Frail, not Whale!

Ugh, one of my friends shared this meme tonight. Everyone's quick to chime in and laugh.

Everyone that isn't affected by this on a regular basis that is.

Being chronically ill has taught me a great deal in life. One thing is to be kind in judging others.

We all judge. It's a fact of life. I've learned to not be so quick and harsh in my judgements, and if I cannot be kind in a needless judgement, to be silent.

My diseases greatly affect my ability to get around. Multiple sclerosis affects my balance, gait, energy level, and my heart. Rheumatoid arthritis makes my joints feel like glass is crunching inside of them with each movement.

A little less than a year ago I had hundreds of blood clots in my lungs and wasn't supposed to attempt shopping after I was released from the hospital for months. I did it anyways.

And I did it without the assistance of a scooter. Much to my husband's dismay.

Why? Because people are fucking assholes. I would rather struggle walking through a store half dead, struggling to breathe, with vertigo issues and extreme pain than deal with all of the fucking assclowns that are going to stand there and judge me for being a 'lazy whale' because I just so happen to be overweight as well.

Forget the fact that I've lost over fifty pounds this year, or that my weight is a result of my diseases and medication.

All that you will see, is that I am fat and on a scooter. Nothing else will matter. You will judge me, and I will be that lazy whale.

The pain of that judgement is so disheartening that I would rather physically hurt and endanger myself while buying a gallon of milk, than accept the assitance of said scooter.

So next time you laugh and share a post like this take a second to think of all of your friends and family that may be struggling with a similar issue. People you may never see use a scooter for assistance. People that really should, but refuse to out of shame.

People that struggle due to your cruelty and judgement.

Maybe one day I'll live in a world where people won't laugh and whisper because my body betrays me and I need help, but today sadly is not that day.