Friday, February 4, 2011
I need to hear from you on the topic of stigma
Well, I finally got my computer fixed and returned working in tip-top shape. The whole concept of stigma has been rolling around in my head for awhile now. Since I've been diagnosed with Hep C, I've lost a few "friends" and there are family members who are not so compassionate. I can't help but wonder if I had another terminal disease (and not all Hep C patients are terminal - many go into remission but not me) such as cancer or a brain tumor or cardiac problems or lung disease, would they treat me the same? Am I treated differently than those with more "acceptable" illnesses? My gut feeling is yes, that I would have more understanding and more people would reach out but I don't know since I've never suffered any of the other diseases mentioned. Are there any of you out there who has a chronic, terminal condition or know of someone with the experience of another chronic, terminal illnesses that would allow you to make a comparison? I just don't have an answer.
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i don't have a terminal disease, so maybe i can't go here...but i had a thought....i think people just don't know what to do. if you have cancer, that's getting so darn common that people trade chemo stories, they can take you to chemo, they have some sense of an understanding of how to be helpful. in that sense they're more 'comfortable.' if they don't know what to do....and this happens in all areas in life - they distance. i think that's a human fact. we forget that all we have to say is 'i don't know what to do here, how can i help?' for some reason we don't really go there as an option.
ReplyDeletejust a thought....and i *can* post on your blog! grinning.....