Competing For The Most Serious Illness

[naomi24]

I know a couple of people who, when told someone is ill, never fail to trivialise the problem by cynically telling me that they, or someone close to them, is suffering from something far more serious. It’s almost as though they’re competing for a 'worst illness' award but why is a mystery to me. Do you know anyone like that - and if so, can you explain it?

[anneasquith]

I may well have seen/ heard this, but not enough to annoy me .

[choux]

My maternal gandmother often repeated her favourite saying:

You don't have to look very far to see someone worse off than yourself.

Since my mother died I have never heard that said again. Strange how some people look at life.

[Bobbisox1]

pasta I understand she has a psychotic issue going on which is why I stopped saying anything and just went along with it because not to would have been unfeeling , I am retired now but I know it still goes on with her collapsing and being brought round or someone having to drive her car home then someone else following in their car to pick up the first driver, a lot of work hours lost but as I say, yes, she has a major problem

[MrsLadyBug]

I know Emmie. I have got to the point now of saying 'Not too bad. Mustn't grumble' because I know if I start I will be there all day annoying them.

[DTCwordfan]

Personally, and from experience, it comes partly from empathy and a lack of connection with whoever has told them it, and an unspoken embarrassment as in 'I don't know where to place myself' ......

I've seen it with folk over my mater and her Alzheimer's - one woman telling me that she has been cured of it and there was hope, my cynical reply being 'well I hate to tell you that it is incurable at the moment - unless you are related to Ernest Saunders, he of Guinness fame, who claimed that he had the big A to prevent him going to trial - and then there was a miracle, as he's the only one sufferer that has been cured to date.'

I should have put this is my forthcoming book - damn..... 19 says to launch online....

[DTCwordfan]

10 days....there went my proofing!