A few days ago, I was speaking with a lifelong friend and told her that I did a teleconference with a doctor because I did not feel like getting dressed to go to the doctor. She said “I know exactly what you mean because I felt that way when I had sepsis. I had never felt that way before.”  I thought to myself “boy, I wish that was the only time that I felt that way.”  Since meeting Mr. Grave’s Disease in 1992, I have felt that way many more than one time. I have called in sick and stayed in bed the entire day to be able to go to the doctor the next day on numerous occasions. This person knows me better than anyone else and she is clueless about my condition.

I got a call from a dear friend wondering whether she should go to the hospital. At first glance you might say is she showboating or being melodramatic? She is a very knowledgeable and well-educated person so why is she asking?  I know why. The mind can start turning in circles and you begin to think about unrelated issues, and you become so confused that you do not know what to do so you say I am going to call Caroline she has been in this same situation.

It is so very important to have contact with people who have your chronic condition and can relate to what you are going through.  My friend from my youth and I shared common experiences up until the 90s. Three chronic conditions later and we have very little in common with our day-to-day experiences.  My friend is a very compassionate and caring person and tries to see all sides of an issue, but she cannot relate to my day-to-day experience because she has nothing to base her understanding on.

COPD is a bad dude that many of us must live with, and we cannot expect our normal friends to understand. If they stick with us, they are champions, and we are lucky to have them as friends.