What Not to Say to a CRPS Sufferer

Things like:

• “Is what you have contagious?”
• “Can’t you just get your leg amputated?” First of all, this would only make matters way worse than what they already are. Second of all, what an incredibly insensitive thing to say. We’re not talking about cutting my hair that can grow back . . . this is my leg. How would you feel if people always asked you can you just get your uterus removed because the period cramps hurt?
• “Ugh! I’m in so much pain today! Stupid sinuses.” I’m not trying to sound like a cold-hearted, unsympathetic bitch, but please realize who you’re speaking to when you tell me how bad your back, your stubbed toe, or your stuffy nose hurts. At least you are dealing with a “trivial,” temporary pain. I feel chronic burning, crushing, stabbing, gnawing unbearable pain every day of my life, and I ache for a cure. If I could deal with a temporary pain, such as a stuffy nose, a stomach ache, etc., I would trade CRPS for that any day.
• “You act like you’re the only one going through something.” Well, I’m not. Everyone has their own problems they have to deal with, but I am the only person in my personal circle that is dealing with this. The only one. You couldn’t possibly imagine how or what I’m truly feeling.
• “You just have to try harder to walk.” I give it my all every single day. No one wants to go through/be like this. Believe me. It’s not just the pain causing me the inability to walk; my nervous system malfunctioned, which causes the nerves to constantly misfire. The nervous system is the most important system in the body as it deals with motor skills i.e. moving your legs, walking, using your hands, tying your shoes, speech, etc. This is why I cannot walk. My brain currently doesn’t even know how to use my leg, so I don’t want to hear I just need to “try harder.”
• “You’re gonna be just fine. I know it.” I’m not currently fine, nor have I been for the past half year, so don’t give me false hope . . . and especially don’t “reassure” me that I’m gonna be fine when you’re not in my shoes.
• “All you need to do is try this . . . . and you’ll be okay. It’ll totally work for you.” I have tried everything. What works for one person doesn’t always work for the next. This is incurable. Everything one tries is trial and error; and unfortunately, everything I have tried is nothing but error.