Letter From Fibromyalgia

[Guest guest]

This was written close to a year ago by me and just found it in the files.

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Sometime ago, Dawna (who has FMS) asked me (who also has FMS) to write something

to our friends explaining FibroFog which accompanies FMS to let everyone know

why at times we have problems along those lines of memory, memory retention, and

what just seems just like plain old forgetfulness. While this is not just a

complete explanation of the FibroFog (still working on that), this perhaps will

make it clearer to understand what we go through everyday and will explain why

sometimes we sound as if we are in left field on different things. Pain of any

type has a tendency to take the ability to think straight at various times and

in living with constant pain makes it more noticeable and is terribly

frustrating on the listener besides being the one who is trying to remember and

get things sorted correctly in their minds. Thank goodness, FibroFog is not a

24/7 condition.

This is a letter that explains a good deal of what it is like to have

FMS......and if you can imagine what a person who has FMS is going through every

day, think about what it is like for them if they have any other chronic

illnesses to contend with also! Sympathy, pity, or disdain is not expected nor

wanted. Compassion and understanding when your friends and loved ones with FMS

are having a bad day would be appreciated and to keep in mind that this person

would never have chosen to be this way. Who in their right mind would take on a

disease such as this willingly? And always keep in mind that this person may

" look alright " but that the body has turned against them and what it is doing in

not as visible as other diseases are. A great percentage of FMS patients were

at one time in their lives extremely active and this disease has literally

stolen their lives from them.

The following letter could very well have been written by Fibromyalgia but keep

in mind space is limited as to the different ravishing effects of this dreaded

disease that can be had.

JAN =^..^=

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My name is Fibromyalgia, and I'm YOUR Invisible Chronic Illness, I am now

velcroed to you for life.

Others around you can't see me or hear me, but YOUR body feels me. I can attach

you anywhere and anyhow I please. I can cause severe pain or, If I'm in a good

mood, I can just cause you to ache all over.

Remember when you and Energy ran around together and had fun????

I took your energy and gave you Exhaustion. Try to have fun now.....I took

Energy from you and gave you Exhaustion. Try to have fun now.....I also took

Good Sleep from you and in it's place, gave you Brain Fog. I can make you

tremble internally or make you feel cold or hot when everyone else feels normal.

Oh yeah....I can make you feel anxious or depressed too. If you have something

planned or are looking forward to a great day, I can take that away too....

You didn't ask for me, I chose you for various reasons: that virus you had

that you never recovered from.....or that car accident.....or maybe the years of

abuse and trauma. Well, anyway, I'm here to stay. I hear you're going to see a

doctor who can get rid of me...I'm rolling on the floor laughing...just try,

You will have to go to many, many doctors until you find one who even BELIEVES I

EXIST... You will have to be put on pain pills. sleeping pills, energy pills..

told you are suffering from anxiety, or depression, given a tens unit, get

massaged and told if you just sleep and exercised more I will go away.....told

to think positive, poked, prodded, and MOST OF ALL Laughed at when you tell the

doctor I am debilitating..

Your family, friends, and co-workers will all listen to you until they just get

tired of hearing about how I make you feel, and that I am a real disease. Some

of them will say things like......OH, you re just having a bad day, or.....Well,

remember you can't do the things you used to do 20 YEARS ago, not hearing that

you said 20 days ago. Some will start talking behind your back while you slowly

feel that you are losing your dignity trying to make them understand especially

when you are in the middle of a conversation with a NORMAL person and can't

remember what you were going to say next.... Eventually, most of them will be

like all the doctors who say ITS ALL IN YOUR HEAD.....

In closing (I was hoping that I kept this part a secret),

but I guess you already found out the ONLY place you ever get any support and

understanding in dealing with me is with OTHER PEOPLE with FIBROMYALGIA

NOTE; The other place you can get support and understanding is from those that

LOVE you.....and support groups for PEOPLE WITH FIBROMYALGIA

(The original author is unknown to me though I have enhanced the wordage in some

paragraphs)

~ " If I could reach up and hold a star for every time you've made me smile, the

entire evening sky would be in the palm of my hand. " ~