SAD Never got a Response From New York Botanical Garden , Please Give the Disabled Discount Tickets

The Disabled Deserve Access To Beauty and New York Resources!

Hey surprise, I have an (invisible) disability. I know many of people in my life are surprised to hear this. That's why I am writing more and more about it these days. Including my latest book--soon to be announced.

People with disabilities are here, alive and entitled to a a life with joy and opportunities. But the cost for the disabled is high and money coming in is usually very low, poverty level in fact, unless they happen to have some saved resources, which many do not.

Beauty for Pain©

One of my passions is to infuse beauty into my and other's lives to ease the pain that comes with many disabilities. I call it Beauty for Pain©. 

For those who live in an urban area, going to simple natural space like a park or garden does wonders for a person in pain. But what if that place offers discounts for other populations but not the disabled? Would you feel even more pain? A lack of inclusion in enjoying the healing benefits of nature?

In search of an oasis New York Botanical Garden but shocked at what I found

Personally I could benefit from the beauty nature exhibits in the Botanical Garden. With limited funds I searched if they had any discounts. This is what i found:

I then contacted them shocked the disabled population was not included in their discount program. Where was the discount for persons with disabilities? Not there. In fact, please see what I got from the New York City's Botanical Garden Spokesperson.

ACTUAL EMAIL Exchange

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Visitor Services Support to youshow details

Greetings Ms. Navarro,

Thank you for contacting Ticketing Support at the New York Botanical Garden. Unfortunately, we currently do not offer a discount for our disabled guests. As with most cultural institutions, a discount for the disabled is not commonly offered. We will inform our upper management regarding your concerns. Feel free to visit the Garden on Wednesdays or Saturday mornings before 10am for a free Grounds ticket. The Grounds ticket includes access to our beautiful 250 acre grounds including the Native Forest, Azalea Garden, and Rose Garden. Be advised, the grounds ticket does not include full access to the CHIHULY exhibition, the tram tour and Everett Children’s Adventure Garden. If you have any further questions feel free to contact us at any time.

Sabrina M.

Ticketing Support

The New York Botanical Garden

2900 Southern Boulevard

Bronx, NY 10458

718.817.8716

From: no-reply@nybg.org [mailto:no-reply@nybg.org]
Sent: Monday, July 03, 2017 5:21 PM
To: ticketingsupport
Subject: User Comment

Your Name

Diana Navarro

Your E-mail

dianan4839@aol.com

Subject/Department

ticketingsupport@nybg.org

Questions/Comments

I see you don't have discounts for people with disabilities, why is that? I am in my 40's but do get medicare and am disabled with financial limitations. Going to Botanical Garden would be therapeutic for my condition but I don't see you offer discounts for people like me but you do for students, seniors etc.

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Wait, What Just happened in this Email Exchange? 

I'm afraid given the choice of only one day on the grounds was not what I was looking for. I may need to be indoors depending on my current health situation and most importantly I want to enjoy the exhibit just like the students, seniors and children. What is the logical, reasonable reason for not including people with disabilities, can someone please explain?

Dear "upper management", time to make some positive change for the disabled.

Invisible Disability--The Sleep Disorder of Non-24

 

Just because you can't see it, doesn't mean it don't hurt. ~This is Diana

Millions upon millions of people suffer every moment of every day from mental, physical, emotional and very real spiritual pain that is "invisible" or undiagnosed by the medical community and the common person. These are often called Invisible Disabilities. 

"The term invisible disabilities refers to symptoms such as debilitating pain, fatigue, dizziness, cognitive dysfunctions, brain injuries, learning differences and mental health disorders, as well as hearing and vision impairments.  These are not always obvious to the onlooker, but can sometimes or always limit daily activities, range from mild challenges to severe limitations and vary from person to person." Source InvisibleDisablities.org

People with traditional visible disabilities face incredible social stigma in a addition to their health conditions. People look and see something wrong with certain individuals and can ascertain they have some limitations. They may see someone on a wheelchair, or a blind person with a assistance dog or cane, know someone is deaf from the physical expression a person may make or see that someone has Down's Syndrome from physical characteristics. There may be certain reactions to that person including empathy or compassion. Yes there are also negative reactions like fear, confusion and rudeness. The point is they can perceive the person has a limitation and make some conclusion from it.

Someone with an invisible disability as I have, will not show obvious outward signs. I often have to deal with having to explain to people over and over again what limitations I have. This includes physical, and emotional/mental conditions, and that is exhausting and frustrating.

Hence, in addition to the symptoms of ones condition, we have to deal with what bad-mannered, and ignorant family, colleagues and strangers are telling us which can include:

~just get help from a doctor or some other way (that clearly has not helped)
~you appear healthy, maybe you're just making it up or not as bad as you think
~for sleep disorders, try to keep a "normal" schedule, an impossibility for so many today
~(again sleep disorders) practice better sleep hygiene, a pet peeve of mine, assuming it's the sufferer's fault

I am writing about a series of these conditions because of first hand experience and experience of many of my intuitive coaching clients.The goal of these posts on invisible disabilities is to:

• educate 
• clarity and 
• provide support in various ways, including validation and links, to all those suffering from a myriad of an invisible but very real condition

Let's talk about Non-24 (Hyperbychethemeral) Syndrome as an Invisible Disability

One of the invisible disabilities is some type of sleeping disorder. People are quick to minimize this for others or even themselves calling it simple insomnia. Insomnia is usually a short term problem getting restful sleep. But when the problem is chronic and severe it crosses into other areas including the one I'm about to discuss here called "Non-24" or Hypernychthermeral Syndrome. This is what is identified as a free-running circadian rhythm disorder. 

To put it in simple words, this sleeping disorder occurs in many blind people but also in sighted people. For some reason, the regular 24 night/day rhythm is longer or not synchronized. I wrote another post on The Night Owl Syndrome, DSPS and ASPS. These are connected to a degree to which the rhythm is out of synch with normal 8 hour sleep schedules. You can refer to that for more details on that.

As awfully disruptive as this condition is, it is great relief and validating to find a name to what you are suffering from. Like this you can refer the well-meaning people in your life to the links, information, resources which are now available.  

Treatment
The question of treatment for non-24 is still out for the jury in my opinion. There is a new medication being marketed now for this condition. I am not a huge advocate of using medication for every human ill. With that said I do not know enough about it to discuss it here so I recommend you do your own search and see what you find. In addition to medication it is recommended for some to try light therapy for non -blind persons, and the use of Melatonin which is a natural hormone your body makes. It can be vegetarian based supplements. 

The importance of sleep cannot be emphasized enough. You need it for overall health and those who say "I'll sleep when I die" may just be closer to their goal by erroneously minimizing its importance. 

I personally believe that a therapist and spiritual coach who understands sleep disorders can be extremely helpful in addition to support groups. Something to consider...there are many conditions if not all, that originally stem from a spiritual source. Addressing this can lead to clarity, answers and pave the path to full healing.

For more on Invisible Disabilities in general check including a list of common conditions considered invisible check here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invisible_disability
http://www.disabled-world.com/disability/types/invisible/
https://www.facebook.com/events/1560045964218018/1563585670530714

For information on Sleeping Disorders including Non-24
http://www.circadiansleepdisorders.org/index.php

If you would like more information, contact me. I am of course on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Youtube, Google+, Pinterest, Blogger, and BlogTalkRadio and all can be accessed via my website: www.thisisdiana.com and http://ow.ly/AGmlA  Sign up to my email list and get a FREE E-Book!

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~Always with Love, Light and Common Sense Manners~

Diana Navarro, M.S.

On a Quest to Bring Common Sense Manners Back!