Jun 20 2023
Adaptive Podcasting with Mick Miller
Mick Miller is a 36 year old living in Terrace, BC. Mick is a typical northern-BC type: he likes to bike, board, and fish. He works in construction for a small company in Terrace, even though he went to school to work in Marketing. Mick lives with what is called Allgrove Syndrome. Allgrove Syndrome is also called "3A" or "aaa" because the manifestation of the illness breaks down into 3 illnesses which begin with "a" — achalasia (a dysfunction of the esophagus), addisonianism (a rare long-term endocrine disorder characterized by inadequate production of the steroid hormones cortisol and aldosterone), and alacrima (insufficiency of tears).Mick, however, lives with 4A or "aaaa" because he also has autonomic neuropathy (damage to nerves that control your internal organs). Mick used to hate the term "disabled" when he was in his twenties and younger. "I did not like to identify as disabled. I also did not like the word, I thought it was dirty. I thought it belittled me. But as I've grown older and I would say matured and learned more about disability disabilities and, you know, just come to know myself better, I no longer think that word is bad."Mick's 4A symptoms limit his dexterity and mobility at times (and especially when it is cold), so working in construction has its own perks: winters off. However, that's not why he works in construction."I have a background in marketing. I have a degree in business administration, marketing specialization, and I worked in that area for a while, but I wasn't enjoying it and I always wanted to work in the 'big kid sandbox' as people like to say," he explained. "And I didn't pursue that when I was younger cause I didn't think it was a noble career. I, I felt like I had to go to a university to prove something to myself, my peers and others. But anyway, it was, long story short I finally took the jump and left my career in marketing and I approached an owner of a small construction company here in Terrace, who some of my friends were working for, and I sat down with him and I was open about my disability and my limitations and how it would affect me on the job site. But I told him that I really wanted to, you know, get my hands dirty, work on the ground and inside the machines and if he was willing to gimme a chance, I would work my hardest and do everything to the best of my ability."Mick Miller is open about his disabilities because they do not define him. Listen to his full interview on CICK News in the link below.Also, check out Mick's podcast Adaptive in the link here.
