Socializing

The holidays often bring parties and social events.  Many of us with RSD do not work and find that we now have very little in common with the rest of the world.  An example of this for me was this past weekend.  My neighbor was kind enough to invite us to her son's third birthday party.  The majority of the guest ranged from 31 - 41 (our oldest daughter is 30) and children 19 months to 10 years.  I have lots of friends and cousins that are in the same age range as the adults with children in the age range as the children so that wasn't an uncomfortable setting for me.  They had a great bounce house for the kids and many of the adults (which was out of the question for me of course).  I knew everyone there with the exception of one couple.

Since I don't work, have grown children, don't belong to any social organizations, etc. I have very little to talk to.  I don't want to talk about my medical situation (which dominates my life).  So I spent most of the time sitting by myself, just listening to the conversations.  I felt out of place and stupid.  I also have memory difficulties which makes me feel uncomfortable about talking about past events for fear I've remembered them incorrectly.

Unless you have RSD, you don't understand what it is like.  We are isolated much of the time.  Even when we are invited somewhere, we are still isolated.  The longer that we have RSD, the more isolated we are.  Family and friends may try to understand but they really can't.  It is very frustrated.

RSD is called the suicide disease.  Isolation is one big contributing factor (on top of the never ending pain of course).  Isolation is a horrible thing, especially when it happens in a group of people!