Tuesday was the last day to talk with the 2nd year medical students about vHL. In separate exam rooms, five other people with various afflictions and chronic diseases were giving their talks as well.
One of the participants was a women in her 60s with MS. I met her last year at this thing. She complained then that doing this was depressing to her because it emphasized just how ill she was, so I assumed she wouldn't be back, and was a bit surprised to see her. Considering she's had no surgery, is fully ambulatory, and you'd never know she had a physical impediment, she's certainly a negative person. And aside from asking why I was using a cane, she asked no questions and was remarkably uninterested in my or anyone else's illness or wellness journey (however you want to look at it).
She kept whining about how her doctor says to exercise, but even though she knows she's supposed to, she just can't anymore...I confess to tuning her out at a certain point. Finally after shooting down the other's - - all with ALS or Parkinson's, and far more physically compromised than she -- well-intended and thoughtful suggestions, I'd had enough.
"Use it or lose it," I replied, and said there was also lots I couldn't do anymore, including the yoga and floor exercises she kept harping on, but I could modify Pilates and exercises in a therapy pool, work with weights, and there were lots of adjustments one could make or trainers that could coach you, which was far more productive than focusing on what you've had to give up. I saw a few smirks on the faces of the group. She was silent. For about a minute.
Then she started on the fact she couldn't wear high heels anymore.
God in heaven.
This is a sore point with me. I used to LOVE high heels. Lord, when I modeled, I walked a few runways in 5-inch heels as gracefully as a cat.*
Do I miss it??
Hell yeah.
Did I bother to mention any of this?
Hell, No.
* Yes K-rowe, I was actually graceful on the runway!
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7 comments:
Ughhh...I hate people that don't know when they have it good.
They say adversity shows a person's true spirit and this woman is a true example of that. Some people will find excuses for anything...and then some, like you, will find the positive in anything. I prefer to surround myself with positive people. I think that attitude really does make a difference in a person's overall health and happiness.
What is it about some people? It seems that the woman in question is an energy hog. Stealng everyone's positive energy and leaving her negative in the wake. How awful, Wye, that you had to endure that Negative Nelly. But one thing, when we come in contact with people who like to think that their problems are either the only ones in the world or that no one could possibly have suffered as much as they, I want to tell them, "Well I have, and as a matter of fact, I have suffered through your intermindably self-centered discourse and want to scour my brain out with Scrubbing Bubbles!" ;-)
Glad you made it through to the other side.
XO,
Sheila
I have no doubt you were as grace full as the finest and most beautiful lady. I was trying to think of some other "grace full as ____ but that was too risky. I mean what if had said a gazelle? You might have thought that nice but then again you not thought it so nice and then that would just be bad. No one wants to come visit a new friend’s blog and insult the host. I would never do that – well at least at first. Now let’s talk about your whining friend. I know a person like that – don’t we all? You cannot have a back and forth conversation and the person always has an ailment. I do my best to think about what the person gains from such antics and do my best to not give it to them. Some might call that passive aggressive behavior, I call it passive revenge. :-)
Wow, what a downer that person was and at least you got a temporary shot in though it seemed to have bounced off. That lady would be negative if she had no reason to be.
What a contrast she is to a dear friend of mine who also has MS and is the most positive, sunny person I have ever met.
It just goes to show that self-centered assholes come in all shapes, sizes, and disabilities, and that real beauty comes not from wearing high heels but from being interesting and interested in others and funny and kind, just like you.
You've always been as graceful as a cat. Scout falls off of stuff all the time. And I know how you love complainers.
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