I don’t want to get shot by anything, but if some angel dust smoking maniac attacks me I’d rather have a 10 MM or a .40 Caliber. Or a .44 Magnum. Personally, I carry a nice little S&W 9MM.
A 9mm is SMALLER than a .38. Not in diameter, of course.
You give somebody a hard time for carrying a .38 and you carry a (even smaller) 9mm? I mean... Sure. A 9mm is OK. You got 19 in the magazine but you need every single goddamn one of them.
A .38 is a good weapon. Better might be a .357 or a .45
But frail hands are better with something they can hit something with.