RE: The perceptions of others

[Guest guest]

Well said and very true.

"Be who you are, & say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, & those who matter don't mind." ~Dr. Suess ~

To: Breathe-Support From: brucemoreland@...Date: Sat, 2 Aug 2008 04:34:31 +0000Subject: The perceptions of others

I know many of you talk about rude comments or looks. Now my hearingisn't the best in the world so maybe I've just missed them. (Well therewere two times in convenience stores along the way on my long trip. I'dalmost forgotten). However, ignorance is bliss, I guess. I've notgenerally been confronted with anything but kindness. Now, no one hasknown of the disease so I've had a tremendous number of chances toeducate others. This is not generally some stranger but those I seeregularly where I do business or shop and friends and friends offriends. It also includes those I meet through them coming to providesome service unrelated to the disease. It has included those helping meget my oxygen to the room when I've travelled and even desk clerks.Now, I separate the comments or looks some of you have received intothose that have just been ignorant but not rudely directed versus thosethat have been rude. There is no excuse for the rudeness any more thancommenting on someone's weight or anything else. However, when it comesto the ignorance and the assumptions of smoking I had to think backmyself. Before being diagnosed with PF what would I have thought when Isaw someone using oxygen? I would have guessed COPD and I would haveguessed smoking likely to have been involved. I had never met anyonewith PF or even heard of it.Now each of us has to react the way we're most comfortable. I don'tapproach people to start talking about what I've got. However, ifsomeone comments or otherwise says something which opens the door, thenI do use the chance to educate and at least make one more person aware.I haven't educated the number of people Wally has in Snyder. However,I'm guessing by now its been at least a couple of hundred from friendsto strangers. I can't honestly say that I do it to promote the cause. Ithink it just makes me feel better. I have liked the way several of youhave responded to the rudeness-educating the child and parent at thesame time whether just a curious child or the case of the rude mother. Keep your kids safer online with Windows Live Family Safety. Help protect your kids.