Jude Westley from Daylesford suffers from fibromyalgia syndrome, a multidimensional disorder characterised by chronic pain, hyperalgesia, fatigue, sleep disturbance and emotional distress. She is not confined to a wheelchair.

Ms Westley parked in a car park for the disabled in Daylesford, correctly displaying her disabled parking sticker before doing her shopping.

When she returned, a rude anonymous note was left on her car declaring that she was "not a cripple" and therefore didn't deserve the carpark space.

Ms Westley had cancer in her eye, which had been operated on eight times.

She is unable to take medication for her disability because she is sensitive to painkillers.

Speaking to The Advocate last Thursday, Ms Westley said nothing like this had happened to her since she moved to Daylesford seven years ago.

"I was really upset. Not all disabilities mean you're minus a limb or confined to a wheelchair," she said.

"The person who placed the note should (do a) Google search (on fibromyalgia) and they may understand why I am disabled. The word crippled is highly offensive to any person."

Ms Westley, who worked as a nurse, said she had been on a support pension since 1992 and was diagnosed with fibromyalgia when she was 14.

She said people with a disability most often put on a brave face.

"A better understanding in the community of what is disabled is welcomed," she said.

Ms Westley said her disability caused her pain every day and on her "bad days" she would not leave her home.

"Carrying things, walking and breathing is difficult," she said.

She does all of her housework on her own.

"I was splitting firewood last night and my hands are still hurting," she said.

"Every muscle and tendon hurts from each level of work."

Ms Westley said there were a lot of people out there with disabilities who "toughed it out every day".

* Disabled parking stickers can be used by either a passenger or driver of a vehicle. To apply for a sticker, the applicant needs a statement from a doctor and current medical information to support the claim.

Applications for disabled parking stickers are available from the council or through the Social Work Department of public hospitals who can provide support with this process.