AITA for talking about my medical problems?

Not the A-hole

I (23F) am chronically ill. I’m in kidney failure and need a transplant. I go to dialysis three times a week for three hours and fifteen minutes, (really and truly my day starts at 9:30AM and I usually get home around 4-4:30PM so it’s more than just three hours) been going for four years now. I also have a slew of other medical problems that are tacked on. I’m unable to do a lot of things that I’d like to, plus the doctors appointments and hospital visits that come with. (I’ve spent most of my life in and out of the hospital from the age of 16 to now, 23) Anyway, a friend of mine showed me a video they thought was funny and that reminded them of me today. I laughed it off in the moment but it legitimately made me feel like they see me as someone who just wants attention and that all I talk about is my illness. The video was one of those making fun of people who post themselves while they’re in the hospital, making everything seem way worse than it is. I have (to my knowledge and remembrance) never done it to that extreme. I know I’ve posted one picture of my hospital wristband, once, on Snapchat/Instagram when I was 16-17 (but who hasn’t at that age ya know?) Most of the time when I was at the hospital I was too sick to even move, let alone post anything. I believe they didn’t mean it maliciously, as we do joke around as friends similarly, but it’s never been about my sickness like that, until now. The only thing I can think of as to why, is during our small group at church, I sometimes (and by sometimes I mean I’ve mentioned it maybe 4 separate times while I’ve been going to the small group) talk about scenarios that happen at dialysis that are relevant to what we’re talking about. But at this point in my life, I don’t really have anything else going on that I can relate to conversations. Dialysis takes up most of my life. The days I do have off, I usually try and help my dad work at our family farm, help my mom around the house, or I go to appointments for the other medical problems I have. I’ve stopped mentioning dialysis at all while I’m around my friends because I feel like no one wants me to bring it up and ruin the moment. I love my friends, I really do, and I think they love me as well. It’s just, I feel as if I’m an outsider and I’m the “freak with all the health problems” while I’m around them sometimes. They pray for me, I know they do, I’ve heard them myself. And I know they’re praying I get a transplant, and they want that for me, but it still just feels like I’m not to talk about what I’m going through cause it reinforces the idea that I’m looking for attention. Also, yes I am aware of the irony of posting all of this online, looking for strangers input on the internet. I guess my question is, am I really mentioning my illness too much? Or is this all in my head and I’m overthinking a silly video?

Posted May 5, 2025, 2:17 AM UTC

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