I recently ended an eight year friendship over my illness. I was expected to listen to all my friend's gripes and problems (she is perfectly healthy, not to mention ungrateful.) When I needed to bend her ear--usually it was about my health in some fashion, her eyes would glaze over or she would quickly end the phone call.

I do realize that people can tire over listening to chronic health concerns that they cannot understand. I thought I was tempering it as well as I could. But in the end, I think it's fair to expect support and empathy from those relationships as long as we provide the same back.