Exactly, Ozzy. It's not accepted the same way a serious medical condition is, and if it does come out, people shrink away. They shoot each other those looks. I have one friend who does send me cards now and then just to say hello or something with a funny saying, and she also emails and has come to visit (she lives in another city). This is a rare friend, let me tell you.

But I do get tired of seeing that other people can freely share medical conditions publicly--not that everyone wants to or feels comfortable, but at least it does not create a silent stampede in the other direction.

Maybe we need to teach people that it matters to us when people show that they care the same way they do when someone has a serious, life-threatening medical condition.