I even think I got the singular "they" down here. I think this cartoon influenced the direction of the post more than I would have liked. (http://everydayfeminism.com/2015/05/hurtful-things-said-to-people-with-chronic-pain/)

But I've also encountered kind, caring people during the process as well, including the nurse with Lyme Disease who told another customer to give me a break. The worst, however, are those who assume that suffering from a chronic condition means that the condition affected my intelligence. Fortunately, I have rarely encountered such people.