Ignored, neglected, betrayed when sick

Ignored and neglected when sick
When you get ill, you get sympathy. Warm words, caring, love, affection, prayers, checking-ons.... you think. Maybe if you have flu you will get all that, for a short while. Not if you have something else. Definitely not if you are seriously ill. Then what you get is people turning their backs on you. People going away. People right away disappearing from your life. Severe chronical illness seems to sort true friends from those who just pretend friendship. Most seem to have just pretended. Suddenly they have much to do, somewhere else. Suddenly they are busy. Somewhere else. Suddenly they don't have time - for you.

Okey we who are chronically ill don't need that. We do not deserve bad treatment. Therefore we withdraw. What happens to us is human. It happened even to our Lord Jesus Christ. When he needed support, his friends were sleeping. Not one hour could they stay awake with him and support him in his struggle. He even asked them for support - I have not asked. And He, too, was betrayed by one of His closest friends. It must have hurt Him enormously. For I have noticed that too - closest friends get very distant when you need their support. They are even the biggest cowards to betray you when it suits their own intests. They are not defending you against other world - they are letting other world smash you in their feet if defending would demand an effort or taking part officially, publicly. You get to think they are ashamed of you, not proud of you.

In the end, getting seriously and chronically ill is a blessing. It really shows you very clearly and without doubt who is the real friend. And heavens, they are not so many.