Chronic Pain Support Group
Physicians and professionalsdefine pain as chronic if it lasts longer than three to six months and is persistent. It's distinct from acute pain that is a direct result of injury or trauma. This support group is dedicated to those suffering from chronic pain. Discuss treatments that have worked for you, find advice for your specific experience, and find support. You're not...
Yesterday I had a good doc appt about which I've already posted. What I forgot to post was that after almost 3 months, I FINALLY went in and got my handicapped placard. I'm SO upset with myself for being such a wuss!
When I was 1st diagnosed 15 years ago, I was given a temporary placard in the state I lived in. Since then I've moved 7 times. My placard expired about 10 years ago and I never thought about getting a new one as I was living in Houston and my RSD was not only under control, it was so warm that it didn't flare often.
Moving to MI made me realize I needed one, and that was the last thing I spoke to my doc about before he passed away. :( So when I found the new doc, even though I knew I'd want one in the Winter, I didn't want to seem difficult. But Winter last year, especially driving and parking with a 1 year old was difficult. So I knew doing so with a 2 year old would be worse.
I had an appt, the 1st week of January (or was it the end of December?) and I asked the NP what one would have to do to be considered in this state. She kind of laughed, then told me I was more than qualified. She had the doc fill out the form and while I was a bit upset to see that it was "permanent", I was happy to see that it didn't upset anyone, nor was I considered "less than" for asking for it.
But silly notions die hard. I've held on to that piece of paper until yesterday. When driving home from the doctor's office I realized I was near the Secretary of State.
I had actually taken off a few weeks earlier to go do it, but my hubby told me that we needed my license plate renewed, first. This was also the view of a cop who pulled me over in the line at MC D's while I had my son in the car a week ago. I was MORTIFIED!
Luckily he realized I didn't KNOW that DH hadn't renewed and he calmed his tone and let me go. And DH got an earful! I don't know about you guys, but I HATE being pulled over. It makes me feel dirty, and I don't even get speeding tickets, not in years and years.
So finally I'm in the area and I've made peace with the idea that I need this, and I get in line, hand over the paper, and realize it's NO big deal! They didn't look me up in the computer, didn't check to be sure my license plate was up to date (and it is!) and all they needed was my driver's license. She sat it on the counter, pulled out a blue placard and
wrote on it in black marker that took awhile to dry. (In WI we had stickers.on the placard.) She handed it to me and said it needed to be renewed every 4 years but as my birthday isn't till November, I really have closer to 5 years.
For all my worrying about "maybe I don't need it-yes, I DO need it, etc" it was sure an easy thing to do. And my 1st stop after that was the 5pm filled grocery store where i drove forever looking for a spot. Oops- I had ALREADY forgotten that placard!
I don't know WHY I feel guilty- I never used it before unless I really needed it. Maybe I'm trying to prove to myself that I can go without it? But it just is silly of me to NOT have one, not when every step counts. Maybe if the RSD was elsewhere, but it's in my foot. And I have a 2 year old to wrangle while dealing WITH that foot pain.
So tomorrow I go to take my son to Speech and Play Group at the school, and there's always a row of empty Disabled Parking. I don't care anymore WHO sees me or what they think- it's still Winter even if it IS raining, and this weather has set off my knee, too.
I overthink everything, but not this. Not any longer. I'll use the placard when I need it, period. And I won't think about how the nurse was surprised I'd been given a "permanent" placard. It just means that the doc doesn't have to fill out the sheet again. I have to renew it with the state, but I think that is just to keep track of who has them. The sheet was marked "permanent"- I should know as it gave me "the worries" for weeks!
So that's my story, boring as it may be to others. But it is quite important to me because I finally did it. I shut up those voices in my head telling me I didn't need the placard, that the RSD was going to disappear one day. Well, time to be realistic. I'm a tad embarrassed, but realistic. Not that RSD or CP is anything to be embarrassed about. I just have to get over my hangups. And I did take the 1st step. Still, my FIRST thought when I got the placard was, "I wonder where I'll be, if I'll still be walking, if I'll be in a wheelchair, etc., in 2016, when it expires!
When I was 1st diagnosed 15 years ago, I was given a temporary placard in the state I lived in. Since then I've moved 7 times. My placard expired about 10 years ago and I never thought about getting a new one as I was living in Houston and my RSD was not only under control, it was so warm that it didn't flare often.
Moving to MI made me realize I needed one, and that was the last thing I spoke to my doc about before he passed away. :( So when I found the new doc, even though I knew I'd want one in the Winter, I didn't want to seem difficult. But Winter last year, especially driving and parking with a 1 year old was difficult. So I knew doing so with a 2 year old would be worse.
I had an appt, the 1st week of January (or was it the end of December?) and I asked the NP what one would have to do to be considered in this state. She kind of laughed, then told me I was more than qualified. She had the doc fill out the form and while I was a bit upset to see that it was "permanent", I was happy to see that it didn't upset anyone, nor was I considered "less than" for asking for it.
But silly notions die hard. I've held on to that piece of paper until yesterday. When driving home from the doctor's office I realized I was near the Secretary of State.
I had actually taken off a few weeks earlier to go do it, but my hubby told me that we needed my license plate renewed, first. This was also the view of a cop who pulled me over in the line at MC D's while I had my son in the car a week ago. I was MORTIFIED!
Luckily he realized I didn't KNOW that DH hadn't renewed and he calmed his tone and let me go. And DH got an earful! I don't know about you guys, but I HATE being pulled over. It makes me feel dirty, and I don't even get speeding tickets, not in years and years.
So finally I'm in the area and I've made peace with the idea that I need this, and I get in line, hand over the paper, and realize it's NO big deal! They didn't look me up in the computer, didn't check to be sure my license plate was up to date (and it is!) and all they needed was my driver's license. She sat it on the counter, pulled out a blue placard and
wrote on it in black marker that took awhile to dry. (In WI we had stickers.on the placard.) She handed it to me and said it needed to be renewed every 4 years but as my birthday isn't till November, I really have closer to 5 years.
For all my worrying about "maybe I don't need it-yes, I DO need it, etc" it was sure an easy thing to do. And my 1st stop after that was the 5pm filled grocery store where i drove forever looking for a spot. Oops- I had ALREADY forgotten that placard!
I don't know WHY I feel guilty- I never used it before unless I really needed it. Maybe I'm trying to prove to myself that I can go without it? But it just is silly of me to NOT have one, not when every step counts. Maybe if the RSD was elsewhere, but it's in my foot. And I have a 2 year old to wrangle while dealing WITH that foot pain.
So tomorrow I go to take my son to Speech and Play Group at the school, and there's always a row of empty Disabled Parking. I don't care anymore WHO sees me or what they think- it's still Winter even if it IS raining, and this weather has set off my knee, too.
I overthink everything, but not this. Not any longer. I'll use the placard when I need it, period. And I won't think about how the nurse was surprised I'd been given a "permanent" placard. It just means that the doc doesn't have to fill out the sheet again. I have to renew it with the state, but I think that is just to keep track of who has them. The sheet was marked "permanent"- I should know as it gave me "the worries" for weeks!
So that's my story, boring as it may be to others. But it is quite important to me because I finally did it. I shut up those voices in my head telling me I didn't need the placard, that the RSD was going to disappear one day. Well, time to be realistic. I'm a tad embarrassed, but realistic. Not that RSD or CP is anything to be embarrassed about. I just have to get over my hangups. And I did take the 1st step. Still, my FIRST thought when I got the placard was, "I wonder where I'll be, if I'll still be walking, if I'll be in a wheelchair, etc., in 2016, when it expires!
Hug....jc..