Hey Greg, The first 15 years I avoided and dreaded asking for help, private or public. I, too, ask all the time now. I wish I'd have figured that out a lot sooner, I would have saved myself a lot of wasted time and energy! Luckily, people are much less scared of us these days and feel good about reaching the cereal on the highest shelf for someone so low to the ground! And I definitely ask for people to feed me samples! Rule of life: NEVER pass up a sample or appetizer opportunity. Fast, easy, harmless. It's not like you're attempting a plate of spaghetti LOL. But the public is also more exposed to our needs nowadays and are more than willing to help. Just make sure you're fairly clean and kempt, or in the future, the individual on the other end of that shrimp will run as far away from disabled people as possible! As for strangers and leg bags? I'm sure most of us avoid that scenario as much as possible in the first place, but if it can't be avoided, ask. It's not worth dragging 911 into the picture just to have your leg bag emptied. I look for women for sensitive things because they're more, well,. sensitive. If they have a kid or two with them, even better! Most of the time she will tell you straight up that what I (we) need is nothing compared to her dealing with her kids' bodily fluids daily!!
I always find that if I stop someone and he or she is visibly uncomfortable or just too busy to help (listening to you, but eyeing their train pulling away!), I let them off the hook by saying, "Never mind. I can wait, I'm in no hurry." (Even if that's a major falsehood!) But if it's dire, I say, "I hate to do this to you, but I gotta say, I'm so grateful you came along. It could have been bad news had you not turned onto my corner!" Just my opinions. It sounds like you have your priorities under control! From: greg [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Wednesday, April 26, 2017 10:47 AM To: [email protected] Subject: [QUAD-L] Ask For Help Hey guys, How do you feel about asking strangers for help? And how far would you go. I use to HATE asking strangers for help. Now I do all the time. Usually just simple things like: Asking if they can hand me something, or pick up something I dropped, etc. Yesterday I was at the store and they were giving out samples of shrimp. They asked if I wanted one. It looked so good, I had to try it. So I asked if hey could scoop it in my mouth for me. I did that once before with stuffed mushroom. Have you, or would you ask a stranger to empty your legbag? If not, what if you were so full, you are going through AD? Adjust you in your chair? Greg
