Or "you don't look like you're in pain". Well, what do you expect me to look like? Should I keep crying and moaning in public in a desperate bid for sympathy? What does pain look like? Should I tattoo something on my forehead, and if so, what?
Yes, exactly. Or perhaps a neon sign saying "WOMAN IN PAIN, MAKE WAY," or something. *snort*
Part of the reason I'm using a cane is to make my pain problem visible. I've a saying - "There are three reasons for having the cane. One, to support me when I'm in pain. Two, to show that I have a legitimate need of that seat on the subway. Three, if you still don't realise that I need some modicum of civility and consideration, I can beat you with it until you start behaving yourself..."
Yes, exactly. It's a great nuisance to me that we who suffer chronic pain have to make it so visible. Unfortunately, I cannot whack inconsiderates with my wrist, but I do have patented the Starkiller Glare of Doom (tm) which works nicely. *G*
The issue of seats on the subway or on the bus is a very real one to me. I've a friend, a twenty-something man who has rheumatoid arthritis. He's more than once been given a hard time for sitting down on the seats for disabled. I try not to assume that the people sitting there are healthy just because they don't look ill - after all, I try not to look too bad, too
Oh, god yes! I know this one all too well as well. School kids are absolutely shocking for this sort of crap - I never thought I'd end up being one of those people ringing schools to complain but I've done so several times now. I can't hold on to the straps with my left hand, and my center of balance is crap at the best of times as well, so if its a particularly bad day and a full bus, then I get rather rude. Amusingly, the elderly and other disabled passengers tend to cheer when I yell at the school kids.
On the part of having others to share with - I'm on a Swedish mailinglist for women with endometriosis. It helps tremendously.
A support group is a wonderful thing. There's a great group here on LJ for sufferers of chronic pain of all sorts, I'll find the link for you. It's run by my friend sorchar. Here it is: malingerers.
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branchandroot
no subject
Date: 2003-12-31 07:15 pm (UTC)Yes, exactly. Or perhaps a neon sign saying "WOMAN IN PAIN, MAKE WAY," or something. *snort*
Part of the reason I'm using a cane is to make my pain problem visible. I've a saying - "There are three reasons for having the cane. One, to support me when I'm in pain. Two, to show that I have a legitimate need of that seat on the subway. Three, if you still don't realise that I need some modicum of civility and consideration, I can beat you with it until you start behaving yourself..."
Yes, exactly. It's a great nuisance to me that we who suffer chronic pain have to make it so visible. Unfortunately, I cannot whack inconsiderates with my wrist, but I do have patented the Starkiller Glare of Doom (tm) which works nicely. *G*
The issue of seats on the subway or on the bus is a very real one to me. I've a friend, a twenty-something man who has rheumatoid arthritis. He's more than once been given a hard time for sitting down on the seats for disabled. I try not to assume that the people sitting there are healthy just because they don't look ill - after all, I try not to look too bad, too
Oh, god yes! I know this one all too well as well. School kids are absolutely shocking for this sort of crap - I never thought I'd end up being one of those people ringing schools to complain but I've done so several times now. I can't hold on to the straps with my left hand, and my center of balance is crap at the best of times as well, so if its a particularly bad day and a full bus, then I get rather rude. Amusingly, the elderly and other disabled passengers tend to cheer when I yell at the school kids.
On the part of having others to share with - I'm on a Swedish mailinglist for women with endometriosis. It helps tremendously.
A support group is a wonderful thing. There's a great group here on LJ for sufferers of chronic pain of all sorts, I'll find the link for you. It's run by my friend