[Anonymous March 24, 1997 at 1:00 am Post count: 93172]

#1056439

I have been pretty lucky so far. People at work recenly have asked about
why I have “one swollen eye” and “why are there funny lines in
your glasses?” So I usually say, “Remember when I had my thyroid nuked?
Well it is the same thing and is called Graves Disease
and sometimes it does funny things to your eyes. The funny glasses are
just press on prisms so I don’t have to pay for new glasses every few
weeks because my vision is changing.”

So far that has stopped them. One friend says she is worried that I have gained
weight. I tell her, “ME TOO!” So far they are still all my friends.
Since at work we are all a bit crazy from the amount of work, no one
has noticed if I’m a little crazy from all of this or not. I fit
right in with the rest of them. Other than when specifically asked
questions, *I usually don’t mention it*-though I talked about it a lot when I was
first diagnosed 10/94. –Just my 2 cents worth.
Juls

[Anonymous March 24, 1997 at 9:30 am Post count: 93172]

#1163418

I think the problem with friends was at its worst in the initial period. No
one could seem to comprehend why I couldn’t do this or that (I was a total
basket case with the anxiety), I cancelled a lot of plans and got
the big inquisition over it — I used to be the type that would never say
“no” and do too much, running around like crazy all week. I tend to talk ALOT and suddenly hated
being on the telephone…so I was putting off people by not taking calls.
Also, people kept asking WHEN will you feel better, HOW LONG does this
take to “be cured.” I had no idea and wanted to know myself!!

Anyway, now things are fine…the friends that matter most are still there
and are very supportive. The ones who weren’t true friends, well, I don’t miss them.
Besides, “there’s a friend who sticks closer than a brother” who never left
me during the whole ordeal!!!

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