Excuse Me

Tommy started swimming lessons again this week. Only one more session after this and we may consider the swim team. He absolutely loves it! LOVES IT!
Monday, I happened to see my PT, Libby. I think the last time she saw me I was still in my wheelchair so I was all proud. It was a bit like seeing your teacher outside of school. I know my therapists have real lives but they only exist for me in the therapy gym. It was so good to see her and see that we have more than a patient/therapist relationship and that I am not defined by my stroke. We are both just moms with kids in lessons.
On Wednesday, as we were leaving, I had Tommy push the automatic door opener for the handicapped door and slowly started to walk through them. Three very small boys ran past me. Their dad, afraid they might run into the parking lot, came up behind me, said excuse me, and tried to push past me. It was obvious that he wanted me to move out of his way. I can't move out of his way. I can't move quickly. Moving quickly=falling.
Rest assured that if the boys had been remotely close to the parking lot I would have taken a dive if I needed to. Their safety would come first. But they were nowhere near there. I could tell the father was understandably annoyed with me.
But I was using the handicapped door. I am visibly handicapped.  I can't help but feel that he wouldn't have been annoyed with me if I were in my wheelchair.
My PT, Tim once suggested that I use my cane even if I don't really need it. It is a visual sign to others that I need extra space and time. This is probably a good idea but I have enough to carry and worry about. I have 3 kids. It is a dilemma for me and I will have to give some thought to it.
On a lighter note, I had a little tummy bug the other night and Jain was convinced it was because I had eaten sugar earlier that day. If that were the case I would be sick nearly every day. Tommy disagreed and told her that sometimes you get a liiitle too healthy and you just need to get some of that healthy out. That sure made me feel better!