DO THEY KNOW?!!

Do they know that every morning it is a struggle for me to get up because of the pain in my back and entire body?  Do they know that if I don’t take at least 3, 200mg tablets of Ibruprofen before going to bed that the above struggle becomes next to impossible?  Do they know that I have to drive with a pillow behind my back because the pain is so great, beginning in my neck and ending at my lower back?

Do they know that you have had to have your knees, hips, and other joints replaced because of injuries you suffered while protecting their country, freedom, and liberty?  Do they know that sometimes you just want to end it all because of the horrors that you have had to witness on their behalf and that PTSD is real?  Do they know…?

My mind was so disturbed after I watched a video of a police officer who harassed a disabled veteran for parking in a handicapped parking spot because in his “informed” opinion, the veteran did not look disabled.  Mind you he had the disabled veteran license plate so I’m not sure exactly what else he needed.  The police officer approached him and had the nerve to tell him that because he walked up to the store and back that he wasn’t disabled.  He even got so angry with the veteran that he slapped his phone out of his hand for recording him.  You can hear the veteran letting him know that he was in an IED explosion while serving in the Middle East and the officer still continued to harass him.

While this is an extreme case, and luckily the officer is facing charges, incidents like this happen all the time.  I was actually thinking about getting the disabled veteran tag but this type of behavior gives me pause.  I don’t understand why there are those who assume that because you aren’t missing a limb or are in some other way visibly disabled that you aren’t.  Please don’t take this as a slight to those of you who have experienced the pain and anguish of losing a part of yourself, or that I am making light of it.  I truly appreciate your sacrifice and thank you from the bottom of my heart.  My point here is to simply point out that there are those of us who on the surface may not look like we have been designated as disabled, simply because you can’t see it.

If you have experienced this type of bias I am truly sorry.  As with everything the only thing we can do is educate those around us because unless they have X-ray vision they have know idea what is going on inside of another's body.  I read stories everyday about the pain that you all are suffering and how difficult it is just to make it through the day. And to have someone belittle or accuse you of faking, when they have never experienced what you are feeling, is adding insult to injury.  I think I’m going to create a t-shirt that says something like, “Careful around magnets – I’ve got metal replacement parts” or “Don’t Feed the Angry, Disabled Vet”.  Please don’t take me seriously.  I’m just trying to add a little humor to a situation where there truly is none.

As always, thank you for your support.

TTYL – Be Blessed!!