Do you have handicap parking tags

[Kath]

Judy
cattle prod! I think that is what this post is about... LOL... wake up call...

Its about the quality of your life -- just consider it a tool... like a washing machine, computer, hair dryer... the temporary tag works wonders on the days when you have to get things done.

I use it when I have to and it does save on the wear and tear of my arms.

Kath

[Karen Hillyer]

I was talking to Gavin about the whole "disabled" issue recently ( he's had some issues at school)
he's 12 now and understands the "disabled" concept.
he said the thinks of himself as having a minor disability but not as "disabled" - I was very proud of him to have arrived at that concept at the age of 12
I have been campaigning locally about the parking tags now for about 3 years, the REALLY annoying thing is that they have introduced barriers to our car parks (we pay to park in city centres over here - I don't know about that in the US) and to access the car park you have to wind your window down and reach your arm out to a machine and collect a ticket. On your way out after having paid, you have to re-insert the ticket into the machine again to raise the barrier - how anyone with a bpi on their drivers side is able to do this is beyond me - I think Gavin will have to park the car get out and operate the machine with his opposite hand and then get back into the car and drive off before the barrier comes donw on the roof of the car - the whole system is flawed for people with any kind of upper limb problem and for a couple of other types of disabilty - I will keep fighting, but really over here most poeple assume that the only type of disabilty is one that leaves you in a wheelchair - I would like to send them out for the day with their arm strapped up so they couldn't use it and see how well they cope!
sorry, I'll put my soap box away now!
Karen

[Kath]

Karen

I hear him loud and clear ... denial worked well for me my entire life... I would have slammed anyone who referred to me as disabled.... LOL ... good for him...

The ticket taking and paying is really a pain... I know Nancy had lots of problems with this before surgery because she is left obpi... I did not...
But had my parents not chosen to come to America I would have had the same problem ... as Gavin because I am right obpi...

Until recently and still to some extent no one seems to understand upper limb disability ... they think it's "only and arm" and I can walk...

Tape their arm for a day and lets see them function...
Keep on that soap box ... even most families think this is nothing for us ... they just don't get it that more than our arms are affected.
Kath

[njbirk]

Oh Karen, do I know that problem of ticket-spitters. ATM machines and toll booths and fast food drive ups all are problematic for LOBPI in the States. There were three of us LOBPI at the Florida picnic and we were laughing about how much money we all have dropped over the years between us at these places!

It is easier for me now post surgery, I can usually pull out the ticket, but I can't supinate enough to deal with change. And ATM machines, I just park, get out of the car, and join the line walking. It looks pretty funny but I've gotten used to it.

Judy, go get that handicap parking tag. The best advice Kath gave me was to go ahead and retire with a disability and now I wish I had done it sooner. She gives good advice! We need to protect the other arm and while it is working ok, we just don't think about it, but once it starts to give you trouble, you can't go back. SO do everything you can to protect it.

Nancy

[patpxc]

the worst is fumbling in your purse for your debit card at the grocery store. the "good" hand hurts , the fingers all tangle up and the Erb's hand won't turn over to pull the dumb card out. Meanwhile,people are sighing behind you--the cards fly all over the purse and you leave with a red face.

I know I went on a Dillards spree at the mall this winter and about cried before I got to the car with all those packages. the grocery store is easier because you can push the cart to the car.

One of the best things I did was to get an automatic trunk opener. Keys are really difficult. I drop them more often than not.
Pat

[kamren]

As a LBPI I too have these problems with ATMs ticket things for parking etc..... I always have to open the door, twist in the seat til I can reach around with my right to do it. The people always look at me like "What's her problem?" ARG! Drives me crazy!

As for shopping....I really don't go to stores that don't have carts....the pain would ruin the whole experience. I can imagine the pain you were in after a shopping spree at Dillards....if it is like mine...it was pain for days after.

[Kath]

Kimberly

That is exactly what I was doing, only going to stores with carts... Then I discovered that I could go anywhere again because I could park up front shop a bit...out to the trunk and back in for more shopping... and I hate to shop LOL

I never realized how I was restricting myself until I was able to go to these stores again. When I was younger I always had the three kids or at least one or two of them with me and they took the bags and bundles but once they moved out I began to stay away from these stores.

Its called freedom and it does effect the quality of your life. If we cannot go where we please we truly are disabled.

Judy T prod # 3

Kath

[patpxc]

I've gotten so I buy--run the bags to the car--go back into the mall--buy some more--run to the car--Personally I think we need those little carts you ride in--but how would we get in in our cars??????
there just doesn't seem to be enough people with upper arm difficulty to understand. For me, I think the arthritic fingers are every bit as bad as the Erb's. I hate being clumsy-dropping things all the time--having my fingers get tangled up --just looking at them is kind of gross--yet my Dr. insists it isn't from the Erb's.

[BrianD]

The ATM problem is really bothersome. I have that problem and I alos hate going through drive-thrus at fast food joints. I am too lazy to get out and walk in, but I hate going through the drive-thru. I have had some really weird looks.
I never really had a problem carrying things. However this past week I have noticed more problems. I work at Petsmart. Sometimes we don't have an associate there to do carry outs. We sell 80 lb bags of horse feed. Thursday, I was asked to help a customer out with 3 bags of horse feed. That didn't hurt too bad. But when I got back in, one of the other managers asked me to help another customer out. He had 15 bags of horse feed. I got back in and about collapsed. I first tried to get out of it and she told me to suck it up and go do it. I was infuriated. Not wanting to cause a scene in front of a customer, I waited to get back in. Make a long story short, our store director told her and me if he ever saw me doing another carry-out, I would get written up. He know of my injury and told me to not lift anything.

[BrianD]

Ooops . . hit the wrong button. Wish I could blame that on the shoulder. As I was saying. Lifting things is becomeing more of a problem. I also, noticed the other day that i am running into more doors. I don't think I ran into those doors before, but I am really starting to get aggervated. I am rambling now. I just need to get these things off of my chest. I just wish I could turn my hand over to accept change from the person at the window and lift things normally. The question I also had was if any of you lift anything, have you noticed that your elbow sticks out when you do? My arm does really weird things and that is one of them. When I do lift something I can't keep it close to my body or I drop whatever I am lifting. Any way I will move on now. Thanks for listening.
Brian