I was a nurse at a fairly intense summer camp this year. We had one little person and I was worried because we were having issues with heat exhaustion and over exertion in the general population.

In particular many of the asthmatic kids would flare on the super humid days. Of which we had a lot.

Not having had any kind of specialty training or experience, I assumed our little person was at higher risk for both heat and breathing issues.

He ended up being fine! But I wanted to know if little people are actually at risk for these sorts of environmental stressors. Or what sorts of things I should look out for if I get hired back on next summer.

On a positive note our little guy ended up being super tough and something of a great comedian. The perfect skill set as we'd had some pretty rampant bullying.

The staff were relieved he had such great coping/social skills.

Ex: Day one he was given a bunk (lower side as we had ghetto old ones without ladders even) and a storage closet. The closets were pretty large having both shelves and a bar for hanging items. With even more shelves on top.

He turned to his counselor and said,

"hey, is this whole thing for me?"

And when the counselor was like,

'yeah buddy, all yours'.

He hopped inside and said "Cool! I always wanted a walk in closet!"

He killed as that was essentially his opener.

Sorry for the long read! Thanks for the AMA.

You gotta have a sense of humor. I'm always coming up short in that dept.

Why aren't more people laughing at this..this is comedy gold

Glad someone is.

Too bad you suck at stand up comedy.

(Chill reddit, It's a standing up joke)

I wanted to start doing sit down ^comedy.

I can do sit-down.

HAHAHAHAHAHA Need a manager?

Willing to work for groupies sex?

[removed]

Motherfucker I AM IN PHILLY !!! what are the chances? DM me like right the fuck now!

Also yes it's been my experience in Russia admittedly 25 years ago, people, especially older babushkas didn't understand AT ALL. there was no wheelchair accessibility. Now it's very slowly being added.

Please keep us updated if you guys actually meet up!

I shit you not I actually met a couple dudes from Reddit before (don't say it!) And had a drink. In trying to go outside my comfort zone these past few weeks and months.

I want to come to the Philly party!

Do. We only live twice.

I’ll be back in town on the 27th, I’ll message you then!

Right on.

Confirmed. OP is 007.

003.5

To Danny whizzbang

Danny whizzbang

I fucking love that show.

I'm right across the Delaware River from Philly! Well, more like Croydon/Bristol, but you get the idea. Also am disabled, in my 30s and yes, the winter wether sucks and always seems to last forever. Hoping for an early spring.

Woo!

Are you an Eagles fan? Fuck Dallas!

Are you an Eagles fan?

No but my aide is getting me into it. She the sort to paint her face green and yell E A G L E S! Also recently I got a pic with Josh Adams (my aide was WET. If his mother wasn't there, she'd ask him to marry). https://i.imgur.com/aCAUQ0N.jpg fucking guy took my pic with eyes closed.

Who do you look up to the most?

Basketball players.

Wow, I just watch the video of your apartment and your resilience in getting everything together in order to be able to move really amazed me. I also just subscribed to your channel. Looking forward to more videos! My questions are as follows:

1) How is your Russian language ability?

2) WHat do you enjoy doing in your free time?

Thanks and Merry Christmas!

1) How is your Russian language ability?

I'm fluent.

2) WHat do you enjoy doing in your free time?

FML I got nothing but free time. I'm always doing something though. Dealing with bureaucracy or offices. Or going somewhere.

Have u ever been abducted by alien overlords ?

Not. Yet.

Nevermind, let's meet in Philly.

Right on. Let's. PM me.

You mention getting drunk, and two of your 4 pictures contain booze. How's your alcohol tolerance? Does that scale with body weight or can you have three beers and not be drunk?

Yes its scaled down to my weight obviously. But it also varies because of meds. Sometimes I can chug whiskey and not die. Once I did with vodka, puked and passed out. Wasnt fun.

If you were given a platform, what would you want to tell the world about your condition?

That I hate all the current PC terms like midget, little people, or dwarf. I honestly have a sense of humor but only use little person in an official capacity.

So, what would you like people to use? Halfling? 🙃

Halfling

[Chuckles in Little]

If you had to pick between halfling and dwarf?

*vertically challenged

How is "midget" a pc term? Don't some people consider it offensive?

How is "midget" a pc term?

Heh I guess it isn't. Still it seems to hang around.

Maybe a stupid question but do you have a job ?

There's no stupid questions. No I do not. I'm more or less fucked and live in a low income apt. But then even with my extremely limited skills getting a job (I don't have an issue with working, I considered uber (need a van I guess lol) and crowdtasking like mturk) the issue is losing medical.

If you're on SSI, you won't lose Medicaid until your income reaches a certain threshold, which varies by state. If your aide is publicly funded, their cost is also added to the threshold amount. You still have to meet the other SSI requirements, including no more than $2000 in resources, but you can open an ABLE account. Money in that account doesn't count as a resource until the balance gets really high.

I actually have opened an ABLE account. Not that I have money in it. $26.

Probably biased here, but if you are at ease with computers, consider giving programming a shot, unless typing is painful (but even then, most of the job is reading and thinking, not typing), it's never too late, the demand is high, you don't need to be the best one out there.

Python is free, easy to learn, and very hot in the market.

I'd like to do programming of some sort but I'm ashamed to admit my brain fog has gotten so bad over the years of inflammation I have no memory or math left in my head. Right now I can't even add 2 and 2.

It's 4. Four is your answer. Good day, sir.

Ah fuck I went with -7.

Is there a market for English/Russian translating? It might be something to look in to.

Is there a market for English/Russian translating?

Some yes. Even on mturk which I've tried before (now they';re super locked down so when I try to make a new acc, the machine denies me like everyone). But I'm not technical enough to do a thorough translation. Like I can speak and read and write, but I'm bad at synonyms and technicality.

When speaking with a little person, is it better to kneel down so you can look them in the eye when you speak, or, should you remain standing?

Remain standing.

You mentioned a suicide attempt and you were raised by assholes... How do you keep yourself positive?

How do you keep yourself positive?

I don't. I try to but I fail most of the time.

I always use sketchy Craigslist ads to keep myself positive.

Recently a friend was looking for a roommate. We laughed our asses off when she found an add looking for a "bossy couple" to share home with. In a sexual or platonic way. I said "you'll wake up to a foot massage in your sleep."

Only problem is your foot will be in another room.

It puts the lotion on its skin.

Have you had sex or a had a romantic partner? If no sex would you go to a prostitute? Are you actively looking for a partner or can you be happy with your own company?

I've had sex. Nothing romantic because who the hell would. I've resigned to the fact no one would touch me unless I paid. A few times I've saved up and hired upscale escorts. Full gfe.

I would put some money into that crowdfund if it started :)

I'll PM you so I don't get banned.

Did you tell them to make like arthritis and destroy your joint?

Oh. Mai. Gawd.

My bf is pretty short and often says "If I can't reach it, I must not need it" lol. Do you shop alone or with your aide?

Also, I've had to learn to go it alone. My parents are both evil narcissists and the only person I have now is my bf (which leans more toward the ugly side of the spectrum.) I tend to hang out on forums and game a lot. Struggled with depression and feeling suicidal. But life isn't over until it is. Who knows what positive experiences I have ahead of me? I, too, like to laugh at life. The alternative is just miserable.

My bf is pretty short and often says "If I can't reach it, I must not need it" lol.

I like the cut of his gib.

Who knows what positive experiences I have ahead of me?

Don't give up and push like you're 10cm dilated.

The alternative is just miserable.

At times like this all you can do is laugh. -- Marge Simpson

Hey OP, /u/alittle_disabled, thanks for this AMA you are someone I would like to hang out with a lot! Your resilience is inspiring, makes all of my problem insignificant. Thanks for the burst of positivism!

I'm Swiss but my gf is Russian and I'm in Moscow at the moment. I have little time before I'm coming back but do you want me to send you a small thing as Christmas gift? Maybe I can find something by then. Let's say the orthodox date of the celebration makes that I could be on time. Я бы был рад - это сделать!

By the way I strongly suggest you that you avoid Moscow in winter. It's dirty af, salty af and even if I think that you'll find help anywhere anytime, you'll be in trouble just because of the weather. Summertime is nice though, and the city of Moscow revamped thoroughly it's centre so you may actually be able to wander around the city quite easily. Besides the metro actually, which is a shame. Of course you never avoid some typical Russian non-sense in terms of infrastructure, but I should say that I was pleasantly surprised by what I've seen so far here - coming from Switzerland.

Anyhow, wishing you a happy Christmas and Happy new year!

Yeah ofc I'd get stuck in snow. But I do want to go in summer if I have money by then.

P.S. I've always wanted to have an ironic Putin riding a bear figurine. Or something equally Russian but not a chinesium knockoff.

This figurine needs to be 3D printable on Thingaverse! We need someone with some mad CAD skills to design this. I'd have one for our information security team at work :D

You wouldn't download a Russian Bear?

I know the arthritis sucks ass. I have eczema and I really need to go on a biologic but am terrified of the side effects. Currently doing a prednisone round and it's not even touching the problem anymore.

How has the biologic been for you?

How has the biologic been for you?

In the very beginning Enbrel helped. I've been on it for many years but it sorta tapered off. Am on Humira and honestly not improving. I think we need to go back to the drawing board with my rheumy.

These fucking auto immune disorders are mutherfuckers.

Good luck with yours.

What part of Russia is your family from?

What part of Russia is your family from?

Ural mnts. City of Ufa.

The capital of Republic of Bashkortostan.

How many 12 oz beer can you drink in a session?

I tend to not chug unless hard liquors. I mean what's the point?

not chug... just drinking.

I have friends who can not drink more than 4 beers a night without getting semi-drunk.

And I have friends who can drink 16 beers a night and not be drunk at all.

not chug...

Is joke.

Comrade I usually go for the higher ABV beers like Golden Money or whatnot. After a bottle I can usually feel it. I'm not drunk but I can kinda feel it. I'm pretty small though.

What’s your schedule typically like?

Porn, resistance rubbers, going somewhere or dealing with offices and state bureaucracy. Lightly making lunch.

I like you.

Aw I like you too.

Hello. You have my complete respect for enduring all that adversity. You kinda seem like a badass to me, i know it may sound strange, but I imagine you’re someone who pulls off shades pretty well and could be found slow-mo walking away from an explosion or something like that...

Anyways, what are the top three things you are thankful for?

Heh thanks. Yeah I have cool shades and headphones. My top 3? Hm. My aide. I love the girl to death. This apt. My power chair. Fucker goes thru everything and doesn't ask questions.

Have you tried CBD oil for the pain? If so did it help?

I vfc e only toked "high cbd" content weed. It helped physically but also increased my anxiety. Fml.

I think I found your problem.... You can only get medium.

No officer, it's "hi, how are you"

I'm sorry to hear that. Smoking Cannabis can trigger anxiety although it could be something that happens as a one off or frequently. It depends on the person and the weed strength too!

Weed trigger my anxiety but the oil itself does not so perhaps one day give it a go :)

I already have bad anxiety and depression at times. Weed adds to being super self conscious as is.

Fellow arthritis and AS sufferer here, have you tried an anti inflammatory diet like Keto? It really helped me with pain and soreness.

I am assuming you have Internet access, ou might be able to do some online learning for coding or web design to help with the financial issues

Keep strong brother

have you tried an anti inflammatory diet like Keto?

I've never had the follow through for diets. I figure if I'm gonna die because of cholesterol, I'll die with a piece of bacon in my mouth.

Bruh bacon is a staple of Keto

I KNEW it! See?

Are disabilities like this, or disabilities in general, more prominent in little people? I worked with a person who was about your age and they were in a wheelchair, and they went on long term disability within 5 years.

more prominent in little people

I think once you have something going wrong with you genetically you will be prone to a bunch of muscular skeletal issues. And from then on it'll snowball.

Why would anyone ask you about your penis? Is that a thing people ask little people about? Jesus fuck.

Why would anyone ask you about your penis?

Because this is the internet. The first thing people online usually refer to is your dick if you're out of the ordinary or some shit. And yes I've been asked before. That and it's a joke.

Your penis is a joke? I'm sorry man.

Harsh? But I'll allow it.

I mean... Game of Thrones has led me to wonder if a dwarf has a dwarf sized penis, or if it is normal sized... But if you would rather not answer that, then that is fine.

I mean, i'd assume with it being soft tissue then it would be unaffected by your physical size, so it would be of a comparable size to an average penis. Am i right on this?

Again, if you would rather not answer that's fine. Sorry.

It's funny because I predicted this question and someone else in this AMA was like why do you even speak of your penis? is that what all dwarves only think about? hurr durr!

But it's a valid question. Mine is proportional I'd say , maybe slightly bigger than proportional (yes it's a fisherman tale) and yes it works just fine. But look it's still not a 13" BBC.

But having a third leg would also be an issue I'd assume.

What hobbies ya got?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAb0gqWT4xI used to build models in my other life.

Do you have any pets? :)

Would you be able to get a service dog to assist you/would you want a service dog?

I love pets! I can't pass up a dog without booping de snoot. I got French kissed by a police dog in NYC. petted a service dog in ACME a few days ago. I had a service dog. I loved her so much. She dies before I moved out. I'll find a pic later. She loved posing for the camera.

Pls deliver!

https://i.imgur.com/lMVOSAU.jpg

damn you seem like you'd be a quality drinking buddy. i had a couple good friends in high school with sorta similar but worse disabilities. couple of the raunchiest motherfuckers i've ever known

what kinds of places tend to be the least accessible? also, what kind of people tend to be the least respectful/most clueless/etc?

Most clueless people are ones you talk to on the phone at state or insurance. Have to explain slowly everything starting with dinosaurs for 20min. And yes I'm raunchy af. My humor is so dark the cops shot it.

You're not alone. You've got us, the Internet! And we don't have a bedtime. Good luck with your PC transplant, is that a ThermalTake case?

You're not alone. You've got us, the Internet!

Mommy! Mommy! The strange man is talking to me!

It's some mid tower I got off my bro when he went to college. I had a gigantic full tower Coolermaster 932 before. It pissed me off every day.

Do people you see tend to talk louder to you thinking that since you are in a chair volume must help you understand?

Not really. Most are understanding. My main weirdness if you can call it that isn't that I'm little. They just assume I'm a kid and I get $1 off at the movies. The weirdness is my joints being contorted like my fingers and wrists look horrifying. Some people scream internally.

Have you ever put on an act to mess with someone in public only to say just kidding I'm a normal dude?

I poke fun at myself in public with people I know. With strangers I'm sure it's less humorous because they'd talk seriously like I'm autistic. So not strangers. But with people I know I loudly make dumb dirty jokes so everyone would hear. Like with my aide whom I love, I went to the dollar store and loudly said "hunny, do you need your feminine itch products?"

You seem really funny ever thought of doing standup?

Only sit-down.

For real though, my "comedy" is mostly dark jokes but I need someone to play off of. I can't monologue.

Only sit-down

this guy

Hey I know that guy! He's a phony. GET HIM!

https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/a8ov9r/iama_35yo_disabled_little_person_with_rheumatoid/ecdzrlx/

What's good Philly?

Did you find anyone to party with for New Years Eve?

I found a dude on reddit a few weeks back and I told him I'm going to watch fireworks over the Delaware. He plans to meet me. I'd go alone, but it's weird.

Have you heard about Jordan Peterson's daughter and what do you think of her diet? Have you tried special diets so that you can grow taller?

I've heard of all beef of carnivores diets. I think it's all highly individual and frankly I dislike non medical healing type cures. I've had very bad experiences as a wee lad back in the old country with my parents in the beginning of my disease.

Do you believe that there are no small parts only small people?

I mean technically I have small parts so those exist.

I don't know if you answered this earlier, but where do get clothes for grown up situations (weddings, funerals, hot dates, ect)?

but where do get clothes for grown up situations

I don't really have those believe it or not.

I did have a suit and tie a very long time ago for my graduation photos. Damned if I know where my parents got it. Probably Kmart. I like Kmart clothes like pants and shirts, like Basic Editions. Then I come home and shorten them and put a fly in on my nana's machine.

Are you a gamer at all? If so what do you play?

I'm a gamer. I used to love flight sims like Il-2 Forgotten Battles and a little DCS. Racing sims like Assetto Corsa (have a G27 for a few years to keep my legs from completely becoming useless). Play FPS games like WWIII and BF games. Titanfall.

How do you generate income?

For now, SSI. I don't generate anything. I opened up a ABLE and gofundme but so far I haven't actually posted anywhere because I feel weird for asking for money. I need to use my disability acc to buy a pulldown cabinet and go for adaptive driving lessons at moss rehab driving program but it's a catch 22. You're damned if you do, you're damned if you don't.

Why are you wearing sun glasses at night?

Wind mostly. Also I look cool.

Have you ever watched ‘Life’s too short’? I loved that series but wondered how it came across for someone where the subject matter is closer to home?

Life’s too short

I've heard of it but never watched it because I'm not a fan of Ricky Gervais.

How much has your life improved in the last year?

I remember you from when you moved! I sent you a big bag of gummy bears. I'm really happy to hear that you're doing well, and I wish you all the love and happiness as you continue to navigate your new life. 💜

How much has your life improved in the last year?

A bunch. A bunch.

I remember you from when you moved! I sent you a big bag of gummy bears.

You bastard! I got stoned and ate half a bag! I hate you! ^{No I love you.}

Hi there. I’m so proud of you for battling and coming this far. I’ve only come to learn about this condition since my mom has been diagnosed very recently. Do you have any advise on how to manage day to day activities better? From what I know you guys get tired very very quickly. My mom suffers from a lot of bloating. And how do you deal with keeping a positive mindset? Happy holidays

I like to have gasx tabs if I'll be honest. Don't stop moving or constantly going for muscle mass. I regret losing years of movement freedom.

What are your pc specs?

Changed over 9 years but. Oldie but goldie I7 920 clocked at 4.01ghz w/ht, 12 GB I wanna say skill ram? Old ass Asus mobo. 1070gtx as my old card died a year ago. No more. Ultra wide monitor for racing sims. A ssd that gets on my nerves. Corsair rgb keyboard, some logitech stuff like mouse that has 5 years of abuse or more and a G27 wheel. Oh and trackir because I used to love flying

What's your preferred shops for everyday needs? Clothing shops?

Whatevers closer. I like Kmart ironically because its dying slowly and usually empty of people. Actually fractured my foot on a Kmart bathroom door once. Lol.

Do you believe in the soul, and do you think your challenges in life are influencing your soul positively? How so?

I don't believe in anything. I think life is a bunch of simple tricks and nonsense.

But yes I think there are things you can do to make it better. My aide certainly brightens my life atm. She's a cool gal. My apt, being accessible is a huge plus. I mean I was never in my life able to transfer myself completely alone to the toilet let's say. I (had an emergency) and did it completely alone because I planned EVERY TINY DETAIL before I moved here. Everything's accessible.

A little late to the game here — hope you’re still reading. Your comments are awesome. Have you thought about public speaking? How to overcome handicaps (we all have them), stay positive, humor? Maybe start off with some youtube shows — 5-10 mins (or longer).

I have a YT channel. An amazingly non popular one. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCThPwO3yC8fDz7sGWWslFfw?view_as=subscriber

Hey man, how was your experience with vocational rehab if you’ve gotten assistance with getting a job/how did employers react/were you able to do it by yourself?

Regrettably I haven't done that yet as I've just been dealing with a ton of my own shit for the moment which is complicating the heck out of my life. The bureaucracy is astounding. That and my disabilities, fatigue, and brain fog don't make it easy.

Hey! Have you tried carnivore diet for arthritis?

No but that isn't saying much because I'm a carnivore on any given day. Atm I have ribs, potatoes, onion, garlic, Jack Daniels, in a slowcooker. https://i.imgur.com/nYdJK4p.jpg