Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Latest Breakthrough in the cause of Fibromyalgia? I hope so!!

This has been all the buzz lately. I know we are tired of hearing about how there is always a breakthrough, new study or new research. We hope, we wait, we read, we educate ourselves and most importantly, we get our hopes up.This new one is promising. I would like this to be replicated in a number of studies in a number of different countries so we can see all the results across the board BUT I will say that it looks promising. It makes sense to me that if touch, through the hands as well as other area of the body can reduce and some times eliminate pain (the most popular examples of this are of course massage and acupressure), it is therefore pretty logical that same pathways, rather the disruption of the pathways, can create pain. And not just in the hands because there are plenty of us who have no issues with our hands, or very few compared to whats going on the rest of our bodies.

The idea being that the idea is that there are an excessive amounts of a type of nerve fiber (AV shunts) in patients with Fibro. More than a person without. That the blood flow is being mismanaged by the blood vessel endings contributing to our conscious sense of touch and pain. In a nut shell.
I am hopeful there will be further advances with this finding and a comprehensive treatment plan can begin the be developed because we are all suffering while we wait.


 Of course now there will also be the ability to weed out who has fibro and has been misdiagnosed and although there will be some frustration in having been treating your symptoms as if they were fibro when it really wasn't..in the end it's better to find out for sure and have a true diagnosis and be able to move forward. I am hoping that we can have some great results with something a small and cost effective as hand massage or hand reflexology instead of lengthy expensive testing, biopsies and the like. Well, one can hope can't she?

http://www.albany.edu/news/39664.php
http://guardianlv.com/2013/06/fibromyalgia-mystery-finally-solved/


Thursday, June 6, 2013

Monday, May 27, 2013

God didn't give me Fibromyalgia

"God doesn't give you more than you can handle"
I just saw one person post this to another person who was sharing some bad news of new diagnosis'.
Although it is a standard and sincere response to bad or overwhelming news, I think it's not true. In fact there are plenty of people who can't handle it and end up on heavy meds, committing suicide, divorcing and isolating friends and family, lose their job and have no money for medical bills and become crippled by illness or trauma,  and yes, some just go crazy. Some people really go crazy. And that is life.

You hope you are strong enough, you hope there is a reason, and you have faith that you will survive, come out stronger and even maybe learn something. So to say "God doesn't give you more than you can handle"  I think is not something I personally want to hear.
Tell me please that you think I am strong enough to get through it.
Tell me you think I am smart enough to figure something out. Tell me you think I am determined enough to find a better way                            and maybe teach somebody else something useful along the way. Ask me exactly what I want to hear from you that will help, and then say that. 
Because I do believe in God, but I do not believe he gave me Fibromyalgia

Monday, April 22, 2013

Boston bombings=Boston Strong



I did not want to join the millions blogging and posting about the Boston marathon bombings. I still don't so I will keep this brief.



I found this and was immediately teary eyed because someone was able to put into words what I have been feeling for a week. Looking for motivational quotes for Facebook pages led me to this...who knew I'd be compelled to post about something so tragic..but I have to tell you a little about what has been going on. We know how severe pain can be all because of stress. I am a huge example of that, time has shown my body refuses to move if I can't control my stress level. No if and's or but's about it. Stress can cripple someone without fibro!
Anyway to my point... I am from Boston, and a runner when my body allows. Although I was safe and sound at home having turned down an invite to go watch (thankfully!) the bombing left me stressed and distressed in a way I have not felt since 9-11. I have had a lot on my plate, emotionally, physically, and mentally. This attack added an additional struggle for me intellectually and morally. How, why, and also  trying to explain it to my kids in a way that did not scare them...it was shutting me down. I was tired, sad, hurting, alienated friends, dismissed my husband, took no supplements, ate crap food, had trouble sleeping, and even housework fell by the wayside because I simply could focus and get myself together. The relief I feel with the capture is like 100 pounds lifted off my shoulders.
Although I have much to complain about, I have more to be thankful for and my pain seems bearable compared to those directly effected. I cannot imagine, nor even pretend to, what those families and victims are going through. How long it takes to pick the pieces up and move forward. But I cannot dwell on it for fear of crying in bed everyday. Having empathy is supposed to be a great and admirable human quality but sometimes it causes pain too great.
 To hurt so badly for a person you may never even meet, for your city, and for a family, is both a blessing and a curse. 

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

I'm not just tired, I'm "Fired"~Fibro-Tired





Tired of the backache
Tired of the heating pad
Tired of  silencing my moans getting up off the couch
Tired of pulled muscles
Tired of ringing in my ears
Tired of muscle stiffness
Tired of popping pills
Tired of neck pain
Tired of complaining
Tired of forgetting where I was going
Tired of feeling weak
Tired of simple chores taking hours and days
Tired of  not being able to focus
Tired of  not being able to sleep
Tired of  not being able to wake up
Tired of explaining
Tired of simple tasks causing pain that lasts for days
Tired of  the headache
Tired of  the burning
Tired of cancelling plans
Tired of the doctors office
Tired of  the muscle spasms
Tired of   forgetting what I was saying
Tired of  moving
Tired of  of staying still
Tired of  feeling guilty
Tired of  having to be strong
Tired of the vision problems
Tired of walking like an 150 old person
Tired of the anxiety
Tired of ALL the pain
Tired of being Fired