Please don’t blame yourself Kealee. Particularly when you live with a chronic illness you get used to just getting on with it and doing your best not to make a fuss. I think most people in your situation would have done the same thing.

Manners cost nothing and nor does kindness. They shouldn’t make you feel this way and I’m sorry that you’re being disrespected like this. I know that sometimes we can get our timing wrong, or have a lack of filter so we say things without any tact, but that’s when they can help us. If they explain what we just did it can help us to regain those skills. But just saying “shut up” is rude, unhelpful and devalues you.

People are always telling me not ramble, not take forever to share a story, some family members are rude and have no understanding of how difficult it is to live with a brain injury. I’m so sick of being disrespected. For example, how do you respond to someone who tells you to shut up, don’t bother listening to me and ignore me when I have something I would like to share or show to someone and they always say “not now”. I’m getting so frustrated and am sick of being treated like an idiot.

Yes I do think it just gives more reason for bad feelings to grow between the abled community and disabled community. We need to encourage more understanding and compassion rather than throwing out these ideas which make that divide get bigger.

People with a chronic illness don’t need that extra judgment. They have enough to deal with. It’s a bit like saying 50% of people on disability are claiming fraudulently, 50% of disabled people are just fat and lazy or 50% of chronic pain patients are drug addicts.

The statisctics are way off, but people believe them and, as I said, they don’t even see 50% – they all 100%.

Thanks Carole, yes you’re right, no good ever comes from blaming an individual for their disabilities. Of course we need to do all we can to protect others from having such accidents, but be sensitive to those who have already been through it.