whenever I mention to anyone that I have SJS an autoimmune disease......

[paperdoll]

heck, I'm free to decide who I keep on my friend list these days.  If anything this disease is teaching me about people and stress that I need to avoid!!
Thanks again for all your enlightening comments.  I will keep reading posts and absorbing like a sponge.  Maybe one day I'll be able to assist others with my knowledge and experience and empathy of their condition.  Have a super weekend!    

You are wonderful!

[paperdoll]

Now my usual approach, when possible, is to start laughing when I mishear something (and know that I misheard) that comes out funny, I share what I heard with them. "Fortunately, usually people didn't actually say what I heard!"

I find the spoons theory very useful, and with those who know about it, I just say that I'm short on spoons now and can't. Or if they want to go somewhere cold I just tell them that I have Raynaud's and my fingers and toes will freeze. Or it is too cold to go outside, and if I try I'll cough myself into unconsciousness. I just go by symptom for the conditions.

But as I said, I think I hang around a higher class of people -- lots of people with disabilities, musicians, Masons, etc.

You are very inspirational and I too will start concentrating on my higher class of people (gotta let the no show friends go   )