determine what is truthful and what is not. I have an emotional support animal.  As many with emotional support animals are, I am Autistic. Though some Autistic people are capable of lying [and that is supposed to be a positive, right] it's not nearly as common as it is in the non-Autistic world. But, my people are so often accused of it.[ because we do not look you in the eye? how crazy is that] That, I believe is just ONE of the ways Autistics are discriminated against that cause suicide to be the number ONE cause of death amongst our young [under fifty.  I'm an old broad] people. 

Service dog, or emotional support animal, there is not a ton of upfront paperwork that would allow you to ferrett out the liars. Really. The frauds are the ones you will most likely trust. People with neurological differences, you think you can figure them out because they are differrent. And you can choose to believe that different means bad, or dirty or less than if that makes you feel better, but that won't make your determinations right.  And it sure won't make you get taken advantage of less often. 

I would like to continue with my thoughts, because maybe, just maybe I can teach you something valuable.  I am close to Autistic meltdown at this point, though, so I am going to post, take 10 minutes, and then resume. 

I think that having a disabled person "jump through hoops" is illegal.  Even if not, [it is] it is straight MEAN  to put a disabled person through this.