OHMYGOSH!
It's gonna take a minute to digest all of this....my eyes are wanting to brim over and I'm not quite sure why.....
WOW. You guys are amazing. Talk about hit the nail on the head! It really IS amazing how, in general, we pre-judge a person by their looks, and totally disregard the heart. And I KNOW in my heart that I would never turn my back on a friend/family member that suddenly got hit with an "ugly stick". :-)

I bet more than a few of us can relate to the following; You go into a store where you've known the employees quite a while after not being around for a week or two....you see someone and say "hi". They have an look of recognition; followed instantly by a brief flash of curiosity; then comes the "pained" look and the averting of eyes; followed shortly by "oh my God, what happened?". Then they are suddenly too busy to listen to the answer in any more than the fewest possible number of words.
It's happened to me over and over and over.

It was really refreshing to see an old client this afternoon for the first time since surgery-she just smiled at me, placed her hand on my lower lip/face area, and KEPT SMILING.
No "I'm so sorry" or "it'll get better". Just simple human contact and compassion. I was dumbfounded and delighted. In it I believe I can see my faith in human lovingkindness begin to be rekindled.
I feel much the same way now after having read what you folks have shared. Thank you from the bottom of my (slightly less wretched) heart.
These words will be with me for a long time to come, and I truly believe that tremendous strength and resolve resides therein.

Gordon