X's and O's!!! and How to Deal with Sick People

A really special friend, known as GottaLaff on Twitter, reminds me today that it's good to let people know how much they mean to you.

I logged on to Twitter this morning, and, better than fishing at a fishing hole teaming with great fish, GottaLaff popped up with a message right away to me:

I've been struggling with a lupus flare for months now, and I've not been on Twitter as much as I would have liked, and frankly, I miss some of my friends in Twitterville, like Laffy.

After a brief exchange, I told her that she gave me hope.  I didn't mean it as though, "all hope is lost" and "I'm so depressed", but just a simple point of wow!  Someone out there cares!  It's not like I'm this lonely waif with no hope, honestly!

Look at her post - look at the x's and o's - look at all those exclamation points!!!  How could I not feel better with all that?

Here's what it's about, plain and simple.  For all the stupid stuff I'm dealing with (lupus just cycles through, much like a really long rollercoaster with twists and turns, drops and climbs), there is but ONE thing that helps.  Just one thing.

Make me smile.

Mr. Blondetwit gets it, and doesn't really ask "How are you doing?".   My mother hovers, which is really difficult.

Which reminds me to tell you, for everyone asking "How are you doing?", the inquiry is appreciated, as it's honestly nice to know you care, but it's hard to tell the truth, because when your crappy, I don't like to give it the light of day by voicing it directly.  I've learned that it's better to say, "I hope you're feeling better!" I hate being disingenuous by saying, "I'm fine". when clearly I'm not.  I don't lie, so my point is don't take me there.  Lying is the same as giving it voice in the first place.  No one likes to hear someone's crappy - it brings down their day as well. 

When you're face to face with someone struggling with disease, whatever it may be, find something to compliment, even if it's only "It's good to see you smile!"  And you may want to start out by helping to make them smile in the first place.  When you're not face to face and can't see if they're smiling, just tell them you hope they're making progress.  It's that simple.  Wish us peace.  It's always in short supply.

Whatever you do, keep up the x's, o's and those blessed exclamation points!  They're awesome!!!!

XOXOXOXO!!!!!

See, you smiled!  You had to!

You're all very appreciated, by the way!!!!  (Especially GottaLaff!)

By the way, Mr. Blondetwit, may not ask how I'm doing, but he is the King of Cheap Laughs, and that's the finest, most valuable medicine in all the world.  I'm flush with that!

For the rest of you who aren't named here as being appreciated - you know who you are - YOU ARE APPRECIATED TOO! Really!  It would just get a little, well, you know - maudlin - if I started naming you all here.  Thanks!