There are many faces of each person walking this earth. We are individual and different and yet, in a lot of ways, we are the same. I can look at my oldest daughter and see almost a mirror image of myself. I can look at my youngest daughter and see a great deal of her father. Funny how that works. Today though, I want to talk about one face of me in particular. The face of a person suffering with Fibromyalgia.
I was diagnosed with fibro about 16 years ago. I didn't know a thing about it except for the information my family doctor gave me - "it is inflammation and there is no cure. You have a terminal illness!" Those were his exact words. Then he said, "we don't know enough about this disease for me to tell you what to expect or even to know how to treat it. I'll give you a prescription for anti-depressants and a muscle relaxer. You will need to figure out how to deal with it from there." Well, thanks a lot! I am not depressed. Never have been, to my knowledge. The muscle relaxers knock me out for 8-10 hours and he wrote the script for 3 times a day! I only took those when I was in so much pain I just couldn't function anymore. I don't take them at all anymore just because I felt like I had a hangover the day after taking one. Even though I slept really well for 10 hours the night before.
So, in case you are reading this and think (like so many others) that fibromyalgia is a "fake" disease, let me assure you, there is nothing fake about this. Let me explain a few of the symptoms I live with on a daily basis. Some are ongoing and some are not. But before I start that, let me just say, not everyone with fibro has the same symptoms as I do. As a matter of fact, from all the research I've done and all the materials I've read, there are hundreds of symptoms and no two people have all the same ones. Probably why they just don't know exactly how to treat it.
For me, the symptoms are varied. I have some pain somewhere on a daily basis. Not always bad pain, but pain just the same. I have bouts of IBS that sometimes just start out of the blue. It's embarrassing to have to call and cancel plans because you can't stay out of the bathroom or you're afraid to leave the house because of the same reason! I have places on my body that get extremely tender to the touch. So if you come up to me to give me a hug, don't be offended if I cringe a little. It's not you, I'm just having a sensitive day. I have super sensitivity to light, sound and smells. All of which can cause migraines. Fortunately, I have found Frankinsense helps with the migraines. I tend to have the most pain from the waist down. Hip joints, knees, feet are most prone to pain. I also have Osteoarthritis in those joints as well as my hands. I have balance issues. So if you see me walking and weaving, I haven't been drinking it's just part of my life. I have something called costochrondritis (not sure if that is spelled right) which my doctor called "phantom chest wall pain" and it feels like a heart attack. I have sleep apnea and use a c-pap machine every night so I don't stop breathing while I sleep. I have some anxiety issues that flare their ugly head every once in a while.
So, with all of that, you might ask how do I treat it. Well, I have to make sure I get plenty of rest - at least 8 hours every night. I try to exercise, but some times that is impossible. I try to eat the way I should and I do well with that most of the time. I have to keep my stress levels to a minimum which can be difficult at times. Mostly, I have learned (as has my family) when I have done too much and pushed to far. When that happens, we all know it and feel it. I don't take any medications, at this time, because I just don't like how I feel when taking them. I am learning to use essential oils in place of man made chemicals, and they seem to be helping.
Without going into way more detail, I'll just say this. Please don't feel sorry for me because I have fibro. Don't treat me differently. If you are reading this and have questions, please feel free to ask. I'll answer to the best of my ability. And by all means, if you have a loved one diagnosed with this disease, 1. be understanding, 2. read everything you can get your hands on about the disease, and 3. be an advocate for that family member. There are so many people out there who have this disease a lot worse than me. We need to learn more about it and we need to understand each other.
I am not sharing this because I want people to feel sorry for me. I share because it's a part of who I am. It does not define me as a person but it is a real part of my every day life. I also know that God is my strength and He gives me what I need on a daily basis. I know as long as I lean on Him, I will never be left disappointed or alone!
Blessings!
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