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| I took this pic at the St. Louis botanical gardens earlier this summer. Love that place! |
Can I share a little something that has been bugging the heck out of me?
Thanks.
I need to share a little back story so this will make sense.
My baby sister, Amy, is nine years younger than me. You can imagine how special I thought she was since I was big enough to help care for her when she was born!
Unfortunately, she was born with Cystic Fibrosis, a genetic disease that affects the lungs and digestive system. One of these days, I want to tell you all about her and the way she has blessed so many others by the way she lives her life.
Can you say “miracle”?
Amy had a double lung transplant 17 years ago and is beginning to suffer the effects of all those years on anti-rejection drugs. The very drugs that have kept her alive are beginning to do some pretty negative things to her body. She keeps her chin-up and could teach a lot of people about working through pain and discomfort.
I’m getting distracted. Sorry.
Anyway, she has to make lots of trips to St. Louis to see various doctors, and since I am no longer working full-time, I am privileged to accompany her on many of those trips. That brings me to my rant for today.
Amy always has to wear a mask as soon as she enters the hospital-all those germs could be very harmful to someone with a compromised immune system. So there is that. Then, depending on how she is feeling that day, sometimes I push her in a wheelchair. Barnes is a huge place and moving from one appointment to another can involve over a mile or so of walking. Sometimes she just doesn’t feel like doing it. Or sometimes she wants to wear cute shoes and she is a little unsteady on her feet occasionally.
Don’t judge! Everyone deserves to wear cute shoes once in awhile!
Here is the surprising fact. People can be AMAZINGLY rude to someone wearing a mask or in a wheelchair. They run in front of us in line at the elevators, causing us to have to wait for the second or third open door at times. They stare. Or worst of all in my opinion, they look at me and totally ignore Amy.
Shameful.
Here is my request. When you see someone who is ill or disabled or obviously having some type of issue, please don’t act like they are invisible. Don’t stare. And for Pete’s sake, don’t push them to the back of the line.
Please just treat them the same way you would like to be treated yourself or you would like your own baby sister to be treated.
And if you would, say a little prayer for them.
Hugs,
Wow. I'm so sorry for her. What a hard disease to live with :/
She is lucky to have a sister like you, for sure!! I'm sure she loves you so much.
Yes to the cute shoes!
Amy sounds like an amazing person – and you're a wonderful sister! My girlfriend was just telling me the other day that she went shopping with her 3 year old daughter who has to wear an eye patch a few hours every day. She said everyone (adults) were staring at her! Here's to treating everyone equally and walking in their (cute) shoes!
Kelly
I am so sorry about your sister's illness. It is so true about people in wheelchairs, or with any disability for that matter. I always want to show the love of God. I hope that I do that.
Your sister is so blessed to have you. I agree, may we all treat others like Jesus wants us to, with love and respect. Marci….www.lifewithjoys.blogspot.com
Btw….I'm your newest follower 🙂
You are lucky to have each other. You are a wonderful big sister! We all need to remember to be kind and treat people the way we would want to be treated! Traci
My sister and I are years apart- so yes, I can totally relate to the part about her being a special miracle and almost like a child to you versus the normal sister relationship..
I am certain you have both taught each other special lessons and shared moments no one else can comprehend.
I too have seen rudeness when someone is wearing a mask or unstable in their movements and truth be told I wanted to smack the rudies into next week- as my Nana would say.
So many profess to be Christian and yet they fail to remember the most important lessons- like- do unto others and there, but for the grace of God, go I.
I had a wonderful friend who was diagnosed with aids. Me and 1 other of our friends saw her through it while all the rest of our friends left us far behind..
She wore a mask when she went out due to her immune system being compromised and was often unsteady on her feet from exhaustion or medication.
I am saying a most sincere prayer on behalf of your sister and all those who wish only to be loved and accepted " just the way they are" by ALL of us.
thank you for this wonderful post , though I do realize it was born of hurt and I am so sorry for that..
many blessings to you and yours
Sonny
Hi Susan, I had foot surgery 20+ years ago, and went to town with my crutches. I too was treated as you and your sister were. Invisable (sp??). So sad this had to happen to you two in a hospital!!!!
What has happened to 'common courtesy'? Maybe it has gone down the drain along with a "balanced budget".
Nice post, Susan.