A supermarket observation.

[Lizzy2]

I'm always amazed at the things that bother people. I mean, who really cares?

Seriously, ! Don't you have more important things to worry about? Maybe these folks have a disability-

 

[goofinoff]

Add me to the guilty list! I do it all the time because, darn it, I'M TIRED!! I work full time, have a husband, 2 kids, I volunteer at my DD's school and take care of a home! Yup, by the time I get to the grocery store, I'm hanging all over that cart wishing I could hire someone to do the shopping for me!!! I have no other excuse! No pregnancy, back problem, sciatica...just plain ole tired!! If you don't like it.....don't look!

 

[IwasatWDWforamonth]

must be a regional thing

 

[Obi-Wan Pinobi]

I just read the first page of this thread and it pissed me off so much I had to respond - I have no idea what the rest of the thread turned into and quite frankly, I don't care because I'm sick and tired of assumptions made here by people over others actions.

So there are those that think a woman using a shopping cart for support is lazy, huh? I want you to look DW MeanLaureen in the face and tell her that.

She works 45+ hours a week on her feet with several chronic autoimmune diseases and a constant pain 24/7 that ranks a 28-30 on the McGill Pain Index ON A GOOD DAY constantly. Close to a 4 during a flare - which is comperable to amputation pain. Others that are in her condition have long since quit working and applied for disability.

She has a handicapped parking permit but only uses it when the pain is exceedingly bad or the walk would be too far. She has a cane but refuses to use it. She's stubborn and she refuses to let her disease take her to that level.

She still tries to lead a normal life and sometimes after work goes to the grocery store or Target - just to feel freaking normal so that her life doesn't consist of only "get up, go to work, come home, sleep".

By the time she makes it to the store she has been pushing her body in more pain that most deal with in a lifetime for over 9 hours. So she uses the bloody shopping cart as a mean for support to take a bit of stress off her joints? It allows her to spend a little more time having somewhat of a normal life.

So now we see people are passing judgment on her and others here. Nice. Tell you what - YOU have someone spend about 5 minutes constantly hitting you on all your major joints with a 2X4, then work on your feet for 8 hours and then try to go shopping and see if you don't use that cart for some support.

As I said before, if you are going to pass judgment then see if you can say it to the face of someone you are judging.

Probably if Lauri did use her cane someone would start a thread saying something about a 30-something year old hobbling around on a cane and what a schlub they are and "If they were just perfect like me they wouldn't need a cane"

 

[ducklite]

Probably if Lauri did use her cane someone would start a thread saying something about a 30-something year old hobbling around on a cane and what a schlub they are and "If they were just perfect like me they wouldn't need a cane"

My 30 year old brother fell 30 feet off a roof early this year. He broke his back, shattered both heels, and chipped his elbow. Thanks to God and the incredible surgeons and ENTIRE STAFF--MEDICAL AND NON!!!--at Fletcher Allen in Burlington, VT, he is now able to walk. Slowly, with a cane, and still in huge amounts of pain, but he can do it--which given the extent of his injuries is a miracle. He goes to Wal-Mart in the middle of the night to shop because he doens't want people to think the young guy is lazy when he rides the scooter around, and there's a lot less people there at midnight. It's just too much walking for him to do without being in excruciating pain.

Someday maybe he'll be able to actually push the cart around the store, and he might be leaning on it for support.

And for anyone wondering, he's about 5'10" and maybe 140 pounds.

Anne

 

[ducklite]

I admit it...that's me leaning over the cart with my butt sticking out. I usually stop at Starbucks before heading to the grocery store, and leaning makes it easier to steer while drinking my latte. Sorry but the caffeine is more important than my dignity

Are you steering with your elbows? I've done the same thing! The store I shopped at in NJ had a coffee bar in the store. First stop, coffee bar. Next, grab cart. Then commence shopping while sucking down something yummy. Steer cart with elbows while drinking yummy drink. Considering that everyone else in the store is doing the same thing, nobody notices--or cares!

Anne

 

[Obi-Wan Pinobi]

He goes to Wal-Mart in the middle of the night to shop because he doens't want people to think the young guy is lazy when he rides the scooter around, and there's a lot less people there at midnight. It's just too much walking for him to do without being in excruciating pain.

Yep, totally know what you mean.

Lauri has given up on ever going back to WDW because she knows she would need to use a scooter/ECV for at least part of the trip and she doesn't want people staring at her thinking things about an able-bodied 30-something being lazy. Pretty sad that things like that hurt her so much.

 

[tinkerbellmom31]

I am by no means overweight and I use the shooping cart like a crutch. Im not draped across it like the OP mentioned I just need to be the one pushing. For some reason stores make me sweaty and dizzy. Especialy in the winter. I try different things like not over dressing and making sure I eat first but I still get this weird sensation. This is the reason I like to have the cart there as my crutch. In DW I us the stroller in the same manner becase of the heat. I have no idea what I'll do next time we go because my kids will all be to big for a stroller .

 

[Allison]

Yep, totally know what you mean.

Lauri has given up on ever going back to WDW because she knows she would need to use a scooter/ECV for at least part of the trip and she doesn't want people staring at her thinking things about an able-bodied 30-something being lazy. Pretty sad that things like that hurt her so much.

That is so sad. I get so sick of seeing posts like this one and of course there are the ones about ECV's where people go on and on and on. I think a lot of people need to walk a mile in someone else's shoes so to speak.

 

[nealymouse]

But do you know why some of us do it ? I dont normally but after a long day of work, then putting in my hours at my DD riding academy and having rheumatoid arthritis I cant stand up straight anymore but still need to feed my family.

 

[shortbun]

there are a lot of overweight men and women who stand up straight and carry themselves well. this is not a post about overweight women. believe me, after being immobile from rotator cuff surgery, i can stand to loose more than a few pounds. its about posture. i haven't noticed any thin people draped over carts. obviously it is totally understandable why an elderly person or a pregnant woman would use the cart in the manner. this post was not in reference to them.

This post is not about old people nor pregnant peope not overweight women, eh? I must be confused because this post sure is about one of them. My money is on overweight women and their "ample" somethings using their carts as a crutch...something along those lines anyway. Good grief woman, are you really this bored that you would walk around LOOKING for people to pick on? I barely notice the people around me in stores. I might notice the person in front of me checking out; I definitely notice a small lost child or a parent looking for a child. Otherwise, I'm there to take care of my life and my business and I assume that's what everyone else is there for too. Evidentally, some folks are there to critique my posture!!! For heaven's sake!

 

[MushyMushy]

Yep, totally know what you mean.

Lauri has given up on ever going back to WDW because she knows she would need to use a scooter/ECV for at least part of the trip and she doesn't want people staring at her thinking things about an able-bodied 30-something being lazy. Pretty sad that things like that hurt her so much.

I know this isn't the same as what Lauri goes through, but last summer when I sprained my ankle before the trip to WDW, I was going to hobble around in pain before I would ever use a wheelchair or ECV, because I sure as heck wasn't going to be "one of those fat, lazy people in a scooter."

I'm sure there are people who ARE lazy, but I'm willing to bet it's like 0.0001 percent of the population who does things like that. So why does everyone have to assume the worst in others all the time?

People are just mean.

 

[MushyMushy]

This post is not about old people nor pregnant peope not overweight women, eh? I must be confused because this post sure is about one of them. My money is on overweight women and their "ample" somethings using their carts as a crutch...something along those lines anyway. Good grief woman, are you really this bored that you would walk around LOOKING for people to pick on? I barely notice the people around me in stores. I might notice the person in front of me checking out; I definitely notice a small lost child or a parent looking for a child. Otherwise, I'm there to take care of my life and my business and I assume that's what everyone else is there for too. Evidentally, some folks are there to critique my posture!!! For heaven's sake!

I notice what Dawn's talking about all the time, but my reaction is always one of sympathy. I always wince when I see that posture, because I think of what kind of pain the person must be in to use the cart to walk like that. My mom had to do that when she was still walking, and those were days when she could barely stand. Those were also before the days when stores had ECVs for people to use.

 

[ducklite]

I barely notice the people around me in stores.

Although I couldn't help but notice the woman wearing the holey mans undershirt with the fresh chocolate (?) stain down the front, and waaaayyyyyyy too tight shorts the other day. She wasn't all that overweight, but her slovenly style of dress and waaaaaayyyyyy too tight clothes emphasized what could have easily been disguised with proper fitting shorts and a clean/hole free shirt. (I'm NOT implying she should have been wearing designer clothes!) She definitely seemed to be trying to bring attention to herself--and it worked. I'm not sgguesting that people need to get all dolled up everytime they are in public, but even my DH doesn't wear holey clothes with fresh food stains on them. Well, maybe ripped out in the knees jeans (but not half his breakfast down the front of his shirt) if he's in the middle of a project and needs to make a Home Depot run, but I think we're talking two different things in that case.

Anne

 

[DawnCt1]

Good grief woman, are you really this bored that you would walk around LOOKING for people to pick on? I barely notice the people around me in stores. I might notice the person in front of me checking out; I definitely notice a small lost child or a parent looking for a child. heaven's sake!

yup, i am just lurking in the stores looking for people to pick on and when i see them i jump out and shout boo! i try not to notice those lost kids and frantic parents as well. actually shortbun, i am the one who will reach the tall shelf for the "vertically challanged" (is that alright to say?) or read the lable for the elderly man who forgot his glasses, or load the groceries with one arm mind in into the cart of an elderly woman whom the bagger ignored, so please, get down off of your high horse because i made a comment on a post. as one who has had low back "issues" since my mid 20's, it has been my experience that poor posture is the one thing that leads to a recurrance of symptoms. while there may be some people out there in pain, tired, with arthritis, i will bet there are just some who are too lazy to stand up straight.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

To sum up what a I think a lot of us are trying to say, I think of one of my favorite sayings, There but for the grace of God go I. Who knows "why" with some people, but as long as I'm able to do my shopping and they are doing their shopping, does it really matter, in the grand picture? Some empathy and understanding can go a long way. And even if they are hunched over the cart "just because they feel like it", is it my business?

 

[bananiem]

To sum up what a I think a lot of us are trying to say, I think of one of my favorite sayings, There but for the grace of God go I. Who knows "why" with some people, but as long as I'm able to do my shopping and they are doing their shopping, does it really matter, in the grand picture? Some empathy and understanding can go a long way. And even if they are hunched over the cart "just because they feel like it", is it my business?

Amen sistah!!!
I have screws and a pin in my left hip. When it's giving me trouble I limp my way into the store and am grateful for the cart to lean on. It never dawned on me that people would be judging me. I am NOT overweight or lazy. I'm just living through my pain.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

Amen sistah!!!
I have screws and a pin in my left hip. When it's giving me trouble I limp my way into the store and am grateful for the cart to lean on. It never dawned on me that people would be judging me. I am NOT overweight or lazy. I'm just living through my pain.

My brother had a neck operation as a teen (the bone was dissolving in his neck ) and now, as a 51yo man he has constant pain, limited neck movement, and chronic migraines. Should someone judge him because he can't move just like everyone else can?

I just came off of a 5 day migraine. I didn't go many places, but I'm sure the places I did go to I wasn't walking with a spring in my step, in spite of my username. Again, we don't know what hidden conditions others have...

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

Yep, totally know what you mean.

Lauri has given up on ever going back to WDW because she knows she would need to use a scooter/ECV for at least part of the trip and she doesn't want people staring at her thinking things about an able-bodied 30-something being lazy. Pretty sad that things like that hurt her so much.

That's a downright shame. Her worry can probably be attributed to message boards, such as this one.

I don't think I've ever gone to WDW and wondered about the medical conditions of those that are in ECV's, nor do I wonder about the medical conditions of those using parking permits, draping themselves over shopping carts - or sitting on display toilets in Home Depot.

I just assume they need to use whatever it is they're using. It wasn't until I started reading all the stroller/ECV/wheelchair debates on the DIS, that it dawned on me that there are people out there who are judgemental, and like to speculate whether or not that person really needs help.

Surely it's just a handful of people who are the latter and the majority who really don't care. I hope one day she changes her mind and gives WDW in an ECV a chance. Everyone deserves to enjoy their vacations.

 

[ducklite]

I don't think I've ever gone to WDW and wondered about the medical conditions of those that are in ECV's

I have, but not in a judgemental way. I think it's human nature to wonder. It's not always a bad thing.

When I see three young males racing ECV's or playing bumper cars with them, I do judge. Those are people who obviusly don't need them, and are possibly using an ECV that another person who DOES need it won't be able to get.

nor do I wonder about the medical conditions of those using parking permits, draping themselves over shopping carts - or sitting on display toilets in Home Depot.

Well, the sitting on display toilets would definitely make me take a second, and maybe even a third look. But like you said, I wouldn't judge someone sitting on a toilet, unless their drawers were around thier ankles.

That would be a different thread anyhow...

Anne