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Taking “Advantage” of Your Disability: What Are Your Thoughts?
Have you ever had someone encourage you to use your disability to your (or their) advantage?
It is no secret that I use supplemental oxygen regularly since my diagnosis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) in early 2016. Not too long ago, I spent the day in the US and per any board crossing, there are rules about how much you can purchase and bring back to your country tax/duty-free. For some people, this almost becomes a game: trying to get more than the allotted amount of materials or products back across the boarder without paying taxes. The mentality I have when I go across the boarder to shop is that, usually the drastic change in price difference (cheaper) for what I am buying is still a cost-savings for me, even if I do have to pay duty on it. Of course my preference is that I don’t have to pay, but I am more interest in being transparent about what I have then lying to the boarder patrol officers.
When I was discussing my trip over the boarder, a friend of mine encouraged me to put my oxygen on and give the patrol officers a “sob story” about living with a fatal lung disease to get through without having to pay taxes on my purchases. In the moment I laughed, and engaged in his idea but I was quite taken aback by it afterwards.
In good conscious, I don’t think I could ever do this. My lung disease is serious enough as it is, and doesn’t need any additional drama or sadness tagged onto it. Believe me, living with a life-threatening lung disease as a young adult is a true sob story but I don’t see the benefit of using to my advantage, especially when trying to do something that is technically illegal (ie. not paying taxes on eligible purchases when crossing the boarder).
There are some benefits that I openly take advantage of while living with a lung disease. As an example, I use the disability line in the airport or ask for physical assistance when travelling but both of those advantages legitimately help me, and are designed for people with a chronic illness.
What are your thoughts in using your lung disease to your advantage, especially in situations where it wouldn’t be warranted (like my example above)?
Have you ever done this, or would you?
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