A little over a year ago I awoke one morning with a weird pain in my left foot. After walking around for a couple of minutes the pain went away and I didn't have it again until the next morning. With each passing day the pain grew a little bit worse and by the time my Mr. AGPMan and I headed to Santa Barbara for our anniversary get-away three months later I was worried I wouldn't be able to walk on the beach with my beloved.
Weird thing about the pain was I felt almost normal if I was wearing a wedge-type shoe. I just could walk flat footed.
Anyway...after seeing three doctors (all with different answers!) I finally met with an orthopedic surgeon, had an MRI and was immediately told I had something called Haglund's Deformity. I was like, "Ummmmmm......WHAT?"
The "deformity" had led to the tearing of my Achilles tendon and I was in bad shape. When I was told full recovery from the surgery was projected at twelve to fifteen months I truly felt sick at heart. TWELVE MONTHS???? FIFTEEN????
Spinal fusion surgery was done on my neck only two years before following a car accident and I was NOT wanting to go under the knife again. I felt so low and was very depressed.
The surgery went as planned...removal of excess bone at my heel and a nice 4" long incision now decorates the back of my left calf. Lovely. I will spare you the details and tell you only that I am NOT a good patient. Six weeks in a foot/leg cast is not fun.
I used a Knee Scooter to get around and I was thrilled when I was able to get out of my house and visit the new COSTCO that had opened in OKCity. Ahhhh....shopping! Nothing like retail therapy for recovery!
I loved the store, but I tired out very quickly by the time we signed up for a membership and began to browse around the huge warehouse market. My guy continued to shop and I happily nestled myself near the end-cap of a fairly non-congested aisle. The store was super busy and in hindsight it was probably not a good a stupid idea to visit the store during it's first two weeks of operation.
Lesson learned.
While my leg was propped up on the knee scooter I stood for quite a bit on my good leg/foot just watching the bustle of activity around me. It was then I noticed a woman and her companion trying to meander a VERY FULL CART down the aisle I was on. I scooted farther over to the left so she could get through, but another shopper to my right made it impossible for her to pass. People were in front of me and in back of me and to the side. I couldn't move...especially so since I wasn't fully mobile.
It was then the woman trying to move onto the aisle looked right at me and said this:
"You need to move your (blanking) A**"
(and a lot more vile and truly obnoxious, hateful things!)
I was sooo stunned and shocked I didn't even know what to say. My hubby (who had come up behind me) responded with "Excuse ME, mam...but did you just say what I think you said?"
Her reply...
"YES I DID!!!!"
Mr. AGPMan's response was a mix of emotions...I will only say he was kind, BUT FIRM and basically scolded her for her foul mouth and unkindness.
I am NOT a young girl, but I could feel the tears well up and then drop from my eyes before I could wipe them away. I couldn't believe how rude and crass and completely oblivious she had been to one who was noticeably sideline/impaired.
I felt embarrassed and asked to be taken home. For sure the medication I was taking made me far more emotional than I would otherwise be, but I truly felt overwhelmed none-the-less.
In the two or so months since that visit to COSTCO I've been back at least three times. Last night we were there again and the same unpleasant memory made it's way back into my heart.
I'm a fairly strong-minded person and I know people make mistakes and say things they don't really intend to say sometimes. I've said things during my lifetime I wish I could take back. I also know there are very mean people in the world who absolutely do not care about the feelings of others. I'm proud to say I'm not one of them.
My Mr. AGPMan (aka: hubby) reminded me of something when I brought up the incident AGAIN (for what seemed to be the ga-jillionth time)...
He said "Forgive her, Babe. Even if you never know whether or not she is sorry..."
I really hate it when he's right.
Time to move on!
Love to you...
Rebecca
