I don't get the comment too often, because I almost never tell anyone about me having Sjögren's...
(Wait a minute hold the presses! I just installed a mathematics and engineering add in for MS Word and now whenever I type Sjögren's I get the diaeresis on the o now. See? It happened again! That's completely unexpected.)
Anyway, back to my thoughtful and insightful post. I am in engineering school where it is highly competitive, so I don't want anyone to know as it might make me less desirable as a team member. That is, until something happens and I just can't go anymore. In my situation downplaying the problems I have with Sjögren's gives me more 'credibility' whenever I do have to come clean with everyone and take a break.
What I have got from people all week is something like,
"Hey Anthony, did you know that Williams woman has Sjögren's too?"
"Yeah."
"Wow, she must be really inspirational to you having the same problem you do and all!"
"Not Really."
"Well why not!?!"
"I'm doing just as much as you are in this competitive and mentally challenging career we have chosen. I'm already running at peak capacity and I don't need someone to inspire me to do more. Don't get me wrong, I watched her play live and I was cheering the whole way. If anything, the inspiring part of that was how she stepped up when it counted and truly dominated Sharapova to silence the critics"
"Well it's inspiring to me to see someone like her overcome all the disadvantages she has faced. Can you imagine all the uncertainty she has to face? I read an article on her and it said she can suddenly get tired. It caused her training partner to leave her as he thought she wasn't taking tennis seriously. Gosh, it must be awful to not know when you will be stricken with fatigue and pain and not have people believe you."
"When it's finals week and I have been up for 28 hours straight and I take a nap on the couch, maybe it will "inspire" you to let me sleep for a while..."
"HA! No problem, see you later."