Friday's Open Thread

[hollzilla]

You're free to comment about anything, whether it relates to the interests of the community or not.

No nudity, please.
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No personal attacks.

Comments

[kaowolfie]

I am... so irritated right now. I mentioned elsewhere that I have painful nerve damage in my face, as a side note to a comment about my damn hair, and so I had some "well meaning" person ask if I wanted to know how they "cured" a similar ailment. And, well, no, I don't want to hear it, because people like that always suggest Reiki or homeopathy or some other kind of bullshit that doesn't do anything. My doc and I have spent years finding the right drugs for me in the right dosages, through a lot of trial and error, and no random person is going to know more than we do about my rare disorder.

The worst part is I caught myself being ~nice~ in telling them this, being the good cripple, instead of explaining how upsetting and patronizing that behavior is. After two weeks of being in a very bad pain flare (I was screaming yesterday, when my normal response is to shutdown and go non-verbal), confronting the fact that I will always be in pain = ruined my day completely.

so I'm glad for the rant space. x.x

[hollzilla]

I hope things start looking up for you - nerve damage isn't a fun thing. If I may ask, what kind of disorder do you have?

[kaowolfie]

Eh, it won't - it's been the same level of badness for six years. There's no point in hoping it gets better. Which sounds really beaten down, probably, but having no expectation of change actually makes it easier to handle the daily grind of the pain. >.>;

It's atypical trigeminal neuralgia/neuropathy (take yer pick), secondary to a fairly complex reconstructive surgery on my jaws. It has a triggering derogatory nickname that I only bust out to make go away people who get in my face and try to insist it can't be that bad, or that it surely can be cured somehow. Thankfully, there's not many of those...

[hollzilla]

That's a good point.

I understand what you mean about people who try to get into your face - I'm deaf, and I ALWAYS get people apologizing for the fact that I'm deaf... so I just apologize right back to them for the fact that they're hearing. Not exactly the same situation as yours, but I've been deaf my entire life and I function pretty well if I say so.

Some people are dumb, really. There's much better people out there. And you're awesome, I couldn't imagine being in that kind of pain for six years. *hugs*

[kaowolfie]

I don't get why deafness freaks out hearing people. I mean, I am hearing, but it's really not that hard to look at folks head-on so they can read your lips if necessary or to not mumble if they've got some hearing but need you to speak clearly, or whatever it is they need. Nor is it that hard to just *ask* what someone needs! Then again, I grew up with an older brother who's half-deaf (no hearing in his left ear) and a deaf family friend, so I guess got trained early in how to not be dumb to deaf/hard-of-hearing people. ;) Though I may sometimes have mumbled just to piss my brother off when he was being a jerk. /cough

[hollzilla]

One thing that really gets on my nerves is when they tell (sometimes demand) me that I should get a cochlear implant. That's a sticky issue with deaf people (culturally or non-culturally deaf); and I usually nod and ignore them. But sometimes they press the issue and I tell them that I CAN'T get a cochlear implant - I'm deaf 'cause my vestibulocochlear nerve is completely dead, or just doesn't exist (it's the nerve that connects the ear to the brain).

Then they ask if it's the issue with all deaf people....... *sigh* No. No it isn't.

Man, I'm jealous of you for having an awesome doctor. That's really wonderful.

Wait, chocolate cake topped with flan topped with cajeta? Where? :D

[paulnolan]

some "well meaning" person ask if I wanted to know how they "cured" a similar ailment. And, well, no, I don't want to hear it, because people like that always suggest Reiki or homeopathy or some other kind of bullshit that doesn't do anything

My (ex, now) shrink suggested Reiki for my bipolar (and was in a hair's breadth of suggesting homeopathy until I cut in with "what next - the magic water bullshit?" and she got all flustered XD). OT I know, but it reminded me.

Anyway, I hear ya on "well-meaning" folks... rage on and have *hugs* if you want 'em.

[hollzilla]

Oh god, I have been suggested Reiki for my bipolar so many times, it gets annoying.

[soundofherwings]

No one has suggested it to me yet, surprisingly. Most just tell me to eat organic and work out. Oh, and one person insisted it'd go away if I quit playing D&D, haha. *sigh*

[hollzilla]

I eat organic and work out. Well, that's basically what I have been doing for most of my life. And dude, that's kinda dumb, quitting playing D&D?

[soundofherwings]

The person is very religious and claimed I'm letting demons into my life to screw with my brain by playing an "evil" game.

[hollzilla]

Ah, the religious ones. I get amusing comments.

[kaowolfie]

An evil game teaching you to be creative and encouraging social ties! The devil loves it when people make friends, don't you know.

[arctowardthesun]

WAT

My mom thinks I play too much D&D (which may actually be true as it's sort of consuming my life) but at least she hasn't gone that far.

[luminousmotion]

My dad is like that. It can be very very frustrating. However, I went to a Reiki therapist/practitioner and she really helped a lot with my allergies.

[kaowolfie]

Seriously, this was not the right thing to say in this situation. The placebo effect is not medical treatment.