Disability Services 101

The above photo has nothing to do with this post, but when I googled vintage house call nurse, in hopes of finding something relevant, I came upon a treasure trove of vintage nurse novels with the above as the first. I believe I posted about these books before, perhaps when I admitted to a Harlequin romance book club membership in my very distant past, but they're worth a visit. I'm also partial to Hootenanny Nurse and Nurse Pro Tem, which combines my fear of the intimidating Latin term and love of international romantic intrigue. Check them out yourself, in those vast swathes of free time that we all have!

Anyway, back to our regular programming:


My Australian friend Michelle posted this on her Facebook page as her status update yesterday, and I just loved it so much that I got her permission to post it here.

Thanks, Michelle!

Here's what disability services should look like. When your kid gets diagnosed, after a decent interval for tearing your clothes and wearing sackcloth and ashes, a caring human being comes over to your house. They bring a month's worth of groceries and some clean plates. Also cake and coffee. They say: "hi and welcome. Here is every card or identifier you will need for the next...forever. Here is your disabled parking. Here is the key to those swings in the parks they put in but no one can use. Here is a key to special bathrooms made of gold where fairies change your kid while mixing you cocktails. No, no one else knows about them. Here is every bit of equipment you can get, with all the forms pre-filled because we talked to your doctors and therapists. Make any changes you think are best because you're the one who knows your child and their needs most. Here's some money, because hey, society thanks you for taking care of our weakest citizens for us without making them a burden on an overrun and inadequate public system. Here is ample respite care for both you and the child. And here is a support group and some free marital therapy. Call me anytime. Mind if I put on some of your washing? Why don't you go have a lie down?

Can you even imagine?