Just mushroo venting a bit
Mushroo909(AT)aol.com
Tue, 18 Aug 1998 20:28:37 EDT
Hi, everyone!!
I have been quite unresponsive, but only due to mere exhaustion, not out of a
lack of caring. You all have been in my thoughts and prayers. Since school is
in back in session,I have not had an ounce of energy left to type mail or
respond. Tonight is not much better, but I needed a break from grading papers.
I just love my fourth graders and we have had a very productive week. They
are wonderful to me too! I think I'll make it this year, if I go one day at a
time. School followed by PT, followed by supper, chores, then plans and
grading papers seems about to sink me. But prayer is my life jacket and I'm
still afloat!!!
If you don't mind I wanted to vent a few frustrations. After reading about
your frustrations due to the parking situation, with well people taking
spaces and not so well people being questioned, It reminds me of MY pet
peeve: the handicapped bathroom stall!!
Being very self-conscious, I would never create a scene when lady friends
enter a handicapped stall with their five children and yack while each child,
followed by the 2 adults have their "turn." Often, all regular stalls are open
when this occurs and I stand there with my cane waiting, trying not to have an
accident, while the mother asks the child ( who sits on the toilet seat,
swinging her feet, and singing "Merrily We Roll Along") "Sweetie, are you
done yet??? Hurry, cuz sister and cousin Sue Sue needs a turn too! "(And the
song continues)
I give up and with great difficulty use a "regular" stall or have an
accident) Should I resort to standing with moist puppy dog eyes, making my
most pitiful "handicapped " look, trying to impart some guilt, they probably
would brush by, and, perhaps, if I were really lucky, I'd hear the
sympathetic words:" Lady- did ya get soap in your eyes?? Ya need to be
carefull not to turn the water on so hard!!!! ( Ha,ha, ha!!!)
One beef down, Two to go!!!
Last week I arrived at PT and was met at the door with" Karen, your insurance
will not pay for more visits as it intended. They reviewed your diagnosis and
felt that therapy would NOT be of any further use, since recovery is unlikely.
They felt any improvement was merely based on subjective opinion, not on
fact."
How negative, Right??? I had them call my neuro, who was back & forth between
the ins. co. and the PT place and 45 minutes later, they approved 8 more
visits, but that will be all. They said I needed to save the days left (I have
60 per year and had used 35) for WHEN not IF I fell and may need PT to get
over the resulting damage!!! I feel that if I have PT, I may PREVENT falls!
Can you believe it?? You probably can.
Last, but not least:
I went to a convention last Saturday that was district wide. It was held in a
very large church that had rented its facility. They had a general session on
the ground floor and then offered 80 workshops. The titles which appealed to
me had second floor classrooms. When I went to the information desk, and
inquired as to where the elevators were, I was told that there were none. I
was astonished. I can do a small amount of stairs, but these were steep and
wound up and around a few times. I could not make it! I hung around some of
the day, downstairs and noticed several folks with canes, crutches,
wheelchairs and a few motor seats or whatever you call them stuck in the
ground floor or having to go to one of only four offered on the bottom floor!
I did not say anything, but it was a disappointment. I didn't leave, because
it had been paid for, but it was a waste.
Oh yeah- one more gripe, and I may finally shut up!!!! I went to
Barnes and Noble to pick up a book I had ordered for school. Usually I have no
problem getting inside because usually the store is so busy that I arrive at
the same time as someone else and end up following them in. On this day, it
was rainy, so I arrived at the door alone, and to my shock, I realized I was
too weak to open the door. I tried for five minutes, pushing my 117 pounds
against it with all my might- nothing! I never knew it was that difficult! I
waited 10 more minutes and noone came along, so I proceeded to my car and went
home.
Well, guys, I guess It's hitting me that I really can't do some things, and
that's a bit tough. But, Like I said, I'm still afloat. My heart goes out to
folks each time they sign on as 'new' people and to the veterans who go before
me who know what it's like to deal with this long term problem with such
courage. I know days are difficult for you. too, and yet you keep on giving-
especially to the friends here on the list. Thanks, everybody for listening
Love, Mushroo (Karen)