How are you feeling ?

When most people ask this question they do not care about you or your health its just a formality, a kindness or fragment of small talk perhaps. It's passing like the weather. When you are saddled with the tyranny of chronic illness and at times fight off Death with shear force of habit the people around you asking "how are you feeling" just want a one word answer. "Good" or "Fine". Those words are safe and will do nicely but if you explain to them how you are truly feeling they become blank, cold and distant. It's not their fault they have no reference point to the pain or frustration or talks with doctors who use words like "fatal illness" or "disability" but God Damn if you do ask "how are you feeling" be prepared to hear an honest answer. Otherwise just keep the small talk to yourself.