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How do you answer the question, "How are you?"

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Posted 6/2/2008 2:40 AM (GMT 0)
My answer really depends upon who is asking the question. With my mom and husband, I am completely honest. With my co-workers, I say I am doing well and leave it at that (even if I want to go home and go to bed). I prefer not to discuss my disease at work. With my friends, I usually say I am doing alright, unless I am feeling pretty bad. I will confess to that with those friends who I know are sincere in asking.
Posted 6/2/2008 1:09 PM (GMT 0)
to you guys, I would say I am physically and mentally drained!

To my family and a few close friends I have been pretty up front. Though when I was having a really tough day mentally saturday and was talking to my sister, she was so sweet but she asked me what exactly my flare was, so I told her I had blood gushing out of my ass everytime I pooped........yeah it was a little melodramatic and TMI, but........

To acquantancies, I say, "hanging in there" or "good, how are you", depending on how I feel.
Posted 6/4/2008 4:20 PM (GMT 0)

To be honest with co-workers or family when I say not feeling well today they all just go oh at this point.  I believe after a while like anything else people get tired of hearing you complain.  Especially if you don't exactly look like you are on your death bed.  When having a weak day or just a lousy feeling day I guess I sometimes want sympathy from those I love and work with but after a while I say who cares and I go to bed to rest and hope tomorrow will be a better day. 

Stacy

Posted 6/4/2008 4:34 PM (GMT 0)
when I'm not doing good, my answer also depends on who is asking the question. If it's immediate family or good friends, I'll say I feel like crap.........Anybody else will usually get the typical "Good, how are you doing?"
Posted 6/4/2008 6:51 PM (GMT 0)
I'm another that says "okay" or "fine" regardless. If it's not just polite chit chat and they really want to know, they'll say, "No really... how ARE you?" Then I'd give an abbreviated version of the truth and thank them for their concern. Even folks that truly care really don't want to hear endless gory details and they don't know how to respond to it. Actually, when I was sick, I got tired of being asked all the time.
Posted 6/4/2008 7:32 PM (GMT 0)

Meesh said...
I just say "Fine." Nobody really wants to know. As I used to tell my students when I was teaching ESL overseas, "How are you?" really just means "Hello" and the only acceptable answers are "Fine" or "OK" and people hardly even stick around long enough for you to get that out after they say
How are you?"
Meesh

So true. Actually, it kind of annoys me when people ask how I'm doing but then walk away before I can answer. Because I always respond "Not too bad, you?" and then I look stupid because they're already gone and not answering. I don't know, I just feel like if you don't care, don't ask!
Posted 6/4/2008 8:16 PM (GMT 0)
THis reminds me of an elderly man I work with. When someone asked him how he was doing about a week after he had come back from being sick he said "good I think." I loved his honesty.
I like to say i'm doing good, but I think to myself good at the moment since I mainly feel bad only during a bowel movenement.
I'm going to start a new thread b/c I don't know how to anser this question at the Doctors..
Posted 6/4/2008 8:48 PM (GMT 0)
about a yr ago I answered "Trying to survive!" after the local union rep bumped into me getting off an elevator at work & asked "How are you?" That totally spontaneous reply got me a very empathetic response-- probably because the union rep was diagnosed with diabetes a while back. My experience with others over time is that people with chronic health problems understand what trouble & complications mean-- whereas those who breeze thru life totally energetic & healthy rarely do, nor do they care to hear about our difficulties. A wise aunt of mine used to say: "Smile and the world smiles along with you." She returned home from hospitalization for diabetic coma (ca. age 70) & mopped her own kitchen floor within the hour! / Old Hat (nearly 30 yrs with left-sided UC; currently on 3 Colazal daily for maintenance of remission)
Posted 6/4/2008 9:09 PM (GMT 0)
It's always nice when someone genuinely wants to know how you are though... Like, instead of the "how are you?" they will say "Are you okay? You seem kind of quiet today". It makes me feel nice when people notice that I'm not well even when I think that I'm doing a good job of looking okay, because it lets me know that they really do pay attention.
Posted 6/6/2008 2:40 AM (GMT 0)
I completely understand. I manage approx 200 people and everyday i hear the questions plenty. My stock responses are...

making it
can't complain
fair to partly cloudy
I'll make it
I'm OK

when I'm really thinking about the fact that I have no blood (less than 7.5)...again and my knees, feet, and face are swelling (love that pred)...again while i am holding my side like my colon is going to fall out onto the floor in mid conversation if i let go.

UC - 3 yrs
in and out of the hospital for the first 8 months
250 lbs solid, dropped to 180
mild problems until approx 2 months ago
finally, in the last week, got it under some signs of control again
colazal, imuno, regularly
pred, rowasa, slow FE when needed
Posted 6/6/2008 2:18 PM (GMT 0)
Yeah, I also say "I am doing ok but could be better."
Posted 6/7/2008 8:31 AM (GMT 0)
i think a good old honest 'my guts hurt and my rectum is killing me' would be fun to say just to see the expression on their face!
LOL

or.. maybe a 'how would you feel if your guts felt like they were about to drop thru your bumhole?  great thanks!'

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