What a day!!
My fun started at 3.40 this morning. I got out of bed fine, then fell. It took me ages to get up. It was the sort of fall you know is happening so you are prepared, sort off. Dignity in tack I eventually returned to bed only to be unable to go back to sleep.
I got up to face the day only to find my mobility was terrible, hopefully this is due to falling and the self confidence thing.
One of the C of E churches in the area was hosting an open day and you could climb the tower. Something Andrew wanted to do. The church itself is right on top of the cliffs. It overlooks amongst other things a beach. The coastal path goes around the side, so the view from the tower would be amazing. I don't like heights and never have so I wouldn't have gone up anyway. Due to the church being situated on the cliffs, you can imagine the road up to it is steep. We had already determined that Andrew would drive up as close as he could and I would with the aid of my sticks and Andrew's arm walk ( in our fashion) up to and sit on one of the benches outside the church and wait for him.
All went to plan and I stayed on the bench until Andrew came back, then we had a creamed tea.
Everything was fine until we came to go and I realised just how steep it was! Going up I can cope with but going down, well! I tried to go only to realise I couldn't do it. Then a lady from the church came over, she offered me her arm, saying she was there for support. with her on one side and Andrew on the other I made it to the car.
On the way home we went to a local shopping precinct. We parked in a disabled bay and displayed my blue badge. I didn't feel up to getting out of the car so, because we only wanted one item Andrew went. He got out of the car only to be met by a woman who determined he shouldn't be in a disabled parking bay because he wasn't disabled. (she did not see me and anyway how did she know that Andrew wasn't disabled)
I could write a book!
I am going to bed soon and hope tomorrow will be better! Hey ho.
Regards
Carol
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Kati on -
I'm not sure which is worse when they don't relaise you are disabled or when you are more obviously disabled and get talked to like a child!
When mine wasn't as bad but used mobility scooter for distance had once gone down to sainsburys on edge of town on scooter, after managing to walk Inca first with stick so had enough battery to get there and back.
In supermarket one of the shelf stackers said 'those scooters are only meant for people that are old or disabled!' I'm guessing as I look young she didn't feel I looked old enough to be on one, certainly I wasn't expecting to be needing one by age 33! I guess with my hearing aids covered with long hair too she didn't see me as a disabled person which I guess was a compliment! I wondered if she thought it was one of the stores scooters.
My speech was better then so I told her actually it was my own scooter and I used it cos I couldn't balance properly and walk very far.
On the other hand in the last few years when I have been more obviously disabled and for some reason people assume I have CP, I had one old woman park herself next to me whilst I was waiting in chair outside shop for my friend and told me she had a grandchild (cant remember whether she said son or daughter now) that was 'spastic' like me!
I tried to say 'I'm not spastic' the woman looked intently like she was trying to work out what I was saying, I was gonna try again when my friend arrived, I sighed relief, then signed to my friend who had just arrived 'tell her I don't have CP', my friend told her... 'oooh' the woman said, went red and then shuffled off.... we just looked at each other and laughed! we put it down to fact that I was tired and by that time my arms and legs were getting really twitchy after been sat in chair all day (it was last shop before we were going home). But a few others since have made the same assumption so I can only guess that thats the only condition they know of that causes shaky movements in 'young' people.
I could also write a book, about my experiences of been deaf since 16 then the last 8 years with ataxia. My in-laws are forever saying 'she's deaf' to people that walk up behind me or start talking as they turning away to put money in till etc.
I used to have a badge at college on back of my rucksack which said 'I'm not deaf, I'm ignoring you' as a joke and gentle reminder to the other students after one had been running after me through entire length of shopping centre to catch up and say hello, thought she was having an asthma attack by time she caught up with me!! I suggested maybe easier to wait until we got to class to say hello if I hadn't seen her wave and I wouldn't be offended.. lol!
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