After many years of being mostly housebound by chronic illness (which includes chronic pain), here are a few of the dilemmas I’ve faced over and over. I’m confident that I’m not alone in my “should I/shouldn’t I?” world.
Do I accept an invitation from a friend to get together or do I refuse it?
If I refuse the invitation, depending on who issued it, it may be the last one I’ll receive from this person. In addition, if I refuse, I’ll feel even more isolated from in-person contact than I already do.
If I accept the invitation, I might be too sick to visit when the day arrives. I don’t want to disrupt my friend’s plans in this way. Before I became chronically ill, I was so dependable; I wish I could be that way now. Not keeping a commitment tends to make me feel bad about myself, and that’s not good for me, so sometimes it feels more self-protective to just turn down an invitation from the start.
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