Dear Fibromyalgia

Author: dearfibromyalgia

Backyard with Benefits
Backyard Family Adventures…

I kind of have to kick myself in the butt to get outside. Once I do though, I feel so good! Playing in the dirt, just plain makes me happy. I suppose it’s the perfect combination of sunshine, family time and an energy boost from Mother Nature.

My #Reuse Skills Just Keep Getting Better n’ Better…

This winter we finally gave up and laid a cheap dresser to rest. Well, it fell apart AGAIN and enough was enough.

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As the various pieces were being tossed into a dump pile, I got an idea. The drawers stacked 2 high might make pretty good garden boxes for the backyard.

Under the deck, the dresser wreckage went. It was stacked on top of an old desk, counter, table thingy that I also planned on #repurposing.

The previously enjoyed table was given to us in 2006. It’s seen many uses in its lifetime. In the decade that it’s been with us, it has functioned as a retail display, used as a desk by a few of us, and last acted as the foundation to Piggly Wiggly the guinea pig’s family home. Now it is going to help us grow food. #ReuseReuseReuse and then reuse some more!

Loving the Healing Power of Sunshine n’ Dirt…

Yesterday the weather was too perfect not to be outside. The sunshine was just right! So out in the backyard, we went. Daughter kicking n’ screaming (maybe I’m exaggerating slightly but she was sulking), hubby grumbling, and the dog so excited he couldn’t keep still. Two minutes of sun and two improved moods later they were into it.
- Won this Soil from Russells Farms
- Team Work
- Planting Seeds
- Dirt is Good Medicine
- Rubber Ducky Watering
- Coming this Summer; Backyard Veggies
Who knew? That a backyard as tiny as ours could be so interesting to explore, felt like I was on a mini safari ? Our backyard is covered in these really pretty yellow flowers that the bees and the guinea pigs love (not sure why but the neighbors don’t seem to like them ?

A family of garden snakes passed through on their way to the hot cement in front. The dog attempted to get the baby snakes to play ball with him (I kid you not). Our friend Robin the bird was hanging out in one corner. There is just so much life happening out there.

Never underestimate the healing power of nature, even in a tiny backyard. Besides at least this way, today I am hurting for a reason ?

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For More Information Related to Fibromyalgia Visit below sites:

References:

Fibromyalgia Contact Us Directly

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Official Fibromyalgia Blogs

Click here to Get the latest Chronic illness Updates

Fibromyalgia Stores

Click here to Visit Fibromyalgia Store
03/01/2021
Stress or not to Stress? That is the Question…

Churning out Stressful Headlines

Wow! It’s been an interesting winter so far. For me, 2020’s been about physically getting through the winter; keeping the fibro flares at bay, and rising above the stress-inducing noise that we call The News.

Can you spell propaganda and lies?

I should be able to watch the news and take it at face value. The reality is that I’m living at times when I can’t. So I dig a little deeper and learn. Then I form my opinions.

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Then again, that being said…lately I find myself increasingly shaking my head and half-heartedly joking that we’ve somehow silently slipped from the world I once knew into a really badly written movie or TV show.

I believe I’m living at a historical point in time. An era that will certainly grace the pages of future history books.

Sure, I want to be aware of current events, to stay ‘au current’, but, not at the price of becoming depressed or riddled with stress.

If it’s something I can help prevent, educate myself about, or prepare for, then by all means I try. But, I’m learning to accept that sometimes a situation needs to unfold. Overthinking it isn’t going to change the outcome, it’ll just damper the journey. Then I remember…

“We’re here for a good time”

So I’m Taking More Time to Do Things That Are Fun.

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For More Information Related to Fibromyalgia Visit below sites:

References:

Fibromyalgia Contact Us Directly

Click here to Contact us Directly on Inbox

Official Fibromyalgia Blogs

Click here to Get the latest Chronic illness Updates

Fibromyalgia Stores

Click here to Visit Fibromyalgia Store

03/01/2021
Life With Fibromyalgia One Task at a Time

A big part of my life with Fibromyalgia is figuring out how to stop mentally berating myself over not living up to expectations.

Expectations? Whose Expectations?

Why my own of course. Rationally I’m aware that there is no magic bar that’s been set for me by others. There is no invisible line of measurement being monitored for results. Nobody is judging my achievements let alone defining what those are.

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Well, that’s not entirely true. There is me, and I’m quite adept at setting the bar way too high for my current physical state. I’m living a life with Fibromyalgia and I won’t cut myself any slack, nor give myself proper credit for the incredible effort I put into moving around each and every single day of my life.

Life with Fibromyalgia

Rationally, I know this. But, unfortunately, that doesn’t make it any easier to accept. Nor does it keep me from constantly nagging myself in my head. It’s exhausting, and so…

I’ve Decided to Try Living my Fibro Life One Task at a Time

Not only will I be taking it one task at a time, but I’m also going to pat myself on the back whenever I finish one. I’m switching into positive reinforcement mode, stepping away from negative mode, and becoming a cheerleader in my mind.

Today is a fibromyalgia day. Not a flare, but rather a not-so-subtle WARNING ⚠️. If I push too hard there will be consequences.

Here goes, I’m giving encouragement a whirl. Congrats self! You made your bed, swept, took a shower, and tidied the kitchen. ?

Oh, right, and I also cleaned a toilet!

Take care my chronic friends ? BTW — you’re doing a great job today ?

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Click Here to Visit the Store and find Much More….

For More Information Related to Fibromyalgia Visit below sites:

References:

Fibromyalgia Contact Us Directly

Click here to Contact us Directly on Inbox

Official Fibromyalgia Blogs

Click here to Get the latest Chronic illness Updates

Fibromyalgia Stores

Click here to Visit Fibromyalgia Store

03/01/2021
Fibromyalgia Shower Roulette; Who’s up for a game?

Hey, there fellow chronic warriors. Who else here finds themselves involuntarily rolling the dice when it comes to showering ? or as I often call it..playing Fibromyalgia shower roulette.

I love showers. Long boiling hot ? showers. They are my savior; they are my downfall. It can go either way. From one shower to the next there is no way of knowing.

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The other day after a shower, I bee bopped my way energetically down the hall into my kitchen and conquered the mess. Then I tackled a few more tasks after that. Today’s shower has left me fibro suffering and totally wiped out. I’m not even dried off yet and all I can think about is crawling into bed.

I’m fibro shower exhausted…

I feel drained, zapped — depleted of all physical energy, and my brain is foggy.

It’s not all bad though, while I was showering, the heat provided some much-needed Fibro pain relief. Bonus! Right now I’m toasty warm, absolutely no chills in my body, and the “cold to the core of my bones” aching has eased.

That being said, I’m super tired, kind of dizzy, and need to lay down.

And so, that’s what I’m going to do. Admit defeat in today’s game of Fibromyalgia Shower Roulette, cut me some slack, and allow myself to rest up. We have an outing tonight that I’m looking forward to. I’m going to attempt a guilt-free catnap ?

https://www.teepublic.com/stores/fibromyalgia-store

Click Here to Visit the Store and find Much More….

For More Information Related to Fibromyalgia Visit below sites:

References:

Fibromyalgia Contact Us Directly

Click here to Contact us Directly on Inbox

Official Fibromyalgia Blogs

Click here to Get the latest Chronic illness Updates

Fibromyalgia Stores

Click here to Visit Fibromyalgia Store

03/01/2021
Post Fibromyalgia Diagnosis

7 years post fibromyalgia diagnosis and I’m still trying to accept that lowering the bar is essential to living my best life. Pushing myself beyond my physical limitations leads to a flare, period.

I push too hard and I get knocked down. It’s really that simple. Forgiving myself these limits. Now that’s where I struggle.

I’d like to say that I’ve learned not to beat myself up over it. But, that’d be a lie.

The truth is that I still spend way too much time belittling myself for not getting things done. And, when I do finally finish a task, I judge myself in comparison to my pre fibromyalgia diagnosis standards. Which I can no longer live up to.

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So, what does this achieve? Nothing positive, that’s for sure. Quite the opposite. I deflate my energy level to sub-zero with all the unspoken words of criticism bouncing around in my head.

Instead, I should be supportive and pat myself on the back for doing my best. I know I need to adjust the bar downward. It’s just that I’m having a hard time accepting it.

Sometimes the Sky is not the Only Limit

Setting Fibro Standards

This brings me to my biggest fibromyalgia lifestyle hurdle; learning to lower the bar.

Having to lower my standards, is my biggest fibro struggle. Not the pain. Except when I’m having a fibro flare of course. Then pain is number one. But even then, often I spend much of my involuntary painful downtime stressing over what I’m not getting done.

My insurmountable hurdle since my Fibromyalgia diagnosis has been accepting that I can no longer strive for excellence in everything that I do. I have always been an overachiever and strove to continuously raise the bar higher. I’m very competitive. And pre-Fibromyalgia diagnosis, my toughest opponent at most things was always myself.

Whatever I achieved, I’d push myself to do it better the next time.

Time to Start Showing Myself a Little Love

7 years after having been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia I’m finally learning to accept that my standards have to change and that I need to start congratulating myself a little more on my many daily successes rather than condemning myself for things beyond my control.

Sometimes in life, the sky is not the only limit and that is ok.

https://www.teepublic.com/stores/fibromyalgia-store

Click Here to Visit the Store and find Much More….

For More Information Related to Fibromyalgia Visit below sites:

References:

Fibromyalgia Contact Us Directly

Click here to Contact us Directly on Inbox

Official Fibromyalgia Blogs

Click here to Get the latest Chronic illness Updates

Fibromyalgia Stores

Click here to Visit Fibromyalgia Store

03/01/2021
Spoonie Dog Leo is having yet another flare and it’s not fair!

It’s tough trying to be tough when you watch your poor spoonie dog becoming sicker and sicker. It’s one thing to be running the autoimmune disorder gamut as a human. But, can you imagine how confusing it must be for a dog?

It’s like we just start to get one illness under control and yet another creeps up and knocks poor Leo for another loop.

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Sound familiar?

Pretty much the same way it’s been for me going on 7 or 8 years now. Even some of his blood test results are similar to mine. And, like many of us human chronic warriors, neither his exact illness(es) nor the underlying cause(s) can be pinpointed.

Spoonie Dog Medicine

My poor dog Leo keeps getting one medicine after another, which leads to some temporary relief. But then the side effects kick in making matters worse or sometimes causing new illnesses.

I thought I felt helpless riding my health roller coaster. Ha! Now that Leo’s hopped on board, the climb to the top sometimes feels pretty much insurmountable.

Anyway, I’m not complaining because he’s the best dog ever and I love him with all my heart.

Sunny Days Are Here Again

On a sunnier note, warmer days are finally helping to ease the widespread screaming joint pain I was plagued with since the fall. I’ve managed to break through the surface of clutter and disarray that accumulated over the winter.

Feeling a wee bit inspired, and that my chronically fab friends are a start.

https://www.teepublic.com/stores/fibromyalgia-store

Click Here to Visit the Store and find Much More….

For More Information Related to Fibromyalgia Visit below sites:

References:

Fibromyalgia Contact Us Directly

Click here to Contact us Directly on Inbox

Official Fibromyalgia Blogs

Click here to Get the latest Chronic illness Updates

Fibromyalgia Stores

Click here to Visit Fibromyalgia Store

03/01/2021
Get Active; Words You Hear Frequently When You Have Fibromyalgia

The moment the words ‘get active’ escape their lips my focus shifts 100% to holding back the incredible urge to roll my eyes. For the most part, unsuccessfully.

It’s like constantly replaying the perfect vine loop of watching Groundhog Day over and over. We keep hearing how we need to get active in order to feel better. But, what people don’t understand is, we need to feel better in order to get active in the first place.

Press play and repeat day after day after day the exhausting loop plays.

For five years I spent a lot of days, months actually, beating myself up for not being active. It’s exhausting silently screaming at yourself constantly to get up and get active.

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Music is Good Medicine

Then about a year ago I started listening to music again. Not only did the right playlist cheer me up, but often I’d catch myself bee bopping to the music.

Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t pulling off DWTS or anything. Sometimes I was simply swaying to the music or shuffling around like Tim Conway. But, I was standing and I was moving.

Which when you are battling fibromyalgia’s chronic pain, counts as getting active as far as I’m concerned. Music doesn’t always get me moving. But, it does some days and in my opinion, that’s better than no days at all.

Anyway, I remembered how much I loved going out dancing and how good it made me feel and so for a while now I’ve been working at wiggling my butt daily.

The right playlist lifts my spirits and gets me moving

I created a bunch of personal mood-lifting playlists. Each one is 6 songs and about 20 minutes long. While prepping for my shower, I press play, and more days than not the music gets me swaying. I always try to get boogieing before hopping into the shower, because I’m usually physically zapped after.

Turns out, well for me anyway, that music is good medicine. Hmmmm, who knew?

Get Active, It’s a Personal Thing

What I had to learn was, to set the bar at a realistic level for me. And, to give me credit for any and all physical activity. To encourage me to get up and just get moving instead of putting myself down because I expected my version of “getting active” to be on par with die-hard gym-goers or the people I see out jogging.

It’s time Fellow Fibro Warriors to pat yourself on the back each and every time you wiggle that butt, even if it’s ever so slightly.

https://www.teepublic.com/stores/fibromyalgia-store

Click Here to Visit the Store and find Much More….

For More Information Related to Fibromyalgia Visit below sites:

References:

Fibromyalgia Contact Us Directly

Click here to Contact us Directly on Inbox

Official Fibromyalgia Blogs

Click here to Get the latest Chronic illness Updates

Fibromyalgia Stores

Click here to Visit Fibromyalgia Store

03/01/2021
What does fibromyalgia feel like?

Raise your hand if you’ve ever been asked “what does fibromyalgia feel like?”

Oh wait a minute, I can’t raise my right-hand today because of killer shoulder pain. Hang on while I check to see if the left arm is working. Yeah! I can raise my left hand! Yes, I have been asked what having fibromyalgia feels like, many times.

Who knows what tomorrow or even later today will bring. My shoulders are favorites for my fibro buddy to target. There can be a limited range of motion in one shoulder or both. Sometimes neither, those are the good days. I find out only when the time comes.

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Absolutely no way to predict these things, but learning to live with fibromyalgia means respecting physical limitations when they do crop up. I’ve been taken down for months by my fibro shoulders.

I mean pain pops up everywhere, no part of your body is sacred and there’s quite a variety of pain types and levels. There’s the stabbing, knock the wind out of you and take you down “fibro pain”. It moves around targeting different parts of you and the pain level ranges sometimes requiring medical attention.

Then there are the dull throbbing aches throughout your body that never completely subside. Sometimes they flare in spots and the pain can take you down. But, if you learn to respect the aches, and don’t push too far they can remain a dull pulsing ache.

It’s exhausting to never be comfortable, but you have to learn to live with the discomfort in order to survive.

Sleeping? Well, that’s a whole different matter. A tad difficult to get good quality sleep when your body is constantly hurting. Oh, and restless legs? Wow, they work better than any alarm clock. Then there are the times that your skin feels like it is quite literally crawling with tiny stinging insects, just under the surface so you can’t quite get to them.

We each are individual; unique. No two people are exactly alike. In that same sense, how Fibromyalgia affects or feels to someone will differ as much as we do as people.

Plus, fibro symptoms are almost fluid, they transform and move around constantly. It’s this never-ending process and so it’s tough trying to put into words something that never stops evolving.

So to answer the really tough question…what does fibromyalgia feel like?

It feels like…desperation.

It sucks to be exhausted, confused, and uncomfortable in addition to suffering from varying degrees of widespread pain every second of every minute of every day.

The thing about Fibro Warriors? We get knocked down, but we get right back up again. Well, maybe not right back up, but we get back up as soon as our bodies say we can.

https://www.teepublic.com/stores/fibromyalgia-store

Click Here to Visit the Store and find Much More….

For More Information Related to Fibromyalgia Visit below sites:

References:

Fibromyalgia Contact Us Directly

Click here to Contact us Directly on Inbox

Official Fibromyalgia Blogs

Click here to Get the latest Chronic illness Updates

Fibromyalgia Stores

Click here to Visit Fibromyalgia Store

03/01/2021
Fibro Flare Ranting Brings Relief; Sometimes

Beware Ranting About a Fibro Flare

Been a bad fibro flare week. Yuck! Pretty sure an infection is kicking up into high gear and heading out on its road trip through my body. Wonder which route it will take this time…

So far my eyes are looking like I had a wickedly good party, and my sinuses have started that all too familiar throb. I’m so tired that I can’t keep my eyes open, but once they flutter closed I can’t fall asleep. If I am lucky enough to finally drift off, a sound no matter how gentle startles me awake.

I sit up and try again. Rinse n’ repeat as I like to call it. Try to focus on something in front of me, and slowly the eyes begin to close. Then my chin hits my chest, head lolls to the side and I begin to drift. A bird chirps somewhere and WHAM! I’m startled awake once again.

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Fibro Flare Ranting For Relief

Argggggggggg! I freaking hate fibro flares!

Thanks for letting me rant. I really do try my best to keep things positive, but sometimes reality just plain and simply sucks! Especially, when you’re living with fibromyalgia. And, some days just letting go and getting it all off my chest is the best medicine. Am I right, or what?

Instead of painting on a smile and picking through a massive pile of negative for one teeny tiny itsy bitsy spark of a silver lining, sometimes it is ok to accept that there just really isn’t anything good about today except that it will inevitably turn into tomorrow.

Moan about it, groan about it and maybe even allow yourself to cry a little.

I mean, I’m not talking about allowing yourself to dive into some downward spiral where there are dangers of drowning in the deep dark depths of negativity. I just mean acknowledging that at a particular moment in time, especially during a fibro flare life is not fair and on this particular day it just plain sucks.

Misery Loves Company

Yesterday was an ok day, and I hope tomorrow will be great but today? Well, today is an awful day and I’m giving myself permission to not fake it.

I hurt everywhere and have sub-zero energy. I’m feeling miserable, and for a little while, I’m going to allow myself to sit here uncomfortably in pain and be miserable.

So for now my fibro warrior friends I leave you with a quote from I Love Lucy “WAHHHHHHHHH”!

https://www.teepublic.com/stores/fibromyalgia-store

Click Here to Visit the Store and find Much More….

For More Information Related to Fibromyalgia Visit below sites:

References:

Fibromyalgia Contact Us Directly

Click here to Contact us Directly on Inbox

Official Fibromyalgia Blogs

Click here to Get the latest Chronic illness Updates

Fibromyalgia Stores

Click here to Visit Fibromyalgia Store

03/01/2021
Free Writing the Night Away

Night Time is the Right Time for a Little Free Writing

Yippee! I write like I tweet…or is it that I tweet like I write?

Hey, wait a minute! I tweet and write as I talk. That’s it! No silly, I don’t mean messy. Sheesh. Sure I write messy but, what I’m talking about is this tendency I have to babble in verbal conversation.

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When I’m writing, I simply put to paper, or screen if you will, my thoughts exactly as they are flowing. I try not to skip a beat. I try to sound in the written word exactly as if I’m talking directly to you.

It’s tough to keep up with the thoughts, especially with a pen to paper. I type quicker, but I tend to edit A LOT less when I write it. Once I start editing, the tone of free-flowing words dissipates, though spelling errors disappear. Side note – > I was pretty sure I made a spelling mistake when I wrote: “dissipates”.

What was I originally talking about? Twitter! That’s it!

Twitter and writing, or the tone of writing. Mostly what I was going to say was that I love tweeting because, with so few characters, it’s even more fun trying to be witty, and talk about having to think. If you’re looking to sound smart on Twitter, you really do have to put a lot of thought into choosing your words wisely.

That’s sometimes quite challenging. Me? Sometimes I just love a challenge.

Instagram is for me. It’s the place I like to be ?

https://www.teepublic.com/stores/fibromyalgia-store

Click Here to Visit the Store and find Much More….

For More Information Related to Fibromyalgia Visit below sites:

References:

Fibromyalgia Contact Us Directly

Click here to Contact us Directly on Inbox

Official Fibromyalgia Blogs

Click here to Get the latest Chronic illness Updates

Fibromyalgia Stores

Click here to Visit Fibromyalgia Store

03/01/2021