Recently, after many mornings of being out of breath and out of energy after walking from my assigned spot 0.4 miles away, I asked for a handicap permit so I could park closer to work. I have had chest pain, stiff joints (especially in the morning), and shortness of breath, all due to Lupus. I have not told a lot of people that I work with, simply because I know that judgement that will come from it. No, I will not use my permit to park closer to the grocery store when I am feeling fine. Yes, I may use it on days that I am having a hard time getting around, or when I am especially short of breath.
When a friend asked how it helped me, I tried explaining that it gives me a more positive start to my day. I don't start the day feeling sick, I start it feeling a little better, and with more energy to give to my job. The best way to explain this? Spoons, obviously. If you are not familiar with The Spoon Theory by Christine Miserandino, you can read about it here.
Generally, on work days, I have very few spoons. I use most of them getting up early, getting dressed, and walking Huck. By the time I got to work, I would use the rest walking from the parking lot, and would get to work with no more spoons, or energy to spare. I would struggle through the day before giving up, going home, and passing out of the couch. Now, I have some extra time in the morning to get ready, and have some spoons left to give to work.
This permit has made a small, but meaningful change in my day, and I'm thankful for my rheumatologist who didn't dismiss it as a silly request.
When a friend asked how it helped me, I tried explaining that it gives me a more positive start to my day. I don't start the day feeling sick, I start it feeling a little better, and with more energy to give to my job. The best way to explain this? Spoons, obviously. If you are not familiar with The Spoon Theory by Christine Miserandino, you can read about it here.
Generally, on work days, I have very few spoons. I use most of them getting up early, getting dressed, and walking Huck. By the time I got to work, I would use the rest walking from the parking lot, and would get to work with no more spoons, or energy to spare. I would struggle through the day before giving up, going home, and passing out of the couch. Now, I have some extra time in the morning to get ready, and have some spoons left to give to work.
This permit has made a small, but meaningful change in my day, and I'm thankful for my rheumatologist who didn't dismiss it as a silly request.
I had not heard about the spoon theory before but I just clicked over and read it. It definitely is a great way to explain the struggle. I'm so glad you now have an extra spoon in the morning before work!
ReplyDeleteYeah, it can apply to so many things but especially illness.
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