Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!wuarchive!sdd.hp.com!samsung!olivea!oliveb!bunker!wtm
From: mlinda@ca.novell.com (M'Linda Taylor)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: Am I handicapped?
Keywords: Lack of objective
Message-ID: <14891@bunker.UUCP>
Date: 10 Oct 90 12:35:11 GMT
Sender: wtm@bunker.UUCP
Reply-To: mlinda@ca.novell.com (M'Linda Taylor)
Distribution: misc
Organization: Novell, San Jose, CA.
Lines: 51
Approved: wtm@bunker.UUCP

Index Number: 11036

Please forgive me if this turns out to be inappropriate to this
news group.  I'm having problems adjusting to my limitations.  I'm
posting this in the hopes that some wise "net-reader" can assist
with a non-biased opinion or three.  %>

I have been having chronic back pain for the last 6 years and it
keeps getting worse with time (suprise, suprise!).  My current
employer has me listed as handicapped due to consistantly poor
attendence.  I'm having problems with that term because while I am
in varied degrees of pain 80% of the time, I still regain full
mobility.  I.E.  I can walk even when I'm at my worst, it just
causes extreme pain.  In short, I don't feel that I "deserve" being
included in the handicapped "box".  The reason that I say "deserve"
is due to the fact that for most of my life, people have kept
telling me that I'm just trying to get attention by being ill or in
pain.  After 29 years one starts believing it.

My limitations include:  inability to attend movies, shows,
dinners, etc.  because before the activity is over (oh, say 1/2 way
through dinner) I am in severe pain even though I doubled my
Percocet (I know, Bad girl!).  As I mentioned earlier, I *can*
always walk even if I'm at my worst but there are times when the
pain is too severe and (for exp.) when I go shopping, if I can't
park close, by the time I get to the mall I've "used" up my pain
tolerance.  Sitting is painful (even with a back pillow and foot
rest) standing is painful, laying down is painful, doesn't leave
much, does it?

Anyway, the question is "Am I really handicapped, and do I deserve
the use of programs in place".  Do I "deserve" to apply for a
handicap placard?  (I'd only use it when I was in severe pain,
othertimes I don't need it so wouldn't use it.)  I just feel that
there are so many people with so much more of a challenge dealing
with day to day life, that maybe I'm not "bad" enough to deserve
the extra "attention".  Could some objective person out there try
and help me find perspective????

By the way, so far no medication has been able to relieve my pain
(muscle relaxents, anit-inflamitory's, pain pills, etc.)

Thank you for listening.

M'Linda
 
---
M'Linda Taylor          Novell - Fortune Drive, San Jose, CA
Internet: mlinda@novell.COM
UUCP: 	  {ames,sun,apple,amdahl}!novell!mlinda  
---