For me the biggest reason for me to be proud is how much I fought in my life to be at this point in my life. Being in a community is a big bonus. 😊

So well presented, and thoughtful! Thank you for sharing, and being such a positive light in the community!🧡

I often dream of a time in future when a healthy person gets these wires into their brain to feel exactly how we feel mentally and physically - and how once the wires out, they’ll finally know and finally start respecting us. 😢

I want to say thank you for giving me the courage to buy myself a wheelchair. Your videos have helped me so much with coming to terms with the fact that I do need the mobility aids that I have and that I am in fact disabled.

@ElinorBrown

11 ай бұрын

Well done for building up the courage!! Its a massive step!! You got this!!! It's def gonna be worth it!

I've never seen a video like this on youtube before. I'm sick with M.E over 3 decades & there's never been any dialogue about it other than the embarrassing or stressful or abusive media headlines. I've locked away the feeling of loss to so much that I've lost from being ill. Thank you for you're channel.

@ElinorBrown

8 ай бұрын

Thankyou for watching! hope you’re doing ok!

Getting my first walking stick today, and it's all due to people like you promoting disability pride and showing your experience with being anxious but still using the tools you need anyway. Thankyou 😊

@ElinorBrown

11 ай бұрын

I'm so glad!! and I'm so excited for you! let us know how it goes!!

@Jules-zw7iu

11 ай бұрын

Same here, the videos you made about your mobility aid journey encouraged me to go down that route - and they help a lot, but it was a big step I made thanks to your encouragement xx

@dazsmith4958

11 ай бұрын

@@ElinorBrown It arrived just fine and it's perfect! I also ordered some stickers from redbubble to bling it up a bit.

You deserve to enjoy your life and being unafraid to use mobility aids helps you to do that. Stay proud of yourself 💜💜💜👏👏👏 9:39

Congratulations 🎉 what a great accomplishment I know how hard this was I have fibromyalgia also and I understand the the pain and struggles, so happy for you.🤗

Even though I’ve been sick for a while, I didn’t know about disability pride month. I’m not one to be into specific months just for attention, but I think disability pride is more for the disabled community, and is a good opportunity to spread awareness to the world. I like how you explained why we should be proud of who we are. Not necessarily our disabilities themselves, but of the people we are and our struggles and experiences. That is definitely something to be proud of and thankful to the Lord for! I just decorated my plain black wheelchair this week with stickers and now I feel it’s more personalized and doesn’t look like a rental. I’m so happy how it turned out. Thank you for all of you helpful videos on disability. You have put my scrambled thoughts into words and have given me ways to explain to my family how I feel about my situation. You also encouraged me to buy a wheelchair. You are amazing!❤🎉❤

Fantastic video 🎉

As always well thought and communicated, thank you so much Elinor. Today I'm proud of myself, because I fought for more than a half year to get my first and customized wheelchair. It was SO hard, but yesterday my insurance said finally "yes" 😀. Your videos have always encouraged me not to give up and feeling validated and supported - there are so many issues getting a wheelchair and it's psychologically hard to make this decision. Without the support and help from my local guy for mobility tools, I would have give up month ago, staying isolated at home. I'm very excited now, but also afraid getting and using the wheelchair.

@ElinorBrown

11 ай бұрын

Aww thankyou so much! Yayyyy!! Its scary to get new mobility aids but definitely worth it! You can do it!! I'm excited for you!!

Sadly, the word disability or disabled is seen as a dirty word still..I'm autistic but I have other long term health conditions. Even in some of the autism community, you get some autistic ppl say things, like "autism isn't a disability, it is a superpower or gift instead." I find this very patronising as I described my autism as a disability for me. My autism isn't a gift or a superpower..so even in some community with X, Y, or Z disorder, there is ignorance towards what is defined as a disability. I think ppl think disabled ppl are powerless and have a negative life, if that makes sense. But some ppl with disabilities can lead a good life, providing that they are supported and understood by society. I have even had so called professionals not understood the definition of disability and how that disability affects ppl. I have physical conditions, such as fibromyalgia, scoliosis, functional neurological disorder, anxiety and osteoarthritis as well. I still find other people don't understand me as someone with hidden disabilities. Keep raising good videos 📹 on disability awareness, please. I'm proud to be disabled myself. However, I get fed up of other people's ignorance on disability issues. I think even professionals and some ppl in the disability community are not always understanding on disability matters. Does that make sense? Big hugs 🫂 xx ❤️ 💖 🤗 💕 💓 💙

@ElinorBrown

11 ай бұрын

Getting the right support is so key!! I agree more awareness and understanding is definitely needed!!

@denisethegood

11 ай бұрын

I could’ve been who wrote what you write. I haven’t yet been diagnosed with autism, but have been diagnosed with borderline, depression, all kinds of anxieties, ptsd … but after 20 years I know bpd was the wrong diagnosis, mainly because like you said I felt and knew I had a condition that made me disabled. I couldn’t work, hold down a job, have relationships, leave the house, have awful meltdowns. And I also suffer from fibromyalgia, spine disorders, nerve damage after failed surgeries. The outside world is so so cruel, but when your ‘community’ turns against you, it’s gets even worse. As someone from that ‘community’, I hear you and I respect you, and wish you the best! ❤️🙏👍

Thank you for sharing these encouraging thoughts. I feel shame everyday I go out in my wheelchair or use a walking stick. However you reminded me today what an achievement it is to stand up for our needs (by using mobility aids for example) instead of just pushing through, causing more pain and flare-up. ❤

@ElinorBrown

11 ай бұрын

You're really brave for using the mobility aids when they make you feel uncomfortable!! Definitely something to be proud of!

I‘m at the start of this journey and learning to be proud of it. Loved this video!

@ElinorBrown

11 ай бұрын

You got this!

These points are super important, I'm so glad to see there's been a bigger emphasis this year in our community on pride. Your channel was actually part of why I finally decided to get a cane, and it's really improved my life. So thank you!! Putting our voices out there loud and proud really does make all the difference.

You are genuinely one of my favorite channels!

@ElinorBrown

11 ай бұрын

Wow, thank you! That means a lot to me!

@user-xm2xk9fn9n

2 ай бұрын

​@@ElinorBrownمن به شما علاقه دارم،ازخاورمیانه کامنت مینویسم،من به شدت عاشق شما هستم بسیار زیبا هستم،وتحصیلکرده آیا بامن ازدواج میکنید؟

i am hiding so much i need to get some confidence back

@ElinorBrown

11 ай бұрын

You can do it!!

Sorry but this is not really true. My uncle had MS and he had travelled through the whole country by train in his weelchair. And I see this phenomenon also in ALS patients. Because these people know they don't have time to waste. That's the difference between psychosomatic and pathalocic. Also they have different anxieties. Imagine you know you have only one year to live. Would you care what other people think of you outside? You just do your thing. You should need to have more fighting spirit. Training, discipline. Every day by a plan. Only that's how you make progress. But cheering your weelchair or your disability leads to nowhere only waste more time. Your goal should be to get out of the weelchair not to stay in there forever. Sorry I don't want to push you down but more motivating you. I know it's not easy! But you have to start somewhere.

@ElinorBrown

11 ай бұрын

We are never going to agree, so I don't know why you keep watching my videos... Being proud of my disability makes me happier than being ashamed and fighting against it ever did. How can you say that's a bad thing? + fighting against it makes it worse (I've tried it before)

@frkk6933

11 ай бұрын

@@ElinorBrown what makes you disable is your anxiety! This lames your vegetative nervous system and your legs just don't want to move anymore and everything hurts. It works a bit like a curse. You feel sick but you aren't really. Your muscles, nerves or organs are totally healthy, I'm pretty sure. Or have you ever received any abnormal values in tests from doctors?

I have been using a variety of mobility aids for a bit now. Started with canes, then a rollator which I use around the house. Now I have an electric folding wheelchair that I use exclusively when we go out and I LOVE IT! I have so much more freedom now.

@ElinorBrown

11 ай бұрын

The freedom that comes with mobility aids is amazing!!

I've had to advocate for myself and fight for accessibility so consistently since becoming chronically ill. This week I received my degree results, and something seemed off. So I queried it, because nowadays having to stand up for myself is much more practised. Well, turns out they sent me the wrong results, and I actually got a First! I would never have known they had made a mistake if I hadn't had the conviction and confidence to query it! My official transcript had the wrong results on it! So while I'm obviously proud of the First, I'm also really proud of how I've grown as a person advocating for myself, in a way I wouldn't have in the same timeline if I was well 🩷

@ElinorBrown

11 ай бұрын

Oh my gosh!! You did it! Amazing advocating for yourself and knowing how good you are!! A perfect example of how people don't always get what they DESERVE unless they fight for it!! Super Proud of you!!

@sashadonovan-anns9528

11 ай бұрын

@@ElinorBrown Thank you so much that's so sweet of you! 🥳🥳🥳