Handicap Parking: It’s Not a Suggestion, It’s a Necessity

This morning I arrived at the hospital to visit my mom. Like many mornings recently, it’s another chapter of balancing life, family, dialysis, and everything else that comes with it.

As I pulled into the parking lot, I started looking for a handicap-accessible parking spot. I have a handicap plate. Not because it’s convenient. Not because I want a closer walk.

I have one because I’m an above-the-knee amputee and I live with ESRD (End Stage Renal Disease). Some days the extra distance isn’t just a few more steps — it’s a lot more energy, more strain, and more effort.

There were no handicap spots available.

Then I noticed something.

Apparently, when the designated spots are full, someone decided the solution was simple: create their own spot.

A spot that wasn’t actually a parking spot.

Maybe they were in a hurry. Maybe they had a reason. Maybe they thought, “I’ll only be a minute.”

But here’s the thing — hospitals are one of the places where accessibility matters the most. People coming through those doors may be dealing with challenges you can see and many you can’t.

The lines, signs, and designated spaces aren’t there for decoration. They exist because someone may be walking on a prosthetic leg. Someone may be recovering from treatment. Someone may be helping a loved one while fighting their own battle.

I don’t expect special treatment. I expect people to think beyond themselves.

A little awareness and consideration go a long way.

Because one day, the spot you think doesn’t matter may be the spot you truly need.