I thank the posters for pointing out that COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease - emphysema, asthma, combinations of several) is frequently not visible until we, yes, we, are forced to use oxygen tubes. We are of the smokers' era, now paying for our addiction and a life of inhaling tobacco smoke even before starting our own cigarette-smoking.
I'm among the fortunate who doesn't need an oxygen tank tethered to my nose, but the day will come, and for the moment, long walks and stairs can be killers. Especially in winter, when the air shuts down lungs like a slamming door. We don't have wheelchairs. We don't use crutches. We don't even limp. But we are disabled as any person who does. Thus the hanging sign in our windows. I try not to use my sign when I clearly don't need to, but that isn't the case for many disabled parkers. Andy Driscoll Saint Paul ------ "Action may not always bring happiness, but there is no happiness without action." - Benjamin Disraeli > From: "j c harmon" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Date: Mon, 29 Jul 2002 11:58:38 -0500 > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: Re: [Mpls] PANEL RECOMMENDS DOWNTOWN PARKING CHANGES > > We shouldn't assume that because someone's not actively limping that they're > not disabled. Heart disease, asthma, and arthritis to name a few, are > disabilities for many, yet they may not "look" disabled to the ablebodied. > JHarmon > Cleveland > > > > _________________________________________________________________ > Chat with friends online, try MSN Messenger: http://messenger.msn.com > > _______________________________________ > Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy > Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: > http://e-democracy.org/mpls > _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
