Posted on 08/20/2007 7:41:24 AM PDT by Between the Lines
OPINION, August 20 /Christian Newswire/ -- "Do you know the fine for using someone else's handicapped parking permit is $300?" "That parking spot is saved for the disabled! You should be ashamed of yourself!" Nearly everyone with an invisible illness has been told, "You don't look disabled to me!" One of my friends replied, "Well, you don't look stupid to me." I just bite my lip to try to prevent the tears from forming, broken-hearted that I appear to be deceptive, when I would do anything to give back this parking perk that I use on a rare occasion.
As I circle the parking lot a fourth time on this day I hope for a spot to open up within two-hundred yards of the store, but there is nothing remotely close at this bustling superstore where I need to buy my prescriptions and milk for my toddler. My rheumatoid arthritis is flaring badly, causing extra fluid in my knees to dislocate pieces of loose bones. Every step is painful and unpredictable.
Finally I sigh in resignation and pull into the farthest "blue parking spot." I reach for the placard--the one that has a bold white symbol of a wheelchair--and no, I don't have a wheelchair--yet. So after fifteen years of having this "privilege" at my disposal I still warily scan the area before reluctantly dangling the placard from the rear view mirror. Is there anyone watching, wondering, or waiting, ready to confront me?
I've had scathing notes left on my windshield and many people, empowered by television exposés, have approached me with their opinions. Judgmental expressions and whispers sting just as much. My husband and I adopted a baby and when I would get my child of the car I would avoid eye contact with onlookers because I could hear their whispers of, "She's not disabled! Or--if she is--she has no right to have a child!"
Nearly 1 in 2 Americans (133 million) live with a chronic illness. It could be diabetes, cancer, cystic fibrosis, fibromyalgia or even chronic back pain. Many illnesses make walking long distances impossible because of limited lung capacity, physical pain, or unpredictable numbness in the legs. According to statistics provided by the U.S. Census Bureau, about 96% of these illnesses are invisible. There is no sign of the illness existing, nor the use of an assistive device like a cane or a wheelchair.
I began National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week in 2002, which is held this year Sept 10-16, 2007, after witnessing thousands of people who had frustrations, fears, loneliness, and bitterness, about feeling invalidated. One's illness, age, diagnosis, or level of disease degeneration, doesn't change the emotional pain.
Strangers and loved ones alike doubt the severity of our illness or even the diagnosis. We've heard, "You look so good! You must be feeling better." But we don't feel better. We just bought some fake tan in a bottle and pasted on a smile.
National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week is a time to acknowledge that invisible illness is more prevalent than we'd imagine and everyone--both those who are healthy and ill--can make a difference by encouraging someone with an invisible illness, rather than tearing someone down.
Are those parking spots painted blue because they give so many people the blues? That small area of square footage is a breeding ground for many frustrations as we are forced to defend our illness and character to total strangers. I'd gladly trade in my placard indefinitely for just a week of having my old body back when I could run, sit on the floor, or even hold a fork without tendons popping out of place.
I anticipate the day when a nationally designated system is formed. Texas law states that blue placards are for those who use assistive devices; red permits are for people with a "condition that impairs mobility." In other states, red symbolizes six months of disability and blue is permanent. It's confusing! And for one with invisible illness, the wheelchair symbol discredits both our physical pain and--in the eyes of others--our reputation. Until then, we rely on Invisible Illness Week bumper stickers.
The next time you see a healthy looking man loading groceries into his car--parked in the "blue spot"--don't glare. Stop and offer to help him, or just smile nicely, giving him the benefit of the doubt. Seventy percent of suicides have uncontrollable physical pain as a factor. Your smile may save his life. At the least, it will astonish him, perhaps providing him with genuine encouragement he hasn't felt for months.
I don't know, does she go to 4 different places at the same time?
And that is exactly why I feel that the "Blue Spots" should be limited to those that need extra space to get in and out of a wheelchair.
Perhaps Texas has the right idea. "Blue Spots" for those that need extra wide spaces for wheelchairs, scooters, etc. and "Red Spots" on normal width spaces for those with other mobility problems.
Course, you will never satisfy some of the folks on this thread. Their attitude seems to be "How dare you not take pity on me! I'm handicapped cuz I got ____________! So you WILL let me do whatever I please! and NOT say anything to the contrary!"
In my state, the tags are assigned to the person - not the vehicle. My wife has tags, and she's supposed to carry around registration in case she needs to prove that she is the user of the tags. So far, we have never had to produce the registration. In order to reduce the occurence of "borrowed" tags, I think there should be a printed picture of the users face on the placard itself.
BTW, since all here are exchanging in free and open discourse, there are a lot of thin or messo-morph people who are lazy as well.
perhaps you should spend a few days confined to a wheelchair. then perhaps you can understand why there needs to be ramps on sidewalks.
We had an administration that refused to put automatic door openers - like most shopping malls have. We managed to have them spens one work day (7-8 hours) in a wheelchair. Within three weeks we had automatic door openers.
No. I "used to" because now my physical condition prevents me from the joy of working. I installed a series of sidewalks with ramps about 4 months before I became disabled.
as for what I addressed originally, replacing perfectly good curb, gutter and sidewalk. My post stands.
You might note that my first post to you defended your position regarding replacing perfectly good curb, gutter, and sidewalk. I simply stated that when rebuilding or building as new, handicapped access should be allowed for.
who's asking for pity? from what I read on this thread HC people are merely asking not to be judged by stereotypes and ignorance.
I haven't heard anything about pity.
And let’s be realistic… if you say something to anyone churlish enough to abuse an HC sticker they will not be nonplussed; they will ignore you. I have yet to say something to a person WITHOUT an HC tag or hanger and have them actually move their car; they usually tell me I'm number 1 in their book and continue to jog into the store.
So then, in the case where credentials are there – three options 1) offend wrongly, 2) be ignored by a jacka$$, or 3) stay silent. Seems like an easy choice to me.
Bushwah. They have sobriety checkpoints at random in my area on most major holidays. Equating proactive policework with a police state is emotionbaiting.
I don't. Then again, I didn't say they were. Perhaps you should read the post my comment was in reply to. (#26 by Dov in Houston). Thank you for your attention.
“Bushwash”??? LOL~! bet I know what THAT means;-)
Have you ever been subjected to ‘random checks’? I’ve been caught up in a few and the cops don’t like to let you go without some kind fo ticket.
and I have had to justify my HC status to police before and probably will again. it is not pleasant, and people should not be subjected to it. it’s s thin line between checking someone’s status, and checking it over and over and over, just to hassle them.
Don't be silly.
Trouble with reading comprehension? This thread is about people who use Handicapped spaces illegaly.
To what "illegal use" purpose would anyone suggest those silly random checks? Fat people? Ugly people? Dumb people? Those things aren't illegal. Yet.
Just saying.
Just in the last two years my life physically has gone very bad. With fibromyalgia and arthritics I now use a cane. Two years ago I was walking three miles a day,five days a week. I loved it. I loved the morning and all the creatures running around in the morning and then things just went down hill.I have been going through a great deal of depression because of dealing with all the pain and being termed handicapped. Just yesterday I was in a store and a lady standing across from me with an oxygen tank remarked to me that it is difficult being handicapped isn’t it? I am in my early 50’s standing there with my cane and in a great deal of pain and to my surprise I had to have someone tell me that I was handicapped because in my mind I am still the person who walked three miles a day. It’s been difficult not being able to walk without so much pain when walking is such a natural thing to do. A nurse told me about the disability sticker because she seen the pain I was in walking and I appreciated that she told me about the permits. I have always been a physical person and loved sports I guess you never think your life can take such a turn. But what bothers me the most is the lack of compassion that has shown up here lately on numerous topics. I may not be as physical as I was but I clearly understand better the way people suffer and will give anybody the benefit of the doubt.
If you have done nothing wrong, then you have nothing to worry about Komrade
perhaps some folks think that people who drive sports cars exceed the speed limit, or perhaps got the money to buy them running drugs? The same could be applied to certain luxury cars. my point is that it is easy to fall into stereotypical thinking when dealing with issues such as this. and the "yet" sounds ominous to me, does it to you as well?
yes, sure. I have a friend who got into trouble when he did nothing wrong. When the cops pulled his motorcycle over for a broken tail light, the light wasn’t broken until the cop got there.
bad cops have a habit of finding crimes where non existed prior to their arrival.
You are as bad as the people you berate on this thread. You make the same snap judgments that they do.
Just because I appreciated the irony pointed out by one poster that the automobile has led to the decline of the health of our nation through lack of exercise (why walk when you can drive) and bad eating habits (fast food was invented for the motorists), you feel that you must berate me also.
You might note that it was I that started this thread and you might want to ask me why.
My wife lost most of her foot in an auto accident about four years ago. She has only a small portion of her heel remaining. It is very painful for her to walk long distances and she uses handicapped spaces to park. She has been approached many times by people thinking that she shouldn't be using these spaces. When this happens she asks them to wait just a second so she can fix her shoe, props herself against something and proceed to remove the shoe and replace it. She then looks back up and asks what it was they wanted. After seeing her "peg leg" as she calls it they just go away sometimes apologizing most often not.
I would also add that my mother has been crippled since she was 13 by polio and my youngest granddaughter cannot walk because of cerebral palsy.
You berated me just because I enjoyed a bit of irony, so you see that you are just as bad as those you berate by calling them doctors. You made me take my wife's shoe off to prove what I should have never had to prove.
I guess you missed the sarcasm. - I thought the Komrade would have given it away. Quote is: "If you have done nothing wrong, comrade, then you have nothing to fear" Lavrenti Pavlovich Beria head of Stalin's NKVD. And they had a lot to be afraid of.
There’s a certain ethnic group in Los Angeles (and it’s not black or latino) that is notorious for virtually everyone having a handicapped tag. To their mind, apparently, you’re a chump if you don’t.
you are correct. my apoligies and/or my bad. I wasn’t sure you were being sarcasticm, or serious. ;-)
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