I’ve been with Fibio for about 4 years now and I’ve never acknowledged Fibromyalgia Awareness Month, Honestly I was in denial for a while that I was now in a relationship with Fibio, so it took some time for me to even research what month it was. However, over the years Fibio has brought nothing but awareness to my life.
- Awareness of…
- my strengths
- my weaknesses,
- my triggers,
- my support system,
- my insecurities
- …and so much more.
Now, that we are in the midst of a pandemic and quarantined – this is the perfect time to acknowledge Fibio’s month…. the month of May!
This quarantine has been tough on everyone but especially those with underlying conditions. Imagine all the stress that you feel with all the uncertainty going on right now times 10….that’s what we feel, that’s how I feel. But, our bodies respond to the stress differently, very painfully. Some may experience complete body shut downs, excruciating pain all over, swelling of the joints, achy bones or even mental breakdowns. The worst part is that with everything going on, you can’t really go to the hospital and get treatment.
Because, of this – it’s imperative we raise awareness.
I know many people find it difficult to believe Fibromyalgia is a real thing but let me tell you from personal experience FIBIO is definitely real. Most believe that our pain is not as severe as we claim it to be because we dont have any visible scars, bruises or even broken bones or limbs; would that make you feel better? Would that make you more sympathetic? Would that make it more believable? Why do you have to see our pain to believe us?
Take my word for it you don’t know pain like this until you’ve experienced first hand and I wouldn’t wish this on my worst enemy. My favorite misconception is that our complaints of not feeling good is just a tactic we use to get attention.
To be honest, most times, when my body is going through a flare up, or I’m having just a rough day – I want to be left alone, Unless, I need food or help doing things that my body wont allow me to do.
People are good at assuming.
Stop assuming that I’m faking.
Yes, my days are inconsistent, one minute I can feel fine then hours later I feel like ,,, crap. Yes I understand that on the outside looking in – it looks crazy for someone to be living it up one day then tomorrow they can barely move... but how the hell do you think that inconsistency effects us and make us feel?
Stop assuming that I’m addicted to pain medication just because I know what works for my pain…. that’s just me being aware of my body and what helps me feel better.
Stop assuming that I’m lazy because I have long periods of time when I’m down and can’t perform daily task and activities.
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Truth is, everyone with fibromyalgia case is different. It affects them differently, their triggers and symptoms are different and their treatment plan is different. Some of us can work full time, some kill ourselves trying to work full time and others can only work a few days out of the week if they can work at all.
I encourage you to ask questions instead of assuming. I promise we will appreciate it so much more than you preaching to us about your Google finds. To help raise awareness, here are tips and ways to support someone Living with Fibio or any Chronic Illness.
PAY ATTENTION to your loved ones who have fibromyalgia, pay attention to their patterns, pay attention to the signs and most importantly
LISTEN with an open mind and a gentle heart.
ASK us what we need, instead of trying to tell us what you think we need or just doing what you heard is best.
BE SUPPORTIVE. Be the support for us that you would want us to be for you! Remember, that chronic illness is more mental than anything. We know how to treat the physical but the mental is way more complex. So, pray that God protects our minds from depression and any other tactics the enemy tries to use to control our mind.
BE HONEST with us, Dealing with Fabio is a lot for us to handle, so we know it can be for others. Communication is Key!
To learn more about Fibromyalgia click the link below.