In a recent edition of Fibromyalgia Aware magazine there was an article titled "10 Things You Should Never Say to a Fibromyalgia Patient," by Linda Meilink. Here are the ten things she listed: 1. I think I have that too. 2. My sister-in-law has fibromyalgia and she's still working. She says it helps to take her mind off the pain. 3. But you look okay. 4. Is that a real disease. 5. Maybe you just need some B vitamins. 6. Do you have any percocet? I could sure use one right now. 7. Well, we all start to ache when we get older. 8. Can you hold this box for me? I can't find … [Read more...]
No Resolutions Here, Just Resolve
I think by now everyone knows that something like 85% of all resolutions fail, so why commit yourself to something with only a 15% success rate? I made a resolution years ago to not make any more resolutions, and that is the one resolution I have stuck with. This year Rob and I are resolved to improve our health. We are both turning the big 4-0 in 2009 and have decided we want to spend the next decade healthier than we did the last. Because of my Fibromyalgia we have not been able to do the hiking, backpacking and other outdoor activities we once enjoyed doing together. An unfortunate side … [Read more...]
Current State of Acceptance
I have no idea how devoted bloggers manage to keep their posts up in December. I am desperately behind. No time to research and write an interesting and/or educational post, so I thought I would just write about how busy December is and how difficult it is for me to manage it all with Fibromyalgia. Busy for me with FM is different that it used to be - parties, dinners, lunches, shopping, decorating - I used to thrive on everything Christmas. Now I have to pace myself. I no longer decorate rooms with Christmas paraphernalia, now I am happy to have a simple tree decked out with all of my … [Read more...]
Fibromyalgia Pain Breakthrough: Qigong
Last week the Chronicle Herald published an article about the results of a recent Qigong trial done on people living with chronic pain. According to the researcher, Dr. Mary Lynch at Quenn Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre, “their quality of life and their level of pain got better. And this is just through a simple series of gentle, dance-like moves.” What is Qigong? From the Qigong Institute: Qigong (chee-gong) is “Energy techniques” or “Energy Skills,” the ancient Chinese internal arts used for over 5000 years to promote health, emotional happiness and spiritual … [Read more...]
Verifiable Evidence That My Brain is Abnormal
Over the years my sister and I have learned it is better and more fun to laugh about life’s predicaments rather than cry. We have numerous inside jokes, and fibromyalgia is fair game when it comes to our humor. Anyone who suffers from FM understands that your once fertile and competent brain becomes a mush of confusion and incoherence. The corresponding joke is that I “used to be the smart sister.” It is true. I was once her “go to” whenever she needed an answer on most anything. But since developing FM I have been reduced to the baby sister she feels the need to shelter and protect. I have … [Read more...]