Before Fibromyalgia, Carol enjoyed working and was a true social butterfly. She loved to cook, host dinner parties, enjoyed long walks and hiking with her husband; active was an understatement. She was the typical work-a-holic who always had goals and met them in record pace. She worked her way up the ranks; always taking on more responsibility. She had pride in her work and did it well. She didn’t realize that her body was slowly turning against her. Eventually her body had enough. She had no choice but to face reality.
| My hips were not working and I was in constant pain. After doctors kept extending my sick leave, I lost my job. My world was tumbling down around me. |
Through a series of events, and the help of a friend who knew what to look for, Carol discovered she had full-blown Fibromyalgia. It didn’t matter what started it; the sprained hips, working too hard, too much stress, losing her job, her husband’s job being relocated to another state…no, all that mattered was this thing called Fibromyalgia wasn’t going away. With Fibromyalgia, Carol has chronic pain all over. Exhaustion comes from doing a load of laundry or cooking a meal.
| A simple shopping trip makes me feel like I danced all night and was dragged home by a semi. Thoughts and words don’t match up. Not able to concentrate, my memory gets scrambled and depression sets in. I have no control over my body from one day to the next, and sometimes from one hour to the next. Weather changes and cold damp air can send me into a tailspin, causing flare-ups for days, weeks, or months. I often ask, “Why me?” |
Fibromyalgia causes pain that waxes and wanes with no rhyme or reason. From burning and tingling to stabbing and crushing, fibromyalgia pain can spread from one area to another, bouncing around like a ping-pong ball, or spreading over the entire body all at once. Despite this harsh reality, Carol has found there are hidden blessings with Fibromyalgia because it forces you to slow down. Fibromyalgia has a way of making you appreciate the simple things in life. Right now, Carol is still mourning the ‘old me.’
| I just want to feel normal again. Support groups are essential to holding onto any sanity when you have chronic illness. ‘Treatment Diaries’ provides my online virtual daily dose, while ‘Daily Pain’ provides my monthly, long awaited hug of understanding and reality. |
Carol is a TreatmentDiaries user and friend. We thank Carol for her insight into this chronic illness and we welcome you to join us for Your diary – Shared healing at TreatmentDiaries.com.Continue your page here…