Life as a disabled person
The resident fell through a hole in the floor and had wood stuck in her leg. She took it out but the infection remained and destroyed her leg over the years.
Venterspost resident Dawn Smal is navigating through life as a disabled individual by taking every day as it comes.
• Also read: The challenge for the disabled is real
To get a sense of her struggles and understand how she copes, the Herald visited the 59-year-old mother of three on Wednesday, May 17. Hoping for a better tomorrow, Smal outlined some of her challenges.
She is finding life to be difficult as she is currently unemployed. She stays with her two sons who are mentally handicapped and are working part-time jobs to make a living. She also has a daughter who is helping the family with groceries and all the necessities that they need to get by as a family.
• Also read: Disabled teen’s fulfilling life
While Smal remains positive, she too goes through challenges that other people with disabilities go through. Asked how she gets around, Smal said she relies on her sons to push her wheelchair when going to malls and when visiting friends.
She commended her community members who also help her when going to the clinic and the local taxi association is very understanding.
“Getting around is quite difficult for me especially when I have to go to the clinic for my check-ups. I have to rely on my sons or community members to help me and that’s how I get around but they are all so helpful including the taxi drivers.
“Being in this situation for so long is painful but I have learned to make the most of my situation.”
She makes a living by collecting used plastic bottles with the help of her sons for recycling purposes and this helps put food on the table. She also has a vegetable garden, which helps them get by in tough months.
Smal also badly injured her left leg at her previous place of residence after she fell into a hole in the floor.
“I fell through the floor where a piece of wood went through my left leg. I just pulled it out and washed off the blood on the outside but I didn’t necessarily treat the infection that occurred. It then started getting worse on the inside and that’s how I ended up here.
“To add salt to my wounds, I was diagnosed with diabetes in 2016 and unfortunately, the leg got worse over the years. It’s been over 20 years of living with these injuries.
The doctors wanted to amputate my leg but I refuse. I do believe that I will get better with time and I’d rather go through life with this leg than have no leg at all,” said Smal.
• Details: Contact the Herald via email at randfonteinherald@caxton.co.za if you want to assist.
