Having a chronic illness is a great way to lose friends. Duncan Cross knows something about this. He shares his insights, with those who also have a chronic condition, and also with those who are healthy but care about someone who is chronically ill.
"Illness might be the most isolating and alienating experience a person can know. Lots of well people simply have no clue how to relate to someone with a chronic and catastrophic illness. That sort of thing is scary even just to witness. They hope (or assume) you’ll get better, and then they won’t have to deal with whatever you’re going through – but when that takes too long, they drift away."
Duncan has learned some things the hard way, and he'd like to save you some of that same grief. Healthy people don't automatically know how best to relate to someone who is ill. The person who is chronically ill has within their reach ways to help form and direct on-going relationships with well-meaning friends.
http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2010/04/sick-friends.html