Handicap parking

kmaried · Apr 12, 2010

Hi Sue,

Maybe giving an example of how you've been struggling will change his mind?

I got one about 2 months ago. I actually didn't want to get one - but my mom and my social worker convinced me - and now I am soooo grateful!

I work for a corporation where I have to park really far from the front door. I have to walk up hill, and up some steps, all in all maybe a 5-10 minute walk carrying a laptop. I have really bad arthritis flare-ups, so if I was having a flare-up often my mom would drive me to work and pick me up from the front door. I'm one of those people that easily vomits when coughing hard (sorry, gross) - so in the cold weather, I would have crazy bronchospasms and literally puke every other day in the parking lot (yes, hiding behind cars - whatever I had to do). I even had hemoptysis a few times from broncospasm-ing in the cold. Finally, I got sick, my pfts dropped, and I had to start taking breaks on the walk. This got really awkward for me when a coworker tried to walk in while talking to me. I tried to keep up with his walk, and the conversation (one word answers only), and I was seeing spots by the time we reached the front door.

Ok - that was a realllly long story that you didn't ask for - but my point is it might help if your doctor knew exactly why you were looking for it. For me, it's been a huge help... I really only use it for work - but full time work has been a struggle for me lately, so every place I can conserve some unnecessary energy helps.

Good luck!
Kris

kmaried · Apr 12, 2010

Hi Sue,

Maybe giving an example of how you've been struggling will change his mind?

I got one about 2 months ago. I actually didn't want to get one - but my mom and my social worker convinced me - and now I am soooo grateful!

I work for a corporation where I have to park really far from the front door. I have to walk up hill, and up some steps, all in all maybe a 5-10 minute walk carrying a laptop. I have really bad arthritis flare-ups, so if I was having a flare-up often my mom would drive me to work and pick me up from the front door. I'm one of those people that easily vomits when coughing hard (sorry, gross) - so in the cold weather, I would have crazy bronchospasms and literally puke every other day in the parking lot (yes, hiding behind cars - whatever I had to do). I even had hemoptysis a few times from broncospasm-ing in the cold. Finally, I got sick, my pfts dropped, and I had to start taking breaks on the walk. This got really awkward for me when a coworker tried to walk in while talking to me. I tried to keep up with his walk, and the conversation (one word answers only), and I was seeing spots by the time we reached the front door.

Ok - that was a realllly long story that you didn't ask for - but my point is it might help if your doctor knew exactly why you were looking for it. For me, it's been a huge help... I really only use it for work - but full time work has been a struggle for me lately, so every place I can conserve some unnecessary energy helps.

Good luck!
Kris

kmaried · Apr 12, 2010

Hi Sue,

Maybe giving an example of how you've been struggling will change his mind?

I got one about 2 months ago. I actually didn't want to get one - but my mom and my social worker convinced me - and now I am soooo grateful!

I work for a corporation where I have to park really far from the front door. I have to walk up hill, and up some steps, all in all maybe a 5-10 minute walk carrying a laptop. I have really bad arthritis flare-ups, so if I was having a flare-up often my mom would drive me to work and pick me up from the front door. I'm one of those people that easily vomits when coughing hard (sorry, gross) - so in the cold weather, I would have crazy bronchospasms and literally puke every other day in the parking lot (yes, hiding behind cars - whatever I had to do). I even had hemoptysis a few times from broncospasm-ing in the cold. Finally, I got sick, my pfts dropped, and I had to start taking breaks on the walk. This got really awkward for me when a coworker tried to walk in while talking to me. I tried to keep up with his walk, and the conversation (one word answers only), and I was seeing spots by the time we reached the front door.

Ok - that was a realllly long story that you didn't ask for - but my point is it might help if your doctor knew exactly why you were looking for it. For me, it's been a huge help... I really only use it for work - but full time work has been a struggle for me lately, so every place I can conserve some unnecessary energy helps.

Good luck!
Kris

kmaried · Apr 12, 2010

Hi Sue,

Maybe giving an example of how you've been struggling will change his mind?

I got one about 2 months ago. I actually didn't want to get one - but my mom and my social worker convinced me - and now I am soooo grateful!

I work for a corporation where I have to park really far from the front door. I have to walk up hill, and up some steps, all in all maybe a 5-10 minute walk carrying a laptop. I have really bad arthritis flare-ups, so if I was having a flare-up often my mom would drive me to work and pick me up from the front door. I'm one of those people that easily vomits when coughing hard (sorry, gross) - so in the cold weather, I would have crazy bronchospasms and literally puke every other day in the parking lot (yes, hiding behind cars - whatever I had to do). I even had hemoptysis a few times from broncospasm-ing in the cold. Finally, I got sick, my pfts dropped, and I had to start taking breaks on the walk. This got really awkward for me when a coworker tried to walk in while talking to me. I tried to keep up with his walk, and the conversation (one word answers only), and I was seeing spots by the time we reached the front door.

Ok - that was a realllly long story that you didn't ask for - but my point is it might help if your doctor knew exactly why you were looking for it. For me, it's been a huge help... I really only use it for work - but full time work has been a struggle for me lately, so every place I can conserve some unnecessary energy helps.

Good luck!
Kris

kmaried · Apr 12, 2010

Hi Sue,
 
 Maybe giving an example of how you've been struggling will change his mind?
 
 I got one about 2 months ago. I actually didn't want to get one - but my mom and my social worker convinced me - and now I am soooo grateful!
 
 I work for a corporation where I have to park really far from the front door. I have to walk up hill, and up some steps, all in all maybe a 5-10 minute walk carrying a laptop. I have really bad arthritis flare-ups, so if I was having a flare-up often my mom would drive me to work and pick me up from the front door. I'm one of those people that easily vomits when coughing hard (sorry, gross) - so in the cold weather, I would have crazy bronchospasms and literally puke every other day in the parking lot (yes, hiding behind cars - whatever I had to do). I even had hemoptysis a few times from broncospasm-ing in the cold. Finally, I got sick, my pfts dropped, and I had to start taking breaks on the walk. This got really awkward for me when a coworker tried to walk in while talking to me. I tried to keep up with his walk, and the conversation (one word answers only), and I was seeing spots by the time we reached the front door.
 
 Ok - that was a realllly long story that you didn't ask for - but my point is it might help if your doctor knew exactly why you were looking for it. For me, it's been a huge help... I really only use it for work - but full time work has been a struggle for me lately, so every place I can conserve some unnecessary energy helps.
 
 Good luck!
 Kris

JustDucky · Apr 12, 2010

First of all, I know a few people who have less than 1 L FEV and still drive, so what he said about you being in the hospital and not driving to qualify is ridiculous. He should know of all types of docs that CF is a multi faceted disease. You could be having an arthritis flare up, have a hard time walking and need to be parked close to the entrance. Your lungs may be behaving that day but your limbs may not be. You also might be having an off day with your lungs on any particular day, making it much harder to breathe. Your FEV might be fine, but symptomatically, you aren't. Numbers aren't everything and anyone who looks at those as sole qualifiers is a jerk.
I can honestly say that I had no problem getting my placard. My FEV was slightly over a liter, but my SpO2 was low with exertion thus needing O2. I guess I qualified based on my ABG's but still, my doc would have signed it even if I had better ABG's as I had such a hard time getting from point A to point B. You need a doc who is compassionate and who is also looking out for how well you are functioning.
If you have to, I would go to the other doc and ask if he /she could help you out with this.
Good luck, I hope you get somewhere with this.

Hugs, Jenn

JustDucky · Apr 12, 2010

First of all, I know a few people who have less than 1 L FEV and still drive, so what he said about you being in the hospital and not driving to qualify is ridiculous. He should know of all types of docs that CF is a multi faceted disease. You could be having an arthritis flare up, have a hard time walking and need to be parked close to the entrance. Your lungs may be behaving that day but your limbs may not be. You also might be having an off day with your lungs on any particular day, making it much harder to breathe. Your FEV might be fine, but symptomatically, you aren't. Numbers aren't everything and anyone who looks at those as sole qualifiers is a jerk.
I can honestly say that I had no problem getting my placard. My FEV was slightly over a liter, but my SpO2 was low with exertion thus needing O2. I guess I qualified based on my ABG's but still, my doc would have signed it even if I had better ABG's as I had such a hard time getting from point A to point B. You need a doc who is compassionate and who is also looking out for how well you are functioning.
If you have to, I would go to the other doc and ask if he /she could help you out with this.
Good luck, I hope you get somewhere with this.

Hugs, Jenn

JustDucky · Apr 12, 2010

First of all, I know a few people who have less than 1 L FEV and still drive, so what he said about you being in the hospital and not driving to qualify is ridiculous. He should know of all types of docs that CF is a multi faceted disease. You could be having an arthritis flare up, have a hard time walking and need to be parked close to the entrance. Your lungs may be behaving that day but your limbs may not be. You also might be having an off day with your lungs on any particular day, making it much harder to breathe. Your FEV might be fine, but symptomatically, you aren't. Numbers aren't everything and anyone who looks at those as sole qualifiers is a jerk.
I can honestly say that I had no problem getting my placard. My FEV was slightly over a liter, but my SpO2 was low with exertion thus needing O2. I guess I qualified based on my ABG's but still, my doc would have signed it even if I had better ABG's as I had such a hard time getting from point A to point B. You need a doc who is compassionate and who is also looking out for how well you are functioning.
If you have to, I would go to the other doc and ask if he /she could help you out with this.
Good luck, I hope you get somewhere with this.

Hugs, Jenn

JustDucky · Apr 12, 2010

First of all, I know a few people who have less than 1 L FEV and still drive, so what he said about you being in the hospital and not driving to qualify is ridiculous. He should know of all types of docs that CF is a multi faceted disease. You could be having an arthritis flare up, have a hard time walking and need to be parked close to the entrance. Your lungs may be behaving that day but your limbs may not be. You also might be having an off day with your lungs on any particular day, making it much harder to breathe. Your FEV might be fine, but symptomatically, you aren't. Numbers aren't everything and anyone who looks at those as sole qualifiers is a jerk.
I can honestly say that I had no problem getting my placard. My FEV was slightly over a liter, but my SpO2 was low with exertion thus needing O2. I guess I qualified based on my ABG's but still, my doc would have signed it even if I had better ABG's as I had such a hard time getting from point A to point B. You need a doc who is compassionate and who is also looking out for how well you are functioning.
If you have to, I would go to the other doc and ask if he /she could help you out with this.
Good luck, I hope you get somewhere with this.

Hugs, Jenn

JustDucky · Apr 12, 2010

First of all, I know a few people who have less than 1 L FEV and still drive, so what he said about you being in the hospital and not driving to qualify is ridiculous. He should know of all types of docs that CF is a multi faceted disease. You could be having an arthritis flare up, have a hard time walking and need to be parked close to the entrance. Your lungs may be behaving that day but your limbs may not be. You also might be having an off day with your lungs on any particular day, making it much harder to breathe. Your FEV might be fine, but symptomatically, you aren't. Numbers aren't everything and anyone who looks at those as sole qualifiers is a jerk.
 I can honestly say that I had no problem getting my placard. My FEV was slightly over a liter, but my SpO2 was low with exertion thus needing O2. I guess I qualified based on my ABG's but still, my doc would have signed it even if I had better ABG's as I had such a hard time getting from point A to point B. You need a doc who is compassionate and who is also looking out for how well you are functioning.
 If you have to, I would go to the other doc and ask if he /she could help you out with this.
 Good luck, I hope you get somewhere with this.
 
 Hugs, Jenn

krisjohn53223 · Apr 12, 2010