Empathy

When I was in high school my friend Anna hated coming over to my house because she was allergic to cats. She always still came though because she loved me and because the cats were better than her parents.

But she would get all stuffed up and her eyes would itch and she would be so miserable. And I would pity her but in that way that you never really understand pain. Sympathy is what they call it.

Now, three years later I have found empathy. There are no cats and there are no allergies. Just my immune system in its malfunctioning glory threatening to kill me right here right now.

They called me The Snot Factory last night after I went through a half box of Kleenex Family Size Lotion Tissues (Nos mouchoirs les plus apaisants!) while watching a movie. I can't go places because standing for longer than a minute makes me all confused.

I take drugs intravenously and drink lots of fluids and feel guilty for all the times I just rolled my eyes at Anna.