Wake girl,

It sounds like you have been through A LOT with CRPS. I hope the various devices are helping with the pain. I can relate to being young and feeling strange about talking about my health, but sometimes that is all there is to say. Sometimes I tell myself that hopefully some of what they hear will help them to learn about this dreaded illness and either help them ID it early should it happen to them, or at least make them feel better they do not have to suffer like I do. The worst is when someone tries to empathize and ends up telling you about some very minor health issue as if they are in the same boat.

I guess when I look at many others in the world I see that they are much sicker than I am and I comfort myself internally with that knowledge even though I still feel bad for them.

I think part of what makes it hard is that CRPS is a relatively rare condition and therefore most people have never heard of it. Then, when you try and explain it they get confused and this usually ends the attempt at conversation or sympathy or support. Unless someone is really close to you and willing to learn alongside you, most people will mot be able to be very supportive simply because of their lack of knowledge and in some cases, lack of concern for others.

I would not look at talking about yourself and your health as bringing people down. Many times, people want to know and they do care. I just try and pick the best time to discuss it, so it does not turn every social occasion into Grey's Anatomy.

Good luck and feel free to talk about it here as much as you need to.