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Telling Friends/Family about this Illness

Posted , 2 users are following.

jackie00198
jackie00198

I've recently realized just how little my friends and family understand what I'm going through with this illness. A coupld of friends thought I was mad at them because I haven't gotten in touch, and another friend was sad. When my best friend told me to have a Happy Thanksgiving when I traveled from Los Angeles to San Diego to be with family, that was the final straw. I can barely leave my house, much less travel for 3 hours and then socialize for another 5 or so hours. So I started thinking..how can I expect these people to understand when I haven't even tried to really explain my situation to them? So I just sent out an email to my friends and family explaining my symptoms and what I've been going through. I feel better for having done it. I'll be interested to see if I get any response, and if so, what that response will be.

2 likes, 3 replies

3 Replies

  • Fidd
    Fidd jackie00198

    Posted

    Hope it goes well. It is a difficult thing for others to understand.
  • erika02301
    erika02301 jackie00198

    Posted

    Hi Jackie, I truly hope somebody DOES understand and treats you accordinglysmile

    i have suffered with CFS for years and my husband nor my children ( I am a grand mom of 54) know how I feel.

    all my best Wishes to you!!!!

  • sunshinemb
    sunshinemb jackie00198

    Posted

    Hi Jackie

    I am really sorry to hear that you are in this situation.

    I can empathise completely with you as this has happened to me for the past

    12years.

    I have only one friend who has stuck by me since before I became ill with

    this awful condition and quite frankly I just knew she would.  I had a really

    strong feeling about the ones who would not so it came as no surprise!

    The family...well I gave up trying to maintain contact!

    I was the one that did everything for everyone, being the eldest of 5 siblings,

    but it did not work both ways!

    I have been really fortunate to meet some friends over the past couple of years

    who do not know the old me, so they have no high expectations and some of

    them have other debilitating illnesses so if we can't get together we all 

    just text one another!

    I have given out copies of letters from my Specialist explaining what is wrong with

    me but the still don't want to know!...

    I hope you do get a good response from your friends and family and send them

    as much information and links to websites as you can then they cannot have any 

    excuse not to understand!

    Take care Jackie you are a very strong person and are doing the best you can

    with this awful condition!biggrin

     

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