I know what you mean, Dana. Because we don't always have casts, slings, bandages, and other dramatic outward signs of severe pain, people tend to dismiss the reality.

I forwarded a very well-written article to a good friend once, and she actually wrote back "WOW! Is that what you are going through?" But, for the most part, it doesn't seem to happen that way.

Don't blame those people. I don't think thay are deliberately trying to minimize us. It's just that they see someone who "appears" to be able to function (all four limbs intact, for instance) and tend to forget that pain is not always visible. I think it part of human nature and also our fast-paced society. Attention spans can be very short. You explain it to someone, and next week, since they don't have that big bandage as a clue, they will have forgotten.

Hang in.

Mike