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Having mild spastic cerebral palsy means that sometimes I can pass for “normal.” Other times not so much. The brain damage doesn’t change from day to day or year to year. However, my body’s reaction to it does. How much I moved or didn’t yesterday. If it’s raining if I fell. If I’m stressed or relaxed. All of that makes a difference in how I move and what I need to get around. The side that’s more involved can even change. Sometimes my arms will draw up too.
Aside from making life physically challenaging to a [sometimes] triathlelon-ic degree This means each time I go to Wal-Mart or B&N, anywhere among strangers I’m percieved to be different person. Depending on how I’m walking and who notices I’ve insulted or patronized or *gag* told I was inspiring. I don’t mind folks who know me being inspired by me for whatever reason. I get inspired by people too and flaterry is nice. But to be “so inspired” because I grocery shop? The patronizing is most annoying to me. I’ve said before that how smart people think I am depends on if I’m sitting down and it ain’t because MY brains are kept where I sit.
Last time I went to Golden Corral I had a very hard time because the floors were a little slick and it was wall to wall people. A few of those folks weren’t very happy when I blocked the way to the meatloaf. There were some mutterings about my having a different kind of brain damage. [sounded like a Yankee tourist BtW.]
So last night when I went to GC with the Trek Group I brought cane. It help in an unexpected way. It was like a magic wand or the Staff of Aaron. It didn’t part the Red Sea but the mulitudes happily excused my slowness. And the servers were kinder and more helpful than I’ve ever seen in that place. It’s not good for me to rely on the cane when I don’t need it, but I’m beginning to think it’s good for more than just walking.
I don't understand why but leg braces don't work this way. I heard a lot more "Hurry up *&^#" and a lot less "can I help you." when I wore them.
Aside from making life physically challenaging to a [sometimes] triathlelon-ic degree This means each time I go to Wal-Mart or B&N, anywhere among strangers I’m percieved to be different person. Depending on how I’m walking and who notices I’ve insulted or patronized or *gag* told I was inspiring. I don’t mind folks who know me being inspired by me for whatever reason. I get inspired by people too and flaterry is nice. But to be “so inspired” because I grocery shop? The patronizing is most annoying to me. I’ve said before that how smart people think I am depends on if I’m sitting down and it ain’t because MY brains are kept where I sit.
Last time I went to Golden Corral I had a very hard time because the floors were a little slick and it was wall to wall people. A few of those folks weren’t very happy when I blocked the way to the meatloaf. There were some mutterings about my having a different kind of brain damage. [sounded like a Yankee tourist BtW.]
So last night when I went to GC with the Trek Group I brought cane. It help in an unexpected way. It was like a magic wand or the Staff of Aaron. It didn’t part the Red Sea but the mulitudes happily excused my slowness. And the servers were kinder and more helpful than I’ve ever seen in that place. It’s not good for me to rely on the cane when I don’t need it, but I’m beginning to think it’s good for more than just walking.
I don't understand why but leg braces don't work this way. I heard a lot more "Hurry up *&^#" and a lot less "can I help you." when I wore them.
