Die lewe as gestremde....

Wat is jou naam, van en ouderdom?

 Eric Streso , 46

Vertel my bietjie meer oor jouself, waarvan jy hou, jou stokperdjies ens.

My stokperdjies is werk en musiek. In my werk kry ek die geleentheid om daagliks mense te help met Fnansiele Beplanning en Regsdienste.

Musiek was nog altyd vir my `n liefde vandat ek deel van die Groep Coleske was as skoolkind. Tot vandag reel ek vertonings vir kunstenaars. Ons het sover gegaan on die Grootste Afrikaanse Konsert in die Geskiedenis in London te doen so 2 jaar terug. Dit was ongelooflik.

Wat se tipe gestremedhid het jy

 Ek het my linkerarm verloor in `n motorfiets ongeluk so 8 jaar gelede. Daarmee ook my spinaalkoord beseer tot so `n mate dat ek gedeeltelike gebruik van my regterbeen het.

Op watter ouderdom het jy hierdie gestremdheid gekry en hoe?

38

Hoe behandel jou vriende en familie jou en aanvaar hulle jou soos jy is?

 Absoluut. Ons het maar met humor aangepas. My vriende noem my nou die One-Arm-Bandit.

Hoe behandel  vreemde mense jou?

 Ag ek steur my nie eintlik meer daaraan nie. Maar oor die algemeen het ek nog geen vreemde reaksies ervaar nie.

Veroorsaak jou tipe gestremdheid dat jy permanent hulp nodig het?

Ja met party goed. Hoofsaaklik maar netjies aantrek.

Hoe voel jy daaroor om nou van hulp afhanklik te wees,waar dit  vroeёr  nie nodig was nie?

Dit was `n hengse aanpassing. Iets wat jou trots nogals mee baklei MAAR nou weet ek om te vra as ek iets nodig het.

Hoe voel jy oor dit wat jy vroeёr  kon doen en nou nie meer kan doen nie?(bv.kuns , sport ens)

 Ek mis dit vrek baie. Veral guitar speel en golf. Dis iets wat ek altyd sal mis.

Het jy ‘n “plaasvervanger”  belangstelling  of  “hobby” gekry in die plek van die dinge wat jy  nie meer kan doen nie?

 Ja. Instede van self musiek maak reel ek nou vertonings en geniet dit net so baie. Sport is nou maar in die verlede vir my. My liggaam laat dit fisies nie toe nie.

Hoe voel jy oor jou gestremdheid?

 Baie baklei met God en myself daaroor al MAAR ek is nou fine daarmee en leer elke dag nuwe goed om dit makliker te maak.

Watter woord beskryf jou gevoel die beste ten opsigte van jou gestremdheid? (kwaad, hartseer, aanvaarding, uitdaging, ens)

 UITDAGING

Wat het jy oor jouself  geleer wat jy andersins nooit sou leer as jy nie gestrem was nie?

 Respek vir mense wat minderbevoorreg is se posisie. Ook dat mense met gestremdhede nie jammer gekry wil word nie MAAR net `n regverdige kans wil he.

Het jy hoop om genees te word van jou gestremdheid/siekte?

Ongelukkig nie. Ek dink nie daar bestaan `n “cure” nie, so ek het vrede in my hart daaroor.

Glo jy dat daar dalk ‘n groter doel is met jou  gestremdheid as net bloot die feit dat jy nou nie meer “normal” kan funksioneer nie?

Ja. Dit het my baie ander mense laat ontmoet. Dit het my by Nuwe Hoop Skool uitgebring.

As jy “ja” geantwoord het op bg vraag, wat is volgens jou die doel daarvan…….?

Om mense te leer hoe om mense met gestremdhede te hanteer en hulle te respekteer. Om nie neer te sien op mense wat jy geen moeite mee gemaak het om te ken nie.

Glo jy dat jou lewe as gestremde dalk vir ander (gestremd of nie-gestremd) ‘n inspirasie kan wees?
Ek hoop regtig so. Al maak dit net in een mens se lewe n verskil..

What is your name and age?

 Eric Streso, 46

Tell me a little about yourself, what you like, your hobbies etc.

My hobbies are work and music. In my work I have the opportunity every day to help people with Financial Planning and Legal Services.

Music has always been for me a dream since I am part of the group Coleske as a schoolboy. To this day I arrange performances for artists. We have to travel as far as going on the Greatest African concert in history in London like two years ago. It was unbelievable.

What kind of disability do you have?

 I lost my left arm in a motorcycle accident 8 years ago. This also injured my spinal cord to such an extent that I have only partial usage of my right leg.

At what age did you get this disability and how?

38

Does your friends and family accept you the way you are?

 Absolutely. We only adjusted with humour. My friends call me the One-Arm Bandit.

How does strangers treat you?

Oh, it doesn’t bother me anymore. But generally I have not experienced any strange reactions.

Do you need permanent help because of your disability?

Yes with some things. Mainly when I want to dress neatly.

How do you feel about being dependent on aids, where previously it was not necessary?

It was a huge adjustment. Something fight with your pride, but now I know to ask if I need anything.

How do you feel about what you could do previously and not do now? (Like arts, sports, etc.)

I absolutely miss it a lot. Especially playing guitar and golf. It's something I will always miss.

Do you have a "substitute" interest or "hobby" in the place of the things you cannot do more?

Yes. Instead of making music myself I now organise performances and enjoys it so much. Sport is now in the past for me. My body makes it physically impossible to do sport.

How do you feel about your disability?

Many times I fought with God and myself about it all but now I'm fine with it and learn new things every day to make life a little easier.

Which word describes how you feel the best in terms of your disability? (Angry, sad, acceptance, challenge, etc.)

CHALLENGED

What have you learned about yourself that you otherwise would never have learned if you were not disabled?

Respect for people in less privileged positions. Also that people with disabilities do not want to be pitied BUT just wants to have a fair chance.

Do you hope to be cured of your disability / illness?

Unfortunately not. I do not think there is a "cure", so I have peace in my heart about it.

Do you believe there may be a higher purpose to your disability as merely the fact that you cannot function "normal" anymore?

Yes. It allows me to meet many people. This has brought me to New Hope School.

If you answered "yes" on the above question, what do you think is the purpose.......?

To teach people how to deal with people with disabilities and to respect them. To look down on people that you have made no difficulty to know.

Do you believe that your life as disabled may for other (disabled or non-disabled) be an inspiration?

 I really hope so. Even if it makes only a difference in one person's life.