Finally, one of these


This week, I finally went and got one of these.
Which means I can park in a 'disabled' specific car park when I have Ryley in the car with me.
I can't tell you how many people shook their heads in disbelief when I told them I got one.
Not because they thought I didn't deserve one.
But for the fact it has taken me so long to get it.

For some stupid reason, having this is like telling the whole world that someone in our household has a disability.
Which is true, obviously.
But I don't see Ryley as being 'disabled'.
He is just Ryley.

I know that the parking permit is only another aid designed to offer more support.
And I should be grateful that it is there.
I think the reason I have taken so long to get one is because I just feel like now we are advertising the fact that disability is so significant in our lives that we need special parking spots.
Stupid, I know.

Funny isn't it. No matter how far along the journey we are, there are still things that pop up that are challenging.






Comments

  1. AlisonJune 23, 2012 at 10:13 AM

    I don't know how you managed for so long without one!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnnaJune 23, 2012 at 10:19 AM

      LOL Alison. Yeah I don't really know either. It will make life a lot easier that's for sure!

      Delete
  2. ElizabethJune 23, 2012 at 11:24 AM

    Yeah, I get that. Now what you'll have to endure, too, is people saying how "fortunate" you are to have one. Yikes.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnnaJune 26, 2012 at 7:09 PM

      You are right. I know the people who will be the first ones to say that to us too. Frustrating!

      Delete
  3. JacobJune 24, 2012 at 6:09 AM

    I know what you mean Anna - about Ryley just being Ryley.

    This 'disability permit', as with many things in the world, focuses on the negative instead of on the positive. It could easily be an 'extra help permit' and it would be a positive thing. The city is offering you some extra help. Eg., prime parking - because you deserve it. Nice. But instead the focus is on the fact that someone in the family can't do something. Not nice. Even the term 'disabled' itself isn't nice. I mean, we're all disabled in one way or another.

    But that's just my perhaps skewed perspective..

    But it IS a perspective, and that's the perspective which I think is shared in the general population. Labelling people by what they can't do.. It's absurd when you think about it.

    And do we need that?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnnaJune 26, 2012 at 7:11 PM

      I totally agree Jacob. This is something I work hard to change. Changing the way society sees people who are different is hard. But we have to keep trying.
      I haven't used it yet, but look forward to using it, and then seeing how I feel about it.

      Delete
  4. Phil DzialoJune 30, 2012 at 6:28 AM

    And then will come the anger....you know that there is need for the permit and you know that they are not easy to get. You will also note that there are never enough places to park where you can use the permit. AND, then you will notice all the non-disabled people who will blatantly takes reserved spaces and use relatives, dead peoples, etc. permits because they are too lazy to walk. Makes you want to key their cars.....

    ReplyDelete
  5. AnnaJune 30, 2012 at 10:43 AM

    Oh the anger has already arrived. I have used the permit to park once, and already I parked next to someone who had no permit. She was happily sitting in her car with her kids. I glared. I made a point of obviously looking for her permit. She made a point of looking the other way. AND THEN...there was another car from some company that was parked in one of the other spots. No permit. ARGH! The rage I felt!

    ReplyDelete

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