Thank you

[cjsmith]

Thanks to everyone who offered comments, support, and ideas in response to my "Deadline" post. I appreciate not only the support but the connection, the knowledge that someone out there hears and understands where I'm at with this. Quite a few someones, even. It means a lot to me.

Our culture is very big on the fighters, the people who never ever give up. We don't honor the people who work within their limitations, or who take a break from fighting for a while, even if it's obviously the smart or sane thing to do. There's a subtle disbelief people show when faced with someone who really has tried an enormous number of things none of which has worked. (Sometimes I think Americans believe an amputee should be able to grow a new leg by force of will. Failure to do so is some sort of personality flaw. I have my theories about how all this is a big case of denial, but this post is long enough.) I've bought into this attitude more than is healthy.

Not that I'm giving up exactly. I'll still go to physical therapy and to my doctor. I'll do my exercises and my stretches and I'll apply castor oil to my feet (that's the latest, and it's too early to say whether it's helping, so I won't ditch it now).

I'm definitely going to apply for the disabled parking hang-tag. A group of people in the waiting room at physical therapy this morning said the same: "I did that; it helped!" "Oh, DO it, it's what you need right now that counts." One woman offered to get me some information on a chair for cooking -- a lab chair, so it rolls *and* can go up and down (high enough to stir pasta, low enough for getting pans out of the cupboard). I told her I don't cook much, but to be honest, I admit I did bake more a while back. It was thoughtful of her to ask about cooking and offer to get the name of her "godsend" chair. She can walk, some, but she also uses a scooter, and she's had pain in the soles of her feet for ten years. I think I'm glad I'm not waiting for ten years to get the placard.

And enormous thanks to dizzdvl for offering to send me a swim cap and goggles. I haven't decided between the nearby high school's pool and the Y, but I'll do one or the other. There, you have my word on it: I will swim. Now that I've made a public declaration I'll do it.

Comments

[mactavish.livejournal.com]

:)

When I was first diagnosed with "probable RA," my doctor picked up a pad of forms, filled one out, and handed it to me. It was for a permanent disabled parking placard. I said, "I don't need this." He said, "You will." He was right.

But please note that Rob will be saying, as Casey does, "CJ, I need to go to Fry's . . . want to come?" ;)

[mactavish.livejournal.com]

Also, I'd love to find out about the chair. I sometimes use barstools for cooking, but they're not mobile, and don't help me get things out of bottom cupboards without squatting.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Excellent - two people benefit! I will pass along the information when I get it. (Ping me if you don't hear in a week and a bit.)

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

BWAHAHAHAHA

Make that thing bright purple and I might even wear it. ;-)

If I get the hang-tag instead of the plates, I can put it in Rob's car when I'm riding with him, right?

[mactavish.livejournal.com]

I like the multi-colored ones, very queer, but I couldn't find a pic.

You can have a hangtag and plates. My car has plates, I carry a hangtag in my purse for riding with Casey or Joe (or you or whoever). If there had been a blue spot at the DMV -- they were all full -- I'd have stuck it in the Saturn today, as it was officially transporting me.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

I probably don't qualify for plates as they're permanent. But I'd totally carry the hangtag around with me.

Wow, I've never seen all blue spots full. It happens though, huh? I suppose the DMV would be one place it'd happen often... everyone going back for their next sixty days of hangtag, if nothing else! :-)

[mactavish.livejournal.com]

If you qualify for a blue tag (and you probably will, red is for things like recovering from surgery, a broken leg, etc.) you qualify for plates, but you can get what you like. :)

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Oh - I thought some of the blue hangtags were temporary. Well, I'll see what the doc says. My impression is the DMV will give you whatever the doc says you qualify for.

[mactavish.livejournal.com]

The blue ones have exp. dates so that, say, Casey doesn't take mine and use it forever until I die, or so folks who get away with using stolen ones can't do it forever. But they never have to be reapplied for, the DMV just sends them out fresh every two years without asking.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Oh OK. I never knew that. Well, whether I get a red or a blue I'll be happier than I am now. :)

[shadopanther.livejournal.com]

I've not seen all blue spots full -- but I have seen some ID10T parking his yellow Hummer diagonally across TWO blue spots near the Alberstons near where I work. He was sitting in it, no hang-tag, no placard on the dash, no plates. As I left, I saw him hop out & walk around the side of the vehicle. I glared at him & hoped that he'd move his vehicle soon!

My grandmother had a placard & a plastic hang-tag. Her disability was one of the invisible ones, (congestive heart disease). My only old beef with my grandmother's use of her placard was parking in a blue spot when one right next to it was also available & would not have made any difference in her walking distance.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

I wonder if she felt that parking in a blue spot left that next one open for someone else, whereas parking in the non-blue spot didn't leave a close one for most people. I dunno. The ethics of hang-tag use isn't something I've had to think about much so far!

[shadopanther.livejournal.com]

I wonder if she felt that parking in a blue spot left that next one open for someone else, whereas parking in the non-blue spot didn't leave a close one for most people.

That is a possibility. I do not recall if I ever actually asked her about why she chose one space over the other. I imagine the number of other spaces available & how one is feeling on a particular day may also be factors.

[mactavish.livejournal.com]

So I like shopping via images.google.com :)

purple (http://www.traveltrunk.com/store/swimcaps2.htm) and purple (http://www.tlccatalog.org/subcategory/dept-11.html) and you can't live without this (http://www.bubba-b-serious.com/images/swim%20cap.jpg)

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Oo, that first one looks vibrant and that third AIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEE. :-)

[dizzdvl.livejournal.com]

I would so wear that!

[klwalton.livejournal.com]

I plan on becoming a very old lady, and I shall exercise in a pool every day and will wear a swim cap like that and a bathing suit with a skirt. That, at least, is one of the things I aspire to.

[dizzdvl.livejournal.com]

I have a suit with a skirt too! But it has a sexy zipper on the top, so I can be the sexy old lady!

[genderfur.livejournal.com]

I want a suit with a skirt too. That is, if I ever buy a suit. I haven't owned one in 15 years or more.

[dizzdvl.livejournal.com]

I bought one a couple of years ago for a cruise and I decided if I am putting on a suit it better have a skirt!