I don't feel "labeled" by anything really, though I don't mind being called a woman, funny, a nice person, or a "hot babe". I do happen to HAVE some medical conditions. I have hypothyroidism, some rash behind my ears, genital herpes (thanks go to my husband's first wife for cheating on him), high cholesterol, bipolar disorder type 1, near-sightedness, a past history of alcohol abuse, a toenail fungus on my little toes, mitral valve prolapse, and diastema (a gap between my front top teeth, like the Wife of Bath in Chaucer's "Canterbury Tales".)

Actually, come to think about it, I also don't mind being called a "gapped tooth girl", "a survivor", or a "tough gal".

About two weeks ago, I had a toothache in one of my top front teeth. I went to the dentist afraid of the worst. What if he had to pull it out? Luckily, that wasn't necessary, but I told him about my fear and said that I wouldn't have wanted him to replace it in a way that closed the gap. I said that that would make me wonder who I was looking at when I smiled at myself in the mirror. He gave me a big smile saying he understood, pointing to the gap between his own top front teeth.

I guess my point is that I really only like to be called things I want and like to be. I don't want anyone to ever say, "There's a fungus among us!", pointing in my direction. I don't want to be "bipolar", either. But if people want to be, that's their choice if certain symptoms of it are ones they like and want to equate themselves to.