Please Help

Is it just me? Forgetting Just How Bad the Pain Can Be

Some­times, even after over a decade with fibromyal­gia, I have to be reminded just how bad things can get.
Some­times, I for­get how every­thing can hurt.  Some­times, I am sur­prised by how quickly the pain flares up.  Some­times, I am pleas­antly sur­prised by how quickly the pain fades away.  Today is not that day.
Today I woke up three […]


Please Help! Fibromyalgia and My Breaking Point

Fibro­folks, I need your help. Des­per­ately.  But first I ask, that like any good friend, you allow me to vent… a nec­es­sary step in iden­ti­fy­ing just what sort of help I need.
I hate feel­ing like a fool each time I go to the doc­tor.  I hate invis­i­ble pain from an invis­i­ble cause.  I hate being unable […]


The Wednesday What: What Brings You Strength?

Today was a beau­ti­ful day. (Made love­lier by the local boy’s win on Amer­i­can Idol.) And on days like this I am try­ing to develop the habit of think­ing back to a tough day, week, or month, and giv­ing thanks for the things and peo­ple that helped me get from there to a lovely […]


Please Help! Chronic Illness and Meeting People, Part 2

I’m so torn.  For me the answer is as fol­lows:
It depends on my mood.  And how a per­son makes me feel.  And where I am.  But mostly I don’t tell them unless I have to.  In fact, since my diag­no­sis in 1998 (at age 14), I have lived in (minus my 10 semes­ters at college) […]


Please Help! Chronic Illness and Meeting People

Over the week­end I received an impor­tant e-mail from a chronic fatigue folk out in Cal­i­for­nia.  He brought up a com­mon dilemma and I can think of no group more expe­ri­enced (trans­lated: pre­pared) to dis­cuss such an issue than y’all.
To be hon­est, I am not con­vinced my answer to this ques­tion is the best, so I […]