Saturday, August 4, 2012

What Not To Say and What To Say!

I have lots of friends and I love them all very dearly and I am so thankful for them being in my life. Since finding out that I have Ehlers Danlos I have however found that the good intentions of friends can hurt and belittle me and I have also found that the misunderstanding of what chronic illness is and feels like has actually cost me some friendships as the "good intentions" of some of those friends is not what I want or need and because that is misunderstood new boundaries have had to be set in my life. This to me is very sad and hurts my heart very badly but I am all that I have to keep me safe so it has become what it has become.  This might not make much sense to some of you but those with a chronic illness may just understand.

Anyone who has a chronic illness, or two or three or more at the same time, can relate to this and those people who have never had a chronic illness, or those who have people in their lives who have a chronic illness need to READ THIS and take it to heart. The second link gives ideas of kinds of ways to express your concern and love for those you know that deal with chronic illnesses.
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/turning-straw-gold/201206/what-those-chronic-pain-or-illness-don-t-want-hear-you-say