|
What
inspired you to start the NNASG
?
A desperate need to find fellow
amputees to learn from. I seemed to be all
alone in a new universe, with no
instruction manual, talking to all two
legged individuals.
What was
the most difficult aspect of starting a
support group at that time
?
Finding other amputees, no one could or
would give me names or contact numbers due
to the privacy act. My first contact with
another amp was arrange through a friend
who knew someone who knew and amputee who
agreed to talk with me. It just shouldn't
be this difficult, but 14 years ago it
was.
What is the
most rewarding part of running a support
group?
Meeting heroes almost everyday, helping
someone else through those terrible first
few months, learning from everyone I
encountered, and having people to share
with that actually understood what the
problems were.
The NNASG
has used the internet significantly - how
has the advent of the net changed the way
you do things (if at
all)?
Fourteen years ago I was making hand
made flyers to hang up in hospitals, then
I discovered the world of computers and a
million doors opened. NNASG is relatively
new to the internet. We find it a
fantastic tool, filled with precious
information that it used to take years of
time to accumulate and disperse. It has
greatly enhanced our power to reach people
and have them reach us. Web sites are
available asset to support groups.
Can you
tell us about your
book?
The book was written because
establishing and maintaining
relationships, and the problems of
sexuality & disability were certainly
among the prime concerns of myself and all
the amputees I walked with. Nothing
written I found seemed to be of much help
and the subject needed to be brought out
into the open. This is not a dry, how to
book, but a very human and often humorous
approach to the fact that amputees still
are interested in sex and have sex
lives.
What kind
of responses do you get to the book
?
So far very positive response, most
people seem to find it entertaining and
informative and rather like sitting down
to have coffee with and old friend. The
book is in it's second edition now and
still selling well. I have had more than
my share of contacts from devotees perhaps
because of the book and the fact that the
subject is mentioned in it. Some feel I
dealt with the subject fairly others
don't.
You have
been heavily involved with the ACA over
the years, it has seen some changes over
the last few months - what do you see in
the future for the ACA
?
I was an ACA Board member from the time
of it's inception until 1997 when I
accepted a position as the ACA's outreach
coordinator. ACA is very close to my
heart. Change is always hard to absorb,
but ACA has a strong board of directors
who will be improved by the selection of
several new members shortly. I think ACA's
future is filled with new possibilities
and we will become stronger than ever with
fresh outlooks on the problems that are
part of our growing process. ACA is only
10 years old, I'm very proud of what we
have accomplished in that time.
Remmeber we were only a handful of
volunteers working with no staff or real
office until late fall of 1997. In three
years we've come a very long way, watch us
grow in the next three, or better yet get
involved and help.
What have
been the biggest changes for amputees that
you have seen in your time as an amputee
?
Technological progress, informed
consumers, national communication, and the
creation of new support groups almost
weekly. We were the only group in the
state of Nevada, many state had none. Now
there are people to reach out to and share
with even prior to amputation. The ACA,
The internet, web sites, list serves no
one has to stumble along alone any more
help is easily available.
|
