I can't believe how in this day and age there are
still people with the gumption to look at any person,
with the specific person being me, and saying, "yup,
you really looked disabled", as he showed a "thumbs
up" sign when referring to my Mini Van being parked in
a disability spot, with a disability sign on the front
window.
This is the same Mini Van I recently purchased to
transport my new electric wheelchair with me so I could
perhaps reach out into the world in an effort to grasp at some of the life I once had. The same Van that had my
supportive back brace sitting on the centre console,
with my new months collection of pain medications in
blister packs sitting in a Shoppers Drug Mart Bag on the passenger floor. The same Van that had my walker in the back, the same walker that was becoming harder and harder to get out of the van to use.
I can't believe how shocked I was to have some random
person speak to me like that, but more so, how
shocked I was at my own angry response to this his
comment.
It's hard enough to live with this "invisible disability" without
having to tolerate the ignorance, and uneducated gall
of some man who seems to have a desperate need,
without being invited in any way, shape or form, to open his mouth on something that has nothing to do with him.
You know the shocking part? If I had seen this man
anywhere I would have figured him to be an educated
man. His entire appearance and presentation speaks
intelligence yet when he opened his mouth all
appearances are overshadowed by the ignorance in his
words.... I guess I misjudged him the same way he
misjudged me, but I wasn't the one who made that
comment, or any comment at all until I was insulted
publicly in front of a busy shopping center for no apparent
reason.
Just because I don't look sick as you see me limping out
of grocery store, doesn't mean I'm not injured or
suffering. It just means that at that moment my
medications are working well enough to allow me to be
stubborn and determined enough to suffer instead of
fighting to get my walker out of the back of the van to
get a small box of garbage bags.
This was the first time I've ever had to face such
ignorance since I began to suffer from this rare spinal cord disease. I do hope it will be the last, but unfortunately it probably won't be.
Will this ever change?
For those of you who've experienced anything like this, you have my deepest sympathies and a heart felt apology. Not because I ever remember doing anything like that to anyone, but for the misinformed, uneducated people out there who feel the need to insult things they do not understand..
No one deserves this, but you never truly know how it
feels until it happens to you.
"Forgive them Lord, for they know not what they do!"
I guess I have to start believing in that myself..
still people with the gumption to look at any person,
with the specific person being me, and saying, "yup,
you really looked disabled", as he showed a "thumbs
up" sign when referring to my Mini Van being parked in
a disability spot, with a disability sign on the front
window.
This is the same Mini Van I recently purchased to
transport my new electric wheelchair with me so I could
perhaps reach out into the world in an effort to grasp at some of the life I once had. The same Van that had my
supportive back brace sitting on the centre console,
with my new months collection of pain medications in
blister packs sitting in a Shoppers Drug Mart Bag on the passenger floor. The same Van that had my walker in the back, the same walker that was becoming harder and harder to get out of the van to use.
I can't believe how shocked I was to have some random
person speak to me like that, but more so, how
shocked I was at my own angry response to this his
comment.
It's hard enough to live with this "invisible disability" without
having to tolerate the ignorance, and uneducated gall
of some man who seems to have a desperate need,
without being invited in any way, shape or form, to open his mouth on something that has nothing to do with him.
You know the shocking part? If I had seen this man
anywhere I would have figured him to be an educated
man. His entire appearance and presentation speaks
intelligence yet when he opened his mouth all
appearances are overshadowed by the ignorance in his
words.... I guess I misjudged him the same way he
misjudged me, but I wasn't the one who made that
comment, or any comment at all until I was insulted
publicly in front of a busy shopping center for no apparent
reason.
Just because I don't look sick as you see me limping out
of grocery store, doesn't mean I'm not injured or
suffering. It just means that at that moment my
medications are working well enough to allow me to be
stubborn and determined enough to suffer instead of
fighting to get my walker out of the back of the van to
get a small box of garbage bags.
"Invisible Disabilities"
can be just as disabling as any other disability.
Just because you can't see it doesn't mean that I and others like me don't suffer.
ignorance since I began to suffer from this rare spinal cord disease. I do hope it will be the last, but unfortunately it probably won't be.
Will this ever change?
For those of you who've experienced anything like this, you have my deepest sympathies and a heart felt apology. Not because I ever remember doing anything like that to anyone, but for the misinformed, uneducated people out there who feel the need to insult things they do not understand..
No one deserves this, but you never truly know how it
feels until it happens to you.
"Forgive them Lord, for they know not what they do!"
I guess I have to start believing in that myself..
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