The Bad News, the Good News and a Lesson

My neurologist was very concerned that I was losing ground and actually getting worse when he saw me the end of last month,  so he ordered the spinal tap that was done last Tuesday.   The tests on the spinal fluid confirmed that the Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) is chronic, and again ruled out other bad things - good news.    I can hardly walk now and the deterioration in my hands and fingers is making it more difficult to type and do things using my hands.

I wish I could start this week, but beginning Monday for four hours a day, five days in a row I will  be hooked up to intravenous high dose immunoglobin therapy.    I sure have had my share of misery these past several months.  This has a lot of side effects so it isn't going to be fun or easy, but I hope this treatment enables me to finally kick this thing.

The Lesson:  Another example of the callous behavior I've endured since I came down with all this

Just what kind of person makes fun of, and actually celebrates the health problems of someone who extended their house and hospitality to them?

This e-mail message came from a person I met and befriended a few years ago on an internet sewing board.  It was sent soon after the onset of the baffling, undiagnosed neurological problems that I described online.   At the time I was in very bad shape.  Receiving this shocked me since I had not heard from that person in almost a year.   I discussed it with my family,  and a week later I responded with some pointed questions.  Was it meant to be sent to me, or did they accidentally add my name to the reply list?   Either way,  I told her that to say things like this about me was cruel and insensitive.   Given that the individual obviously never had any class, I never got a response, apology -  nothing.   I'm not sure of the identity of others involved in this messaging,  but I have a pretty good idea.

From:     xxxxx
    Subject:     i bad
    Date:     September 7, 2010 10:01:55 PM EDT
    To:     Terri K

does this mean she not able  to run around  with that damn hand heald vacum cleaner when people are trying to watch  TV  this could be a good thing

A couple of months later the same individual merrily joined the party to disparage me, and trash my reputation on the same internet sewing (?) board.   The bullies had lots of "fun" with that.    Any excuse is a good excuse.    Doesn't take much to ignite narcissistic bullies, no matter their age, especially in an online forum.

The lesson and a word of caution -- Don't think you ever really "know" people who post on internet boards or social media.  Many of the attention seekers who play in those internet playgrounds have behavioral issues, and and are NOT always people you want to be "friends" with.   Think twice about inviting them into your house or life, no matter how witty, intellectual, caring or sweet an image they project online.   And if you think you have better friends on the internet than "in real life" - Wow !  you're definitely spending too much time online and need to get a real life.