The placard question

I have had a somewhat long term debate with myself of whether I should get a handicapped parking placard. Some days finding a parking place and having to walk long ways - with full grocery carts, etc - get very tiresome and painful. RA and fibromyalgia can be a nasty combination. When one isn't hurting the other is.

Last year my primary care doctor told me I don't want to go down that route. I am not sure what she is thinking. Other than the fact that she is very healthy and in her 30s. I think my rheumatologist would be much more likely to sign the form if I asked her. She is more aware of my mobility issues.

I have already taken the safest parking space at work - this is a perk when you work for a small company and every uses the same space every day. When one woman retired a couple of years ago, it only took me one icy day to decide I was taking her space right next to the front door. Its also helpful when I leave my phone or lunch in the car.

But its not the same at the grocery store or the doctor's office where I park in the giant garage and go up to the top to park near the elevators/stairs. The thing about the placard is you don't need to use it if you don't want. If I'm having a good day, maybe I'll take a distant space. But there are times when my husband leaves me at the door to go park the car and then get the car.

Most days I am okay but some days I am not. I am tired and just need to finish what I need and get home and lie down. Those are the days where a placard would be helpful. Sometimes I look at people who park in the handicapped spaces with a tinge of jealousy. Other days I enjoy the walk from the far recesses. Some people look handicapped - canes, limps, oxygen, etc - and some don't - like me. Not all handicaps are visible.

And then there is this woman in Australia who got yelled at by some crabby man because she had a placard and didn't look handicapped. Just because you don't look like you need the space doesn't mean you don't need it. Appearances can be deceiving.

And am I too young to  need one of those damn placards? Would it put me in the old fart category already? I may have the medical records of a 90 year old.