Disability Stories

Fast Forward, born Elaine Marker, kicked off the next meeting. “You know friends, I was always running,” she began, leaning on her crutches. Her once lightning-fast legs were slower now, but her spirit had not diminished one bit. “Not just from criminals or disasters. I was running from myself too.” She paused, her gaze possibly finding Invisible Iva. “But after the illness, I had to stop. I thought my world ended. But it was just changing tracks.”

A community nurse from an NDIS service based in Adelaide had been invited to join us that day. She was quiet and attentive, absorbing every story shared, every emotion poured out in this safe haven we had created.

Hulkwoman, or Sarah as she was known in her previous life, took over. “My strength was my identity. The strongest woman in the world, they said,” her voice choked a little, a reminder of her past, yet she gathered herself. “When the strength faded, I thought I had lost myself. But you know what? The strength inside, that doesn’t fade. It never does.”

Invisible Iva chimed in, her voice a mere whisper that echoed in the room. “I was always afraid of being invisible in this vast universe. When my power became my curse, I was lost,” she confessed. “I’m learning to navigate through it. You can’t see me, but I’m still here.”

Mary, always quiet, surprised us when she said, “We’re all here, aren’t we? And that counts.” Her brief statement was profound and led to a thoughtful silence, a moment of contemplation about our presence and significance.

After the meeting, the nurse that specialises in support coordination services for disabled people in Adelaide stayed behind. She shared valuable insights and resources about living with disabilities, explaining how they assist people in our situation. The services they offered, she explained, were designed to help individuals lead fulfilling lives despite the challenges they faced.

As we wrapped up, I felt the weight of their words settle on my heart. This was more than a support group. It was a space for us to accept, to heal, and to thrive. We weren’t just former superheroes learning to live with disabilities. We were individuals rediscovering our worth, our abilities, and our resilience, one day at a time.