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The stupidest thing I heard was when the doc sent me for a MRI of the brain. Once at the MRI I filled out the proper forms and In It told them that the Doc Belived we were dealing with PD. As I laid In the MRI machine and they started to push me In I heard the one lady say your going to have to hold still (Don't move your head) or we will have to start all over, HELLO ......Sorry I can't hold my head still because of the tremours!!!!!

 Longest hour and a half I had to lay there!!!!!

I went out to eat with my mom years ago, but I STILL remember this: The waiter came to take our order and with me sitting right there-the waiter looked at my mom and asked "What does SHE want?"  My mom said "I don't know...why don't you ask HER?" lol  Talk about stupid!

Terry Lou your cartoons are awesome.

I was in my scooter, which my employer rented for me since I had to park ya know like 3 miles from my office...anyhoo. A lady walked past me and said to another well-meaning lady, 'I wish I had what she had", and I turned to her and trying to keep a straight face, I replied "really, you want a debilitating disease for which there is no wn cure".  I also had a woman standing behind in line at a department store during Christmastime, who said she wished she could sit too.  Ah, I really wanted to offer a seat on my chair, if only I could've gotten up.  A true Christmas Miracle.

Michelle, I just wanted to comment on one thing you said. That is, "I now just go along with the old folks that assume I have post-Polio, because that seems to be the only disablity they know." This mainly for education of other people...I wish PPS was the only disability that "older folks" knew about. :-) While I do understand what you are saying it is the same thing as an able-bodied person commenting to me, when seeing me in my powerchair, that they sure could use one of those because after all their shopping their feet hurt. I have learned to either assume they knew how stupid their statement was almost before they finished their comment, or to use the moment to with only few words to educate them about PPS. Granted there are a number of older people that have PPS but are a lot of us that are younger, I know a woman that is only 42 that has PPS. Know if we could only get as many doctors know anything about PPS maybe there would not be as many of us, at a young age, dropping dead of heart attacks. And then after the autopsy, it show no reason at all for the heart attack. Hope you understand I mean no offense to you at all. I know there are people that will get focused in on one condition and assume that is others must have. But keep getting out there girl, the more of us that "dare" to go out hopefully will spend up this nation's ADA compliance! And when some stupid or incorrect is said to you remember to a have a little conversation and educate or correct them for their "stupid" comments.

Greetings, I experienced the restaurant situation as well. "What does she want to eat?" I was with my husband and when he told the waitress that he did not know-Ask her. I responded exactly as she had thought I would. I gave her my order slowly with a fake speak impediment and them I looked her in the eye and said, "Don't you ever assume that because a person is in a wheelchair that they can not think for themselves." I went to explain to her that if they were unable to do so their companion(s) would speak up and handle it. The girl turned bright red. But she came back to me before we left and knelt down and apologized. I told her I was sorry I had to do that to her but I had tried to talk to waitresses and waiters before and they just kinda blow me off. And this time I decided it was going to take more to get the message through to the staff. I asked her if she might make a suggestion to her supervisor that the staff be more informed on how to deal with the disabled and I have her a brochure on that subject. We visited that restaurant many times after that and I always asked for her and as time went by we would laugh about that day. I think we hold a responsibility to educate the public because if we don't then who....? Stay Strong, Linda (Are you or someone you love fighting the "Ghost of Polio Future," called ... Post Polio Syndrome? Visit this site to learn what it is, what can be done and where to turn for help.) http://web.mac.com/ldokc

You know what...I have to add my 2 cents into this conversation! You, Veititali, seem like a very angry person. WHY SHOULD YOU EDUCATE someone who has ask a "Stupid question? Because NO ONE can respond to that person at that moment than you can. If we do not take the time to put a smile on our faces, even when it is exhausting, and be willing to take a couple of minutes to say something like, "I have _________, so I need [this piece of equipment] for daily living. Thank you for giving a chance to talk with you for a minutes. Have a good day." You may consider this a "stupid question," but here goes. Are you that angry and if so why? I know we all get down and angry at times about our conditions or situations. I find that getting out mingling with the public lifts me up. A friend of my husband said of me, "Oh you have never meant Linda? She may be in a wheelchair but she never acts like or would she ever let anyone else do so." I am a person first, I had Polio has a baby and over all of these years I picked on, been hit - tripped. But let me try you if they trip me I would grab a leg give a good jerk and once I had them on the ground those boys knew they had lost. But that was in elementary school. Don't let life steal any of yours' smile. I was diagnosed with PPS and DNMD in '89 and had to begin to use a wheelchair. My daughter thought it was cool as did every kid in the neighborhood. Even today I can help children's parents deal with there discomfort my offering their little ones a ride in my chair. Of course I ask the parents first. PPS change all my plans for my life but I had to find ways to retain my hopeful outlook on life. And I am thankful for the PPS because this young woman that had become shy could no longer hide and I truly believe my true personality came out. I am a People Person. So please reach out to others outside of our disability committee and make friends and make a difference. Thank You, Linda

Hey Everyone,

I can't believe some of the things people have actually asked or said to all of you. I have Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue, so to look at me I look absolutely fine, but I'm far from it. I have a handicapped pass for the car, I cannot currently drive, and I get the dirtiest looks when I get out of the car by people b/c they think I'm just using someone else's pass. I have a hard time walking distances b/c I have severe leg pain and I tire out very quickly, which is my reason for having it. I want to cry every time someone gives me that look, you'd think I'd be used to it by now, but I never do. I've been at the mall before on a crowded Saturday and have been very fatigued feeling, which makes me walk very slowly. These two teenaged girls were walking behind my sister and I and made a loud comment about why can't I just walk faster. It embarrassed me b/c I couldn't walk any faster and people were going around me. I was looking for a bench to sit in b/c I was practically about to drop to the ground, I was so tired. My older sister, who was with me, is very protective of me and they're lucky she didn't hear them say it. I might take peoples' comments but she sure won't, she would have ripped them a new one, lol. One comment that really sticks out to me was one of the last times I was in the ER in last October. I had been vomiting continually b/c of my IBS , which I had just gotten out of a 2 week stay from the hospital for and couldn't keep any of my pain medication down. So my mom had to rush me to the ER b/c I was in so much pain that I was practically screaming. I have a hard time letting people see me in pain, so if I'm doing that you can bet your ass I'm hurting a lot. When I get there, the security guards had to help my mom get me out of the car into a wheelchair to go inside. My mom's trying to fill my paperwork out for me and I'm just howling in pain over in the corner and the nurse comes out and tells me I need to be quiet or I'll upset patients. Ok fine, I'm not there to upset people, but I also didn't know I was in a library, lol. My mom just couldn't believe the nurse was telling me to basically shut up. I couldn't help I was hurting so much and it's hard to stay quiet when you feel like every bone in your body is breaking at once and you're vomiting. I always seem to get the most uncompasstionate nurses ever. I know my comments I get don't compare to the rude ones all of you seem to get, but I just felt like sharing. Have a good week everyone.

Lindsey

    I almost forgot about two things that I witnessed.  It's funny what your friends will do when they know how relaxed they can be with you.  A friend of mine at college "borrowed" my chair one day.  Don't ask why or how, but I will atleast say I had his DS as collateral.

    First thing he did was try to pick up girls (constant playboy).  A couple girls leaned over him & asked "aww what happened?" to which he replied "well just sit on my lap and let me tell you." 

      A bit later after wandering around some he found a group of "thugs" who dressed & talked like what they picked up out of the media, two black and one white.  He goes up to them mid-conversation, listens and nods a bit.  Then he stood up at random "OMG! I can walk man!!!" and the white guy is actually stunned at this revalation and says "Woah!!! It's... it's a miracle!!!"  To further the gullibility, he hugged the white thug in sharing witness to the "miracle"; took his leave of them & returned my chair after they were gone.