I was in Walmart today getting a few things. Because of where I work or should I say worked, I know alot of people in town. Mostly just customers of the shop. I try just to avoid them to stop with having to go thru all the talk and such. It gets tiring going thru the same speech all the time. So anyways I was heading to the check out and ran right into a customer which at this time could not avoid. So I said hi how are you doing? His reply was hello....what the hell happened to you? So I had to explain the whole being listed for double lung transplant. Then after that comes the discussion of CF. Or they will point at their nose and say whats up with that?
You see I never felt the need to explain to all the customers that I had CF. Quiet frank I figured it really wasn't much of their business. Sure they would come into the office and hear me coughing the odd time and say "ohh thats a bad cough you have do you have a cold" All I would reply with would be no I have this all the time and leave it there. I didn't see the need for them to know my whole life and what I go thru with.
Little kids are the funniest when they see me wearing the o2 they point and say why is that man wearing that? lol so cute :)
I don't mind educating people on CF but some days I just get tired of it.
Oh, Sean I can so relate with that! Meeting up with an "acquaintance" is so uncomfortable because you can tell they want to say something but don't know quite how to bring it up. The direct approach like you got is easier to deal with usually :) I don't mind genuine but nosy gets under my skin. I totally agree with your last statement about educating people--and that usually wins out over my initial just-leave-me-alone attitude. I have had some cute little people questions and comments (sometimes to the shock and horror of their near-by parent who doesn't know whether to get angry with their child or apologize to me first) and I try to be extra kind.
ReplyDeleteOne good thing about carrying O2 around with you, I've realized, is if you are hacking up a lung on aisle 7, the daggers of death glares you get from fellow shoppers for germing up the place are greatly reduced. 8-)