Category: Nursing

I always believed in fighting for the little guy. That’s what got me the superhero gig, I reckon, and now it’s what got me to start this support group. I’m Captain Adelaidian, the bloke running this show. It was a sunny morning in Adelaide when we had our first gathering, a ragtag group of superheroes grappling with life-altering changes. We met in a community centre, supported by a local disability service provider who took the whole ‘disabled superheroes undercover in Adelaide’ story better than I expected.

Fast Forward was already there, her legs encased in braces that slowed her down but didn’t dampen her spirit. She shared her story, speaking about the days she used to outrun time and how she now lives at its mercy due to her chronic illness. It was an empowering tale of resilience that left everyone inspired. Hulkwoman, once the invincible force, now on her mobility scooter, was nodding along with a solemn smile on her face.

Invisible Iva, well, we couldn’t see her, but her presence was felt nonetheless. Her voice, albeit shaky, filled the room as she narrated her isolation due to her newfound invisibility, promising to teach us the importance of feeling seen even when you’re not visible.

The mysterious and reticent Mary kept mostly to herself, sipping on her coffee while occasionally chiming in with her dry wit. She was an enigma we were all keen to understand better.

Just when things were wrapping up, the staff from a community nursing service for disabled people in Adelaide who had been so helpful with the logistics of the meeting, came in to check on us. They helped Hulkwoman adjust comfortably in her scooter and asked Fast Forward if she needed any additional support. Their concern wasn’t just professional; it was genuine care, and it warmed my heart.

As the day ended, the quiet chatter, supportive smiles, and nods of understanding that filled the room made me realise – we were no longer just former superheroes dealing with disabilities. We were a community finding strength and solace in shared stories and experiences. And this, right here in Adelaide, was just the beginning.

I rapped lightly on my grandmother’s door, stepping back slightly in preparation for it swinging open. Why was I so nervous? I wondered, feeling the slickness of my palms and anxiously rubbing them against my jeans. It had been years since I’d seen her, but we’d never had a bad relationship. Her and my mother, though…

         The door began to rattle as a series of locks were systematically unlatched and slid aside by a very slow pair of hands. After a few more moments, the handle turned and the door swung open.

         ‘Gran!’ I said, with a forced smile. ‘It’s me – it’s Alyssa!’

         ‘I know who you are,’ she grunted. ‘I’m old, not blind.’

         ‘Oh,’ I said, the smile slipping slightly from my face. ‘I just thought, since it’s been a while…’

         ‘Well, don’t just stand there,’ she said gruffly. ‘Come on in and I’ll make you something to drink.’

         Suddenly hoping that she meant something stiffer than tea, I followed her inside. The air was thick with the cloying scent of age, and I wrinkled my nose involuntarily, glad that she was walking ahead of me and couldn’t see.

         ‘Sorry about the smell,’ she cackled without turning around. ‘Hard to avoid at my age. My disability support worker says you stop noticing it after a few minutes.’

         ‘Oh,’ I said. ‘You have a support worker?’

         ‘Of course I do,’ she snapped. ‘You think I’m changing my own sheets at this age?’

         ‘You seem plenty capable, actually,’ I laughed. ‘You’re not even using a cane.’

         ‘Oh, I’m plenty capable,’ she snickered, turning around and fixing me with a devilish grin. ‘But one of the advantages of old age is you get to be incredibly lazy, and the state pays for somebody to do your chores for you.’

         ‘Fair enough, too,’ I nodded. ‘So uh… what’s the best company for community nursing in Adelaide, then?’

         ‘Did you actually have something you wanted to talk about,’ my grandma rolled her eyes, gesturing for me to sit at her dining table.

         ‘Um…’ I gritted my teeth, unable to say it. She sighed again.

         ‘How much do you need?’