Ran across a column that was published in the Indianapolis Star.  Jane Younce explains how she endures the stares of other people as she parks in a handicapped spot. She has had multiple chest surgeries, but her scars are hidden by her clothes. 

But what does handicapped look like? Who gets to park in handicapped parking? Does handicapped mean that you are wheelchair confined? Does it mean you must have a van equipped with a wheelchair lift?  One of my neighbors has the same issue. She has been diagnosed with scleroderma. She doesn’t fit the image of someone who needs a handicapped parking space but this cruel disease is slowly causing her organs and joints to harden.

Many people–like this woman’s neighbor– with scleroderma don’t look very “handicapped” on the outside, but need extra help.