It has been too long since my last Things I Love post, which is ironic considering I am in the midst of one of the most loving times of my life and this is my place to write about all things I love. The time I am spending focusing on my health is restoring me, but I have missed writing here. I am determined to find a balance and get back to one of the things that has always centered and nourished me - writing. Writing is a passion I can always remember having. When I was a young girl we lived in a very old house. My bedroom walls were covered with many layers of wallpaper. On a particular … [Read more...]
Happy First Anniversary FibroHaven
FibroHaven is One Today! One year ago today I sat down at FibroHaven for the first time and wrote this - Welcome! In my very first post I shared what I hoped and intended to accomplish with my blog: I have found the blogs I like best are the ones whose authors are aware they have an audience, yet they speak with a realness and simplicity. They are authentic. I image if I met the author they would be exactly as they sound on their blog. That is the approach I hope to take in my writing. I want to be real. One year later I think my blog is exactly as real as I was hoping it would … [Read more...]
Processing Emotional Pain To Heal Your Physical Pain
I remember the shock I felt when I first realized there is an emotional component to my pain. I have always been a joyful person. I smile often, and it is the kind of smile I feel deep in my heart. Despite everything I have been through and live with daily, I have always felt fortunate and happy for my life. I knew I had unresolved anger and resentment, that is how I found myself in therapy, but I had no idea that I had been physically storing it in my body for years. It was several years ago now that my therapist tried to help me resolve my physical pain by dealing with my suppressed … [Read more...]
September is a Great Month for Awareness
It is estimated that more than 30 million people suffer daily from chronic pain, and and even more from chronic invisible illnesses. Fibromyalgia patients make up a good portion of those suffering, and we should be as interactive as possible with the many activities scheduled this month designed to improve chronic pain and bring awareness to invisible illness. From The American Pain Foundation: September provides a unique opportunity to highlight the work organizations and individuals do all year to improve pain treatment, raise awareness, dispel tragic myths and spark much needed change in … [Read more...]
Perspective & Priorities
There is nothing like a Fibromyalgia flare to put things in perspective and to force me to prioritize! I have been feeling pretty awful lately. I can always count on the heat of summer to bring on several really bad flares, or just one continuous knock-me-on-my-butt-and-suck-my-joy-of-life kind of flare. This summer had been kind, mild even. And then last week happened. Wouldn't you know, it picked my birthday week to turn miserably hot. Blech! Perspective: Regardless of my enthusiasm for turning 40 and the promise of a brighter future, I still have a lot of work to do. I still have an active … [Read more...]