"You look so good!"

Had this guy out for a walk yesterday (picture not taken yesterday) and a thought popped into my head about how I look. Depending on the route taken, we walk past a large office building with loads of windows, and yesterday the route went right up to said building because I had some Christmas cards to drop in the mail box in front of the place. People looking out see a woman who appears able-bodied walking a dog when most people are at work. (I know there are untraditional work schedules.) What they don't see is my shortness of breath or my joint pain (joint pain is a side effect of my treatment).

I have a handicap placard. I got it when I had 2 liters of fluid in my chest and any movement at all left me gasping for air. I've used it once or twice, but consider myself healthy enough right now to save the handicap spots for people who really need them. I know at some point, I will need to use it, if the last pleural effusion is any indication of what's in store for me down the road, health-wise.

My point through all of this is: we don't know the whole story just by looking at someone. I admit I can be judgey...I'm trying to be better about that.