[jnewk]

hi everyone

I don't post too much on here but I have to share a bit and maybe ask you all what do you say to the ignorant people who don't understand our disease?

I have a friend (a long time friend) who is very helpful and is a good friend but she is extremely dismissive of my MS. Particularly, the heat. I live in Las Vegas and am having to move in the middle of the summer (not at all a good thing) and I'm doing my best to organize by tasks and my energy according to the heat.

She's the friend who says "oh I have that" or "oh my other friend" bla bla bla. I've tried to explain to her that I am not talking about a normal level of heat intolerance...the kind anyone would have here in the desert I'm talking about its dangerous for me. Dangerous. I'm also a heart patient and am on a lot of heart meds. the heat is dangerous for that too. but she is always so dismissive and its frustrating to me.

She is an extremely self-obsessed person (I think she's bipolar) so I give her allowance for that interfering with her lack of empathy. But I don't know what to say to her to make her "get it". And I doubt anyone could say anything but it just irritates the crap out of me.

Because I'm moving and because she's been helpful to me (she loaned me some money)....she feels like she can do or say whatever. If I didn't need her help I would just keep my distance until some time had passed. I know this sounds like high school garbage but its a real problem for me.

Any suggestions? Similar experiences?