"For god's sake love, it's only a child."

Excuse me while I rant.

He may have only been a child, but he was somehow capable of shrieking at a level that made my ears want to bleed or stop working due to the shock of the noise that came out of your child's mouth.
Perhaps I should explain, otherwise I sound like some sort of crazy person.

After a lovely afternoon out with my parents we walked in a park. We walked past two children playing with a ball. Suddenly, one of the kids ran off with the ball leaving the other kid (who I think was a toddler) upset. He started to shriek. Not cry, not shout but shriek. At a very high pitch. I understand that he's at an age in which he can't explain why he's upset or why he can't just shout for the ball back. I covered one of my ears because after the second shriek my ears hurt. It was painful to hear that noise and I am going to protect myself from hearing it again.
The mother of the little boy stared at me and as we passed each other said "for god's sake love, it's only a child". Not to my face but just as we passed each other. Yeah, perhaps I was a tad dramatic with my reaction, but you're clearly used to your shrieking child as you didn't tell him to stop. In fact, you just ignored him.The woman with her must have asked what went on as I heard her say she covered her ears. The friend then said really loudly "oh, she's one of those". One of those. One of what? Non tolerant of shrieking child person? Why, yes I am.

What was the need of saying that? Couldn't you have just ignored my reaction? I've now got that stupid anxiety feeling- the one of something feeling hot in my belly and I can feel the adrenaline going round my body. It's probably anger at myself as I didn't say something back to the ignorant woman. I wish I did, but my super powers of using sarcasm as a comeback aren't that strong these days. Although I'm disappointed I couldn't think of a comeback, I am proud of myself as I didn't cry! That would have upset me last year, but I just breathed through it.

I'll end on a good note- I have joined the Expert Patients Programme. I've no idea what to expect. I'm really hoping it's not full weirdos like the ones that were at the support meetings. Perhaps they'll brainwash me to like sprouts or something? I told you I had no idea of what goes on!