I recently graduated from college and, I fear, am officially out of excuses to act like a college student. That, in no noticeable way, has altered my behavior, but I have noticed a fairly significant change (besides the size of my bank account).

Instead of dreaming of what I want to be when I “grow up,” I am making it happen. I got the steady job with the nice paycheck, I have a list of goals with a rough time-frame, I take time to read for fun and for business…. And, in doing these things I felt I never had time for during college, I have found the length of my To Do list only continues to grow. At the beginning of the month I added My Life With Fibro to my To Do list.

D Day
I officially became a fibroyouth™ at 14. After years of constantly hurting, visiting doctors, and undergoing tests, I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia by Dr. James Arkins. He was quick to recognize the symptoms because, he said, his wife had FMS. He was also quick to refer me to a specialist, since options for treating fibromyalgia were limited–especially for someone my age.

Moving Forward
My survival and success in high school and college can be attributed to the team of resourceful supporters I recruited over the years. Following my diagnosis, family members and friends came together to help me learn about, and minimize the symptoms of, fibromyalgia. It was a struggle to find information that was pertinent to teenagers with fibromyalgia. My team networked on my behalf… talking with their friends, reading about research and treatment, even buying me products to try. We spent years collecting information for fibroyouth™ and putting ideas to the test. Now I want to help others do the same.