Let\'s get physical..or Look out Rocky, here I come

Ok, if not physical, then at least a bit more active. I went to wallyworld the other day and they are in the midst of changing their store to a super wallyworld. As a result, the store is muuuuch larger than it was.Now  you need a guide and 3 days worth of supplies to get to any department that you need. I did my little bit of shopping and started to the checkout area. It seemed as if the check out area was like a mirage...just over the horizon. I kept trudging toward it and trudging toward it but it was always just out of reach.  Finally when I was 20 yards away, one of the checkout clerks said that her lane was open. I nodded and kept heading her way. (At this point walking and talking simultaneously was out of the question.) When I finally got there, she looked at me and said "You have asthma, don't you? I was a nurse in the Phillipines and I can tell." (How do I keep running into these people?Is it bad luck?...or is someone looking out for me?) She then said "you know we have motorized shopping carts. Maybe you need to use one." The Filipino lady had me sit on the bench until I caught my breath.  Her suggestion that I use the motorized cart was a wake up call. I had not realized just how much my stamina had slipped. So it was time to use it or lose it. For the last couple of days I have been returning to the scene of the crime and walking from the entrance to the ther end of the store. I keep mentally playing the theme to Rocky as I do it. While it hasn't been easy, it is something that I need to do. (Hmm, maybe it would be easier if I had a bull dog like Rocky. Then when I was in shape, I could travel to Philadelphia to run up the court house stairs...or slowly climb up 10-15 of it steps anyway.)  I used to be self conscious about what people would say when I used my disability placard. It seems that it was all in my mind.(It's amazing how we beat ourselves up. Maybe it's our own self doubt plaguing us)  Now when they look, they are more concerned than judgemental. It's been a rough couple of months but ,as the old cliche states, the first step is the hardest. One thing that I have in plenty is determination. I should be hiking the Rockies by spring....or at least shopping without difficulty. It would also be nice to not be the center of attention.  Be well,Tom