Handicap Placard

      Yesterday I received my handicap placard in the mail.  I don't know if I feel good or bad about receiving it.  I applied for it and my doc signed off on it so I was fairly certain I would get one.  I guess I am officially a handicapped person because I have Parkinson's. My daughter Olivia told me that I am not really handicapped but I say to her, "well, the state of PA says I am!"  Today was the first time I ever parked in a handicap space.  Actually, I have to take that back. Years ago, the handicap sign was only on the ground in parking spots, not on a pole and not bright blue. Amy was about 5 years old and it was a very rainy day when we stopped at a Wendy's.  I got Renee , an infant at the time, out of the back seat and we ran into Wendy's.  When I pulled out of the spot, I saw the handicap sign on the ground and I felt awful because I would never had done that on purpose.  I told Amy how bad I felt!  Fast forward a few weeks, and I am in a parking spot waiting for Joe.  There was a police car next to me and Amy says  "Officer, my mom parked in a handicap spot a few weeks ago!"  I started saying to her, you know it was an accident!  The cop just looked at me, shook his head, and smiled/laughed!!

         Yesterday Dan and I went together to pick up Olivia from school.  The other day he noticed that the Dairy Queen near us was open but I wouldn't let him stop.  I saw a special ad on TV for buy one, get second blizzard for a dollar.  I told Dan that there was a Dairy Queen not far from Olivia's school and he could get one for himself and one for Olivia.  He was happy to stop there!  We turned up a road we rarely go on and after Dan turned at the light, a car came on my side and hit us on my side, not too hard, but I felt the hit throughout my back. We both turned into the Dairy Queen.  Our car didn't have too much damage so Dan told the young woman that she could call the police or they could exchange numbers and insurance cards or we could handle our damage and she could handle hers.  It was clearly her fault, she apologized saying she was rushing to a gas station because she was almost out of gas.  She didn't want to report it to her insurance company so we both just got ice cream and left!  I think the ice cream was buy one blizzard and get the second for $1,200! Because I am sure it will cost us that much or more to fix Dan's car!
       Today I went to my Bereaved Mom's Group that I facilitate! The woman in this group are the nicest, kindest, most compassionate woman that I have ever had the pleasure to know although we all wish we never had cause to meet. I parked right out front in the handicap spot.  I was so happy to see everyone because we didn't meet in Feb due to the weather.  My friend Nancy made dinner for my family!  It was such a sweet, unexpected, and kind gesture.  We chatted, shared some stories about our kids, heard about the recent Mall shooting(one of the moms works at Macys and was there when it happened), and just spent quality time together, short though it was. We meet for an hour and a half once a month.  Jill shared some writings of her own with us that were absolutely beautiful!
       After the meeting I went to the chiropractor, I hate to go because it is so painful but I know I will feel better for a few days afterwards! If I could just get rid of the sciatica, I could deal better with the Parkinson's.