Re: Just mushroo venting a bit
Jo Ellen Finkelstein (ghellen(AT)ninenet.com)
Fri, 21 Aug 1998 03:52:32 -0500
Mushroo909(AT)aol.com wrote:
>
> 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)Hi Karen, Joellen here. Tie a knot in the rope and hang on! (I know
its freying a bit!) What gets me is those "handicapped stalls" that you
can't get into if you are in a wheelchair. (the ones where you have to
go straight in and then turn) and heaven help you if you need an aide to
help you! 1 wheelchair+1 person in wheelchair+1 aide= NO ROOM!
The last person who parked in the handicapped space outside my
apartment (who wasn't handicapped) got a $71.00 Surprise on their
windsheild! They had blocked the ramp so I couldn't get down to street
level so the nice policeman helped me get off the sidewalk safely and
then wrote the ticket. I used to be pushy about people doing those kind
of things before (because I had so many patients with MS) but now they
really don't want to cross me! Joellen