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Day 9 of Bloganuary has arrived with the following topic:
What do people incorrectly assume about you?
People who do not know me very well assume quite a few things I think, and these (apart from number 2) are due to the after-effects of having (and eventually recovered from) Stage 4 advanced thyroid cancer. Here’s a list and the explanation:
- In the street they assume they must have offended me because I haven’t said hello (I can’t see faces until I’m up close, but then don’t want to stare).
- They assume I’m standoffish and aloof (I’m still almost as shy as I was when I was a teenager).
- They assume I like to hide behind sunglasses (I have AMD and cannot open my eyes outside without them).
- They assume I’m crying (my right eye waters permanently due to radiotherapy, but hopefully later this year there is an operation I can have to rectify this).
- They assume I might be predisposed to diabetes (In fact I have no working salivary glands due to radiotherapy and so must take a sip of water every 10 minutes or so).
- They assume I have a sore throat (I only have one working vocal cord, and for the umpteenth time…NO, I do not – I just have a permanently croaky voice).
- Some who haven’t seen me for a while still assume I must be dying (NO! I am alive, kicking, and have been cancer-free for 5 years).
- They assume I’m deaf if I use sign language to my husband across a crowded room (I’m definitely not, but try raising your voice if you have only one vocal cord).
- They assume I’m weird because I shy away from fragrances of any sort, and also animals (perfumes, after-shaves, air-fresheners, gloss paint, and any creature with fur for instance all have a tendency to make my neck swell – again due to after-effects of EBR -external beam radiotherapy).
- They assume I’m being over-dramatic when I tell them I cannot just go to a walk-in centre and have a Covid vaccine. (due to EBR my neck could react to anything my body is not used to and swell up alarmingly. I have to be monitored in a hospital for a few hours after vaccinations).
- Last but not least they assume I must be an invalid (I’m not. I live a full life just like anybody else, but I keep away from known triggers that might make me end up in A&E).
People should never assume. 🙂 I’m with you on number 2. xx
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But they do… x
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I fully agree with the other commentators. Be happy not to live i a small village like here. Every sneeze you are doing or not will be judged to the max. Much more as the bigger rest of the citizens are very closely related by blood. xx Michael
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Very true, but I’m used to it after 30 years of living here.
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Reblogged this on OPENED HERE >> https:/BOOKS.ESLARN-NET.DE.
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Thanks for the re-blog, Michael.
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An excellent lesson for why we shouldn’t judge others. We often have no ideas of what challenges others are going through.
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Thanks Pete. I have a few challenges, but others have more I’m sure.
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Until people meet me in person, they assume I´m taller. In fact, I just graze 5 feet (1.52 metres). People often assume I have a university degree, but I don´t. I have taken a number of university-level courses but do not have a degree, yet.
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I don’t have any degrees either, but I’m a bit taller (5ft 3ins)!
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I have that same accent. I’ve tried to modify it over the years.
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Because of my appearance, the fact I voted to leave the EU, and my working-class London accent, many people have assumed I must be racist, xenophobic, and homophobic. They have been taken aback when I have confronted them after they said something offensive about a colleague, gay person, or foreigner.
Best wishes, Pete.
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