It is difficult to wrestle with acceptance of one's limitation. Betty, I am
also on the POLIO list serve and they have a bunch of older people with PPS
and pain and fatigue is a major problem. I am lucky that I still have what
I do at 62. My father retired medically at my age due to varicose veins. A
mechanic on concrete floors was impossible for him. I am lucky to be in a
profession where I have such flexibility, but after 32 years of the stuff,
some days I just want to call Human Resources in put in "the papers".

Don't ever feel bad about whining, like a good cry, people need a good
whine every so often.

Bobby



>For me too -- I am okay with some things about this, and I wish I could
>change some things and I don't talk about them.  If I just had the mobility
>impairment and nothing else, this would be a lot easier to deal with.
>Sometimes I have energy and I can go out and do things.  Other times I'm
>wiped just from taking a shower.  Those are the hardest days because I feel
>trapped and it does get lonely.  Then you guys are the answer to my prayers.
>
>I don't like to talk about fatigue with nondisabled people because they'll
>throw in a comment about having the same problem.  They don't have a clue.  I
>used to work twelve to fifteen hours a day on purpose because I Ioved to
>work.  It's hard not to be able to do much sometimes.  It's hard to go
>someplace for a couple of hours and be wiped for the next three days because
>of it.  I really hate it when somebody acts like I'm lucky that I got to
>retire early.  I am not too lazy to work, and I enjoyed working and being in
>the hub of the nation's capitol.
>
>People whine about everything.  They whine about living in DC.  I used to
>drive to work and see the Jefferson Memorial and the Washington Monument
>every morning, and I'd think about what a great opportunity it was to live
>here.  I could go to the Smithsonian for free, I worked at the Washington
>Navy Yard and could visit the Navy and Marine Corps Museums for free at lunch
>if I wanted.  The Navy Band is quartered at the Navy Yard too, and you could
>hear them playing on Luetze Park during the day right about this time of
>year.  It was a great situation for somebody like me who loves John Philip
>Sousa.  People would whine about having to work at the Navy Yard though too.
>
>The wheelchair was no sweat -- in fact I was very proud of myself for
>adapting to it so quickly.  But when I hear people complain about having to
>work -- I hate to say this -- but sometimes I wish this could have happened
>to them instead.  If they are too lazy to work, and don't get how it's great
>to work, then why couldn't they be the ones who would be too weak to go out
>of the house sometimes and have to retire.
>
>But still, life is richer now so I wouldn't change this.  It's like seeing
>the world in three dimensions for the first time in my life.  I'd change the
>fatigue part if I could -- that's like being sick.  But the mobility problems
>are just a challenge. Even the pain is manageable.  You really do get used to
>chronic pain.  It's not unbearable though anyway.
>
>Well, well, well, a little unresolved anger going on here, huh?  I guess I'm
>whining today.
>
>In a message dated 04/27/2000 11:30:19 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
>[log in to unmask] writes:
>
><< For me, acceptance has come in stages. There are still aspects of myself I
> do not really accept.
>
> Bobby
>
>  >the sooner one accepts their disability the better they will be in coping
> >with it.
> > >>