It's Fibromyalgia Awareness Day

I didn't write this. It's just something I found - and it's pretty much right on...




FOR ANYONE WHO SUFFERS OR KNOW SOMEONE WHO SUFFERS FROM FIBROMYALGIA.

1. MY PAIN---MY PAIN IS NOT YOUR PAIN. IT IS NOT CAUSED BY INFLAMMATION.TAKING ARTHRITIS MEDICATION WILL NOT HELP ME. I CANNOT WORK MY PAIN OUT OR SHAKE IT OFF. IT IS NOT EVEN A PAIN THAT STAYS PUT. TODAY IT IS MY SHOULDER, BUT TOMORROW IT MAY BE IN MY FOOT OR GONE. MY PAIN IS BELIEVED TO BE CAUSED BY IMPROPER SIGNALS SENT TO THE BRAIN. IT IS NOT WELL UNDERSTOOD BUT IT IS REAL...

2. MY FATIGUE---I AM NOT MERELY TIRED.I AM OFTEN IN A SEVERE STATE OF EXHAUSTION. I MAY WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES BUT I CANT.PLEASE DO NOT TAKE THIS PERSONALLY. IF YOU SAW ME SHOPPING AT THE MALL YESTERDAY BUT I CANT HELP YOU WITH THE YARD WORK TODAY, ITS NOT CAUSE I DON'T WANT TO. I AM NOW PAYING THE PRICE FOR STRESSING MY MUSCLES BEYOND THEIR CAPABILITY.

3. MY FORGETFULNESS---THOSE OF US WHO SUFFER CALL IF "FIBRO FOG". I MAY NOT REMEMBER YOUR NAME, BUT I DO REMEMBER YOU. I MAY NOT REMEMBER WHAT I PROMISED TO DO FOR YOU, EVEN THOUGH YOU JUST TOLD ME SECONDS AGO. MY PROBLEM HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH MY AGE BUT MAY BE RELATED TO SLEEP DEPRIVATION. I DO NOT HAVE SELECTIVE MEMORY. ON SOME DAYS I JUST DONT HAVE ANY SHORT TERM MEMORY AT ALL...

4. MY CLUMSINESS---IF I STEP ON YOUR TOES OR RUN INTO YOU FIVE TIMES IN A CROWD, I AM NOT PURPOSEFULLY TARGETING YOU.I DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH MUSCLE CONTROL FOR THAT. IF YOU ARE BEHIND ME ON THE STAIRS, PLEASE BE PATIENT. THESE DAYS I TAKE LIFE AND STAIR WELLS ON STEP AT A TIME...

5. MY SENSITIVITIES---I JUST CANT STAND IT. IT COULD BE ANY NUMBER OF THINGS; BRIGHT LIGHT, LOUD OR HIGH PITCHED NOISES, ODORS. SO DONT MAKE ME OPEN THE DRAPES OR LISTEN TO YOUR CHILD CRY. I REALLY CANT STAND IT.

6..MY INTOLERANCE---I CANT STAND HEAT OR HUMIDITY. IF I AM A MAN, I SWEAT PROFUSELY. IF I AM A WOMAN, I SWEAT PROFUSELY. BOTH ARE EQUALLY EMBARRASSING, SO PLEASE DONT FEEL COMPELLED TO POINT THIS SHORT COMING OUT TO ME. I KNOW. DONT BE SURPRISED IF I SHAKE UNCONTROLLABLY WHEN IT IS COLD. I DONT TOLERATE COLD EITHER. MY INTERNAL THERMOSTAT IS BROKEN AND NO ONE KNOWS HOW TO FIX IT...

7. MY DEPRESSION---YES, THERE ARE DAYS WHEN I WOULD RATHER STAY IN BED OR IN THE HOUSE AND DIE. SEVERE, UNRELENTING PAIN CAN CAUSE DEPRESSION. YOUR SINCERE CONCERN AND UNDERSTANDING CAN PULL ME BACK FROM THE BRINK. YOUR SNIDE REMARKS CAN TIP ME OVER THE EDGE...

8. MY STRESS---MY BODY DOES NOT HANDLE STRESS WELL. IF I HAVE TO GIVE UP MY JOB, WORK PART TIME OR HANDLE RESPONSIBILITIES FROM HOME, I' NOT LAZY. EVERYDAY STRESSES MAKE MY SYMPTOMS WORSE AND CAN INCAPACITATE ME COMPLETELY...

9. MY WEIGHT---I MAY BE FAT OR I MAY BE SKINNY.EITHER WAY, IT IS NOT BY CHOICE. MY BODY IS NOT YOUR BODY. MY APPETITE IS BROKEN AND NO BODY CAN TELL ME HOW TO FIX IT...

10. MY NEED FOR THERAPY---IF I GET A MASSAGE EVERY WEEK, DONT ENVY ME. MY MASSAGE IS NOT YOUR MASSAGE.CONSIDER HOW A MASSAGE WOULD FEEL IF THAT CHARLEY HORSE YOU HAD IN YOUR LEG LAST WEEK WAS ALL OVER YOUR BODY. MASSAGING IT OUT WAS VERY PAINFUL, BUT IT HAD TO BE DONE. MY BODY IS KNOT FILLED. IF I CAN STAND THE PAIN --REGULAR MASSAGE CAN HELP -AT LEAST TEMPORARILY.

11. MY GOOD DAYS---IF YOU SEE ME SMILING OR FUNCTIONING NORMALLY, DONT ASSUME THAT I HAVE BEEN CURED. I SUFFER FROM A CHRONIC PAIN AND FATIGUE ILLNESS WITH NO CURE. I CAN HAVE GOOD DAYS, WEEKS OR EVEN MONTHS. IN FACT, THE GOOD DAYS ARE WHAT KEEPS ME GOING...

I HOPE THIS HELPS YOU TO UNDERSTAND ME, BUT IF YOU STILL DOUBT MY PAIN, YOU LOCAL BOOK STORE , LIBRARY AND THE INTERNET WILL HAVE ARTICLES ON " FIBROMYALGIA".

THIS IS BASED ON COMMUNICATIONS WITH PEOPLE THROUGH OUT THE WORLD WHO SUFFER FROM FIBROMYALGIA. IT IS ESTIMATED THAT OVER 10, 000, 000 PEOPLE SUFFER FROM THIS DISEASE/

PLEASE DO NOT TAKE THESE PEOPLE AND THEIR PAIN LIGHTLY. YOU WOULDNT WANT TO SPEND A DAY IN THEIR SHOES OR THEIR BODIES.

I SUFFER FROM FIBROMYALGIA...SO PLEASE, SHARE THIS INFORMATION WITH FRIENDS AND LOVED ONES AND SPREAD THE AWARENESS ON "FIBROMYALGIA"