I was eating dinner with Amy, Mom, and Dad in a diner-type restaurant on the second or third floor of a mall. We were chatting as we usually do.

I mentioned that I have a friend whose girlfriend was recently diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (this is true). Then I mentioned that this was the same disease that paralyzed half of Aunt Kush’s face.

At this point they all looked at me like I was a complete ass and said, “No it’s not! Aunt Kush’s condition is caused by a palsy!” (I think they might have even said it was cerebral palsy.) They then made several comments which seemed designed just to humiliate me. Amy was particularly mean about it. I don’t remember exactly what they said.

I couldn’t stand it and got up and walked quickly away. I hate being made to feel stupid, but from own my family it was unbearable.

Eventually one of them came over to try to cajole me into coming back, but it still seemed pretty clear that they thought I was just being silly, and that I had deserved the mockery they gave me.