Posted on 11/16/2017 6:11:20 AM PST by KeyLargo
Mom With MS Finds Nasty Note After Parking In Handicapped Spot
By Shannon Antinori, Patch National Staff | Nov 15, 2017 Updated Nov 15, 2017
"You need to think twice before judging someone," the Plainfield mom said. " You have no idea what they've been through." By Shannon Antinori, Patch National Staff | Nov 15, 2017 2:22 pm ET | Updated Nov 15, 2017 11:50 pm ET
PLAINFIELD, IL — From all outward appearances, Michele Clarke, 39, looks young and healthy. But 16 years ago, the Plainfield mom was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Since then she has had to battle back from flare-ups that have at times left her using a cane or a wheelchair, and even hospitalized for weeks at a time.
"Then there's times when I'm able to go to the gym and build up my strength," she told Patch.
Like many who suffer from "invisible diseases," Clarke said that for many years she was hesitant about using the handicapped placard for fear of being judged.
"It almost gets to the point where I'm afraid to use it," she said, "just because I'm not in a walker or I'm not using a cane ... I may look good on the outside, but on the inside I'm struggling."
Her fears came true on Monday, Clarke said, when she took her 12-year-old daughter to a doctor's office on 127th Street in Plainfield. As she was getting into the car, her daughter handed her a note that had been left on the passenger side windshield.
(Excerpt) Read more at patch.com ...
Something is fishy here....
Uh, oh! Someone got a note that offended them! Call a reporter!!!
A driver flipped me off the other day. I have already contacted CNN.
What don’t you believe?
https://themighty.com/2016/08/disabled-parking-permits-for-people-with-invisible-disabilities/
https://invisibledisabilities.org/ida-books-pamphlets/accessibleparking/dontjudgebyappearances/
http://www.refinery29.com/2017/11/179981/cancer-post-invisible-illness
Uh, oh! Someone got a note that offended them! Call a reporter!!!
************
Hurtful, triggering words. LOL
I don’t understand the tendency of some people to write anonymous notes to strangers. How other people live their lives, as long as they are not committing crimes, is none of my business.
The woman had a handicapped placard, how can a third party judge if they are or are not handicapped?
“I’m not looking for an apology,” she said.
But if my Husband or Brother ever find you, they are going to make sure you are Disabled for LIFE!!!
Thank you for the intelligent post.
If she didn’t use her handicap placard she probably deserved the nasty note she got.
I’m not so sure! The other day I got yelled at for turning around by backing into a handicap spot to avoid a parking lot gridlock.
Backed in and immediately started driving out the other way. Some guy started yelling at me for “using” a handicap spot. I wasn’t in the confines of the spot for 10 seconds.
Some people are jut anal about handicap spots.
My spouse is a long-term sufferer from MS and we know how that woman in the story feels.
Especially sad that this happened in front of her young daughter. But it would be a good lesson that there are many ignorant people in the world today.
I was talking with a lady with MS the other day. She has encountered the same issue. The way she explained it to me is that when she goes to the store, she usually can get into the store using her cane without much trouble. She says that the problem is getting back to the car after shopping where her legs have stiffened and she has great physical difficulty returning to the car if it is parked at a distance.
My mom had MS from her mid-40s. It did come and go. When it flared up, her mobility was severely curtailed. However, this story does not make sense. The writer of the note clearly saw the woman and her daughter. If she was in a “go to the gym” condition, why use the handicap parking. Just because you have a sticker, does not mean you have to use it.
I do accost people who look fit and mobile and park in handicap spaces. If someone responded that they had MS, I would point out that if they were in remission, they should be considerate of others who were less mobile. If they said they had a severe heart condition, I would simply apologize, wish them well and move on. I would not feel bad about raising the issue. Life is not perfect or fair. The author of the note could have said the same thing in a more conditional and less inflammatory way.
Nosy people crack me up.
I was sitting in my car at a Costco in Issaquah one day, in one of the handicapped spaces, and the other three were empty. I was backed in, waiting for my wife to drop off a roll of film. Our car had no front license plate. I had my windows rolled up and was listening to music. Because I’m sitting in the car, nobody would know from the front of my car if I was handicapped or if I had handicapped plates, and nothing was hanging from my mirror.
A family walks in front of the car towards the store and the dad stares at the front of the car, then leaves the family and walks around to the back and looks at the back. He then walks up to the driver’s side window and knocks on it. I roll it down. He asks if I have a handicapped sticker. I tell him I don’t. He then says I’m parked in a handicapped space and must move. I tell him, “I’m not parked. I’m stopped. And if these other three stalls fill up I’ll move.” He left in a huff.
I think liberals tend to be “letter of the law” types, and conservatives tend to be “spirit of the law” types.
Reminds me of a stand up comedy act I saw once:
“This guy had a handicaped placard hanging from his front window, yet when he got out of the car, there was nothing wrong with him. So I walked up to him and smacked him in the nose. I then pulled his mom out of the passenger side and beat her with her walker.”
I had a placard for a while before getting a joint replacement. I appreciated the reserved spot, but there are always ten times as many handicap spots as ever get used.
I’ve never seen them all filled with HC labeled vehicles. Now I just walk half a mile, like everybody else.
The placards are for those that have a temporary condition, not something that will get better with time.
If she really has/had MS the Doctor would have issued her a permanent permit that would give the license plate. I’d be willing to bet that she was driving her own car.
I have almost the same issue because of my sciatica. Walking kills me. I don’t usually go to large stores because of it but when I do, going in I’m almost fine but by the time I come out my left leg is almost dragging and the pain is awful.
There are many anal drivers out there and they’re set off by a bit of nothing.
I had someone pass me on a curved double line this week after dark. The posted speed was 40 mph and I was already doing 10 miles over because he was on my rear for several miles, lights blinding me and nowhere to pull over.
Seems there is no courtesy anymore.
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