Aren't you a good girl

That is what I nurse said to me when I went to a doctor's office. The nurse called me in and as I was walking towards her, cane in hand as usual, she says "what's wrong with you", I stopped dead in my tracks in total disbelief that a health "professional" would say something so ignorant. If I wasn't such a nice person I would have told her to go to hell. However, after I composed myself I told her that I have Muscular Dystrophy and she go's "oh aren't you a good girl". First of all what the hell is that supposed to mean? Second of all I'm 25 not 5, don't you dare talk down to me and treat me like a child because you feel uncomfortable around people with disabilities. That so pissed me off.
However, I was reading my favorite blog Arthritic Young Thing and she was talking about how disabled people it seems are supposed to heroic or brave just because of their disability. Here's what she says:

"Most disabled people hate being called brave, and 'an inspiration to the rest of us.' I have mixed feelings about it, myself. On the one hand, I do go through more pain and suffering than the average person, so it's nice to have someone tell me I'm handling it well. On the other hand, when an able-bodied person makes a big fuss about me just living my life, just like everyone else, it can get really annoying. I mean, sure, I do have more physical hardships than most people, but we all have our burdens to bear, ya know?

Categorizing all disabled folk as brave and heroic sets a dangerous precedent for the community. It's setting a standard that we're all supposed to live up to, whether we want to or not. Some disabled people enjoy the whole 'triumphing through adversity' thing. Yes, some of us do enjoy being pedastalized for persevering through our challenges. But there are others who don't want to be brave, who resent having to be brave. In an ideal world, disabled people wouldn't need to be brave, because the resources we need to live a good and regular life would be already there."

I've been called brave quite a few times and have for the most part been confused by it. Yeah, it's hard for me to get around and I do sometimes have difficulty with my learning disability, but I do it. I mean what other choice do I have? To just sit at home and do nothing. Hells no! That is definitely not an option for me. For other people who have more severe physical disabilities they might not have a choice in the matter. To me everything I do on a day to day basis is just normal to me, it's not heroic on brave. To me it's stuff that has to be and I don't see any other way around. I want to have a good job so I have to have a good education. I want to live on my own so I have to work. So far I've done all of those things, I have my bachelor's degree and I live on my own with my fiance. Sometimes it's hard but I think that everyone has their own issues to deal with mine just happen to be on display for everyone to see.