This is an example of why people in pain turn to suicide: If platitudes don't help, no one wants to get involved.  Kristy, if you're out there, here's my response:  Warriors go down in battle, and then, as often as not, historically, they've been left there on the field.  An injured warrior is now just a sick person, not very interesting to anyone else, unless they can get paid to help them.  What happens to them depends on how busy their compatriots are with their own concerns.  As a "fighter", I always went to bat when I felt it was needed; and I never backed down or took "No", not as a friend, not on the streets, not in my job as a social worker.  Now that I'm injured, in intractable pain, losing my house, unable to get my violent, mentally ill mother out of it so I can sell (really), tired beyond tired of arguing with docs about how I'm really in worse pain than I look to be and need meds until I can get the next injection or ablation, or surgery.....I see the wisdom in the selfish unwillingness of others to help or get involved, which is not to say I've adopted their stance. I just see it more clearly.  They're instinctually inclined to protect themselves, others be damned.  Well, I'd rather die that live that way, and the time is coming for me to get my wish.  I don't regret helping those I have, even though it's exhausted me to do so.  My friends haven't given their strength to me as I've given to others, and I do rather resent that, but I know that's just my thing. The most I get is advice on what I should do, despite my remarks that I'm too sick or in pain to keep up with any of it.  The friends I've listened to, hugged, and helped by driving to doctors, waiting up at night in the ER, and so on have no problem saying "No" when I ask if my (very good, tiny) dogs can stay with them while I go to court to get a restraining order against my mother. I feel disappointed in my fellow humans - disgusted, really - but I know that's a matter of taste, not morality.  My only concern now is my innocent, loving pets, who do give their all and are very attached to me.  They don't deserve the grief and fear they'll have to go through, after I'm gone.  You and others like us have your fighting spirit, which few others like you can appreciate; and no one and no indignity can take it away.  In the end, I guess, all we have is ourselves, and we had better be comfortable with who we are.  Go in peace, sister.