Handicap Parking

[Guest guest]

>>>>>>Gloworm........Having a Handicap thingy myself was hard

at first and I still park next to one if there is an opening....But, after years

of feeling like I really did not " deserve " to park there and also realizing that

I donot give a damn what or how anyone judges me, I have come to the realization

that indeed I do deserve this extra help!!!!

I no longer lower my eyes when I exit my car.....I stand tall and look ANYONE

straight in the eye....almost a dare......Sounds cocky???

IMHO, We are our own advocates......Friends leave, family walks

over us(sometimes) and strangers Judge us when they do not even know the

story.......

I am very ill and will not allow any more pain into my life.....I have had

enough.......Things(canes, walkers, parking places) are made for us and I will

use it and not have any doubts........Period!!!

Do not allow your illness(s) to help make you feel any worse than the chronic

pain ALready does.......

We need ALL our energy just to fight the pain!!!!

I have Fibro also and SLE(Lupus) for 20 years now and I am here to tell you, it

is a long painful road but we are survivors ...........Remember that.......we

Survive EveryDay as we fight chronic pain.......:-))

PainFreePeace for us all........Dawn in SC

[Guest guest]

Boy, do I agree with this! I was so embarassed at first I would even go at

night hoping no one would notice me! How weird is that! Riding in the carts was

even worse! I have been falling in the stores off and on now for a little over a

year now, in fact the grocery where I shop in the clerks even say, oh don't

worry about her she does it all the time, she'll get up just leave her alone,

and I do, However no more! The doc's have told me and told me! Now, my bones

are such that I will be breaking things so it is the cart for me,,,,,,but I

digress...

I see so many people I know I am not to judge, but I often wonder do they really

need that thing or did they borrow grandma's? Know what I mean? People wonder

about me also I am sure. However I dare them to say anything to me! My doc

told me I had to get one or not shop, I want to do what I can as long as I can

so I got it. I have had rude stares, horrible comments, pictures on my tag, (we

have snap it people who take pictures of your tag and turn it in if they

question your ability to have one) I have had those who cuss me out, etc.. I get

out of my car, stand for a few moments to get my balance and walk,very very

slowly, baby steps so I am not skipping to the store, then, I grab a cart and

hang on for dear life only now I sit on a cart. There are days in the past if

there has been no cart I turn around and go home and come back later cause I

cannot make it through the store without one, so I need the placard.

If they do not beleive I need the handicap thing, that is there problem.

Perhaps I choose to beleive they need a brain transplant to understand those of

us who need one. In fact I told one guy that. He commented to me, to get a

life his tax dollars were supporting me and I said yes that is right or it would

be if he would get his brain fixed. (now please remember that I have had a brain

surgery so I felt justifed in telling him he needed one!). I am normally a very

nice person, but this is a hot issue with me!

If you need a handicap placard use it with pride! Get out stand up look em

straight in the eye and go in. Just don't drive around with the thing hanging

from your mirror, that is illegal in most states and it is like waving it in

people's faces! If you are having a good day, don't use it, don't use it so

someone else can run in while you sit in the car, in my opinion that is not

right, use the one for you and leave the one for the wheelchair guy if one comes

that needs it and you can use a cane or walker, be very grateful for the store

that has plenty and tell them so, they get scads of complaints for having too

many so tell them thanks for having lots of them. Use it or lose it is my

motto. Gwen

Carolinadawn45@... wrote:

>>>>>Gloworm........Having a Handicap thingy myself was hard

at first and I still park next to one if there is an opening..