Articles written by Martyn Sibley
I am always asking people whether they prefer the day to day blogs I write or some of the more political ones. The feedback is – both. For some, just seeing a guy in a chair (with all the add ons I bring, lol) is cool. Whether showing younger kids I work, drive, enjoy my social life (live a ‘normal’ life) or visually seeing how I manage transport, bars and cinemas has a positive effect. However the broader feelings I have as a disabled person and interpretations I gleam from news items and policy decisions shows how these events affect many disabled people.
I have always said that I would love the readers to engage with my blogs more. My awareness …
Read all of What are your views on disability, the CSR and personalisation?
Since my quickfire video on last weeks travels I had a great meeting at Spurs, my new PA Gabi started Thursday and I finished the working week. Friday night I was energised enough to manage a few drinks and a later night. Always nice to finish the working week with friends and good times. Had 2 massive lie ins over the weekend, saw mum and Claire Saturday and enjoyed a nice night in that evening with tv and curry. So into Sunday I met Vik, Srin, their PA’s and later on my other PA Beata (B). To clarify B and her sister Gabi are now both my PA’s. David does weekdays and they do alternate weekends. B just breezed through …
Read all of We’re similar, but different – and we need a common voice!
I thought I had better write a blog tonight before the birthday celebrations kick off this weekend. 27 tomorrow and I have felt both 17 and 37 through parts of the past year, guess it averages out hey. Its been a mega year:
I was pretty unwell for the first prolonged time of my working life in the winter months
The car was an absolute nightmare throughout winter too
I picked myself up with an amazing trip to Mexico – dolphins and scuba diving
I started a new job at Scope straight after
I setup my first ever disability event (‘Sunnier Days’ starring Natasha Wood and Sophie Morgan)
I also carried out some consultancy projects around Personalisation and social media
Had articles published on these subjects in …
Read all of My Priorities – now I’m 27!
This is an article I have written for an international medical journal. It acts as a reminder of why I keep this website flowing. It also shows the amazing support the JTSMA and Scope have given me and others. Furthermore being quite sensitive I do like a reminisce! Hope you like it.
Having read the article written by Patrick Moeschen I was inspired to contribute to the social model discussion and how this perspective also enhanced my story. My name is Martyn Sibley, I have type 2 Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), I live in London and I am now 26 years old. Like Patrick, my upbringing was ‘normal’ and very much a can-do approach. Having used a wheelchair since 3 years …
Read all of My disability is not the problem
Whether you are a disabled person, a family or friend of a disabled person or employed within the social care world, the word ‘personalisation’ has probably started to enter your vocabulary. For those not fortunate enough to have even brushed past this concept here is a story to assist you.
Once upon a time, disabled people lived in a small part of town known as medical model ville. With efforts to cure or keep disabled people away from society, one could say it wasn’t the best part of town. Gradually over time disabled activists and campaigners have spread the good word of social model ville. Here, ramps were invented, friendships forged and careers blossomed. Now, this move isn’t quite the end …
Read all of Personalisation – a happy ever after story
So Im in the shower thinking of what to blog today. I realised it has been a few days and while singing along to Jack Johnson I thought I have been rather sick/car update orientated for the past 3 decades it feels, so I wanted a different angle. For those who do not know a thing called christmas is coming so a blog around this made sense. I got to thinking about Mr.Claus and his reindeers and how Rudolph had a weird nose (it was red for any morons out there). Yet despite this he triumphed and led that god damned sleigh with all his heart making christmas happen. This seemed to fit with a blog because despite being an …
Read all of If Rudolph was classified as disabled?
In the style of Jess from the Fast show – “today I will mostly be talking about, the past”!
My grandpa, absolute legend with technology, dug out these 3 newspaper cuttings at my request from many moons ago to enable me to write this blog (http://www.flickr.com/photos/martyn_sibley/sets/72157622856332857/). He is a legend as not many people of his age, let alone full-stop, could scan, save, upload and email this so perfectly. Thanks Gramps J
I’ll start with the picture of me in my new wheelchair pushing the football up the alley-way beside our old bungalow. This came off the back of everyone in my village and further afield hearing that I needed a new wheelchair costing £3,000 of which my parents didn’t happen …
Read all of Asking for help, getting help and showing what can be done!
What a 24 hours! I headed from my flat last night to come to mums for the hospital appointment this morning. I left at 19.30 to let David help me shower and get dinner and then mum would just have to help me to bed, before we got up and headed to hospital and Beata arrived. Unfortunately Beata had to cover her other employer so good old mum stepped in to sort me until Chris starts Sunday.
So I headed towards the M11 with radio and heater on. 10 minutes later I realised I was cold and my hands were going into that weak claw they do in winter. With the new car, the accelerator is a little tougher but also …
Read all of What a nightmare journey!
I decided to do a typical style of update in terms of daily happenings but in an overarching manner. It has been known the car and my health have been under par for a while. The update of the moment is I am being admitted to the respiratory unit in hospital tomorrow to x-ray my bad lung and run some tests to see why I am still not clearing the infection. I am ok in myself but a little fed up with this and just want to be better, fingers crossed we get things moving tomorrow.
The broader area I want to discuss is easier with the back story. Those who have read my blogs and know me personally will know …
Read all of Knowing your limits
Having been off for 2 weeks with a nasty chest infection, a broken car and generally a bit stressed I am back at work and back on the road.
I met with Andy of Andy’s Kars at his garage in Bar Hill on Saturday. He has been working on my vans adaptations in the positive sense through the past weeks of trauma. Not only has he sorted my car after the ongoing problems he is an amazing guy generally. While he runs a garage he also does a lot more. In working with disadvantaged kids he helps them to take responsibility for overcoming their ‘challenges’ as he calls them. While it was amazing to meet Andy and see the great work …
Read all of My aspirations; Aiming high!
