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.
Happens to a guy I know all the time. He has been on dialysis for years and just had a kidney transplant. A short walk can wear him out completely, but he looks fit.
Don’t get me started on the “companion” animals that the housewives drag in the stores.
Vacation (rental car) would be an issue, but I don't see the problem with 4 cards. I was just trying to think of a better way than the other guy's suggestion to put the disability on the card, which is a terrible idea IMO.
Add paranoid to her list.
I'd agree with you except that I remember people said exactly that to a minor celebrity -- who had a genetic deformity AND the temerity to have children.
That celebrity is Bree Walker, who used to be an anchorette at several big-market local TV stations. She has severely deformed hands and feet.
(Walker has recently popped into the news as the buyer of Cindy Sheehan's little bit o' Texas property near the Bush ranch. I don't sympathize with Walker's idiotic politics; but she was right to take umbrage at people who indignantly assailed her decision not to abort her children.)
So my poor old mother who died from heart failue, and couldn't walk more than a hundred feet or so without chest pain, shouldn't have had a handicap sitcker in the last few months of her life? This has really become a forum for those who don't think.
Why would someone with a mental illness need a closer parking space? Isn’t this only for people with problem with their legs or mobility? This should not even be an issue. Mental illness does not warrant such a permit
I just hate when an able-bodied person runs to the store in a car with a handicapped permit and parks in HC spots, or when the HC person stays in the car while the able-bodied person goes into the store, while parked in an HC spot.
My brother has a handicapped permit, and we only park in HC parking if the closest spaces are far away from the entrance to the store(or other place).
Isn’t that the truth!
If a person can run into a store, he/she should not take up a handicap spot, blocking it for somebody who can’t run into the store.
I have a handicap placard. I only use it when I need it. Most of the time I can walk quite nicely. When I can run, I sure won’t park in a handicap spot.
I guess I didn’t make that clear. I gave the information to the registry. They cancelled all the placards of the dead people and retrieved the stolen ones. How they dealt with the ones who gave their permits to others, I don’t know.
One person who was using a stolen placard was given 24 hours to return it by FedEx or their license and the registration of their father’s car (which they were using) was going to be revoked. Needless to say the father was p.o.’d at his son.
In My Universe, anyone who scammed the system would have to make a public apology for it. Those who are awarded the spaces should be the ones using them.
And you produced this "fact" based on what?
Abuses certainly happen, but even in that scenario, how do you know the driver isn't picking up a disabled passenger?
Of course I shop at Navy Exchanges and DECA a lot, so as well as having to contend with a dozen empty handicapped spaces there are also a multitude of empty Flag, CO, XO, and CMC spaces. Living in military housing, it’s sometimes easier to bring my son’s Radio Flyer and walk to the Commissary—good for me, too.
I agree with you. There are lots of forms of disabilites. To get a HC sticker or placard, a patient needs to be medically qualified. Unfortunately, too many of us are Sunday morning quarterback ‘doctors’ who can instantly diagnose another human being within the confines of a parking garage. My thought is- if you are that great of a clinician, set up an office and start seeing patients- otherwise show some tolerance for others, and thank God you don’t walk in a disabled person shoes.
I’m all in favor of letting blind people park in handicapped spots.
You don't know what you are talking about. For your sake, I hope you never find out how stupid that statement is.
“So my poor old mother who died from heart failue, and couldn’t walk more than a hundred feet or so without chest pain, shouldn’t have had a handicap sitcker in the last few months of her life?”
Sorry about your mom, perhaps you should have gotten her a powered chair. I can’t think of too many places other than the post office where you can get something accomplished without walking more than 100 ft. Certainly not the grocery or Walmart.
And Yes, I defend my use of the word "legitimately"; if you're healthy enough to use a hiking trail, you're healthy enough to walk a few more feet through the parking lot.
My only problem with handicap spaces is that there are way too many of them. Just one example that I noticed over the weekend. Kohl's deptment store has about 25 of the things. One was in use and when I came out that person had gone. Usually they just sit empty. Whatever idiotic law determines the number that a business has to have must anticipate that every permit holder will call every other one and agree to hit the same stores at the same time. But I make no assumptions about people using them. Up until a couple of weeks before she died my mother didn't look especially unwell - just old.
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