I just took a look at my audience and my blog is being read in the United States, the U.K., Germany and now China! Thank you! I am both surprised and honored that you actually want to read my little blog. :)
I was talking to my husband tonight about the pitfalls that those who are newly diagnosed with fibromyalgia face. I have been doing my best to help those people pick their way through the maze of doctors and tests and management and the emotional toll that being diagnosed with a incurable disease takes.
Fibromyalgia is both a giver and a taker. It takes your good health and gives you levels of pain that you never thought possible. It takes your freedom of movement and gives you stiff, painful muscles. It takes your self esteem and gives you fear, panic and depression. It takes away the people who you thought were friends because they lack understanding but it will give you people who do understand and truly care for you.
Chronic illness is understandably viewed as an enemy but I believe it can also be viewed as a friend. It can tear down the illusion of who you thought you were and show you who you really are inside. It can show you just how strong you really are and can help you to grow emotionally and, if you let it, physically stronger.
In my own experience, I have found that having a chronic pain illness has made me a stronger person. I will not let these diseases beat me down. I am not ready to give up on life. I will always get back up after a bad flare. Where I used to feel insecure in who I was, concerned about what other people thought of me, I have found that I no longer worry what anyone thinks of me. They don't live my life, nor do they face my challenges and in the end, I am the only person who will have to answer for my life. So what do I care what they think?
I have educated myself about my illnesses and I am able to have honest conversations with my doctors in 'their own language' (medical terminology) and while I have encountered doctors who are surprised and even a little bothered by my knowledge of my own body, others appreciate that I am able to communicate with them in a clear, concise manner. I like those guys!
I have lost people who I thought were friends because they didn't want to understand but I have gained a whole host of friends who not only understand, but care about me and do not define me by my illness.
You can allow chronic illness to knock you down and you can stay down. I have seen it happen much too often. People who, rather than fight back, languish in their beds or on their couches, gaining weight and feeling sorry for themselves, their favorite thing to say is "I can't". Just laying there, day after day, watching life pass them by while becoming more and more apathetic.
I chose another path. I have been knocked down but I get back up. I refuse to give into depression over the things that I can no longer do. I would rather focus on the things that I can do and then find new things to add to that list. I have days when I have to take it easy and lay down but I never allow myself to stay down for more than one day. I get up and stretch. I take a walk.
I do not want anyone to think that I have a problem with those who are over weight. I used to be over weight. I found that the pain was worse while I was over weight because my body had to work harder to support that weight, So I lost fifty pounds. It took a while but I did it. I educated myself about proper nutrition. I found the better the food that I put in my body, the better I feel.
The more that we can do to give our bodies the ammunition to fight back, the better our quality of life. It is so important to educate yourself on your illness. Keep up with the latest research, learn what exercise you can do without hurting yourself, learn about nutrition and how to read labels. Chronic illness is a whole body problem. The whole body must be treated. Including the spirit. Take time for you each day. It doesn't matter if it is prayer, meditation, yoga or just sitting quietly looking out of a window. 'You time' matters in your health program.
I go on a few different fibromyalgia facebook pages and offer advice to the newly diagnosed. I am no expert but I am more experienced than I would like to be. The thing that truly troubles me is the sheer volume of newly diagnosed people. What is happening? I have a pretty good idea and I will write about it in my next post but for now my point is, these people are scared. It breaks my heart so I do my best to help. I get a benefit from offering help too. When I help someone or compliment a total stranger (something that I make a point of doing every time I leave our home), I get a rush of endorphins because it makes me happy to help. Those endorphins also drive down my pain levels. Try doing something good for another person and see how you feel. Especially if you are having a particularly painful day and watch your pain levels drop.
That's my advice for now. I hope you all have a pain free day and THANK YOU for reading my little blog!
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