The Placard

So I have never really thought myself to be a cripple (is that PC?) or a handicap person(I don’t think t hat is PC either) fine… disabled… whatever... anyway when I was 12 I was diagnosed with a not a huge deal disease, Rheumatoid Arthritis, later to find out, its pretty crippling. What 12 year old has arthritis? Was my body aging at such an incredible rate that I was already into the geriatric stage of my life?? No but I was, however, told that once I was able to drive that I would be eligible for a Handicap placard. Cool. In my 12 year old brain I thought to myself I would NEVER get one. I am just a normal person, I don’t need to have a special parking spot shouting to everyone that something was wrong with me. Plus I had gone into remission for several years, so I was able to run, play volleyball, bike, swim, sing, dance, you know- do all sorts of normal things. The only thing that weighed on my mind was the lingering thought that, one of these days- I was going to come out of remission. Well that day did come, in august 2009. This was the worst it has ever hit and the longest it has ever lasted. I have had a few minor spells of ir-remission… but never like this. Walking like a 79 year old woman with a cane, minus the cane, for over 2 months, wishing I could just fly everywhere I go… This is what did it, I swallowed my pride, and printed out the paperwork. Don’t worry I will only use it when I am in il-remission. People don’t judge me.