I'm with you, MrsD.
I wouldn't wish this pain on anyone else.
But I'm a pretty convincing actor when need arises.
Look in the mirror and create a face that says what you want to say non-verbally.
Practice it in the bathroom mirror, over and over,
until you can put 'the face' on-anytime you wish.
Then go out and use it, along with a sigh, or a slight moan or groan-don't overdo it,
less is more.
Example:
I was trying to rush thru the arport in NY, to make a connecting flight from NY to home. My prevoius flight had been 1-1/2 hours late and I had expected a 2 hr layover to make the connecting flight. That left us with less than 1/2 hour from the time we de-planed until we boarded.

The terminal was about 1 mile away , on the complete other side of the airport and no moving walkways or escalators were working and a baggage push-cart was not in sight.
Rushing thru the terminal was taking its toll on me and I just
decided to stop.

I was carrying a heavy carry-on bag and had a 35 lb backpack on my back - I sat on a stair & just told everyone else to go on ahead, and tell them at the boarding gate, I was bringing up the rear.

At that point my son, who is 6'3", built like a linebacker, and 23 years old, (& is clueless some times,) offered to carry my bag .
Not until I complained did he realize that maybe Dad needed some help this time.

I probably coulda made it, but it was bad enough when I got to the boarding gate, told them to wait just 2 minutes while I ducked into the men's room to pee-and they yelled at me that I couldn't -
"do it on the plane, we're ready to take off."
We then had to carry bags across the tarmac and board by climbing up the steps, to the commuter flight.
By the time I got into my seat, I was 'done-in'.
I really needed that help carrying my bags, and if I hadn't just stopped abruptly, & sat down- no one woulda realized it.