I first wrote this as a response to a Facebook fibromyalgia group post asking how we cope when things are really bad ~ meds don’t help; we can’t shower or even go get a drink of water. Especially when we can’t do much else, the biggest thing is perspective, which I know is hard to keep in the moment and easier to access if we’ve worked on it and integrated it before we’re in crisis […]
Downswing I’ve been on a downswing since I got back from Cali (leg pain and weakness; fatigue; headaches; upset stomach off and on; one small anxiety attack). I’ve been really sick the last couple of days (running hot and cold, sometimes at the same time, with major sweating and some shakiness throughout my body; shaky hands; headaches; stomach pain and almost throwing up twice). I don’t know if I would have leg pain if I had […]
1. Upswings! Don’t you love them?! This is my one week anniversary for this lovely episode of upswing. Not much pain, way more energy. Got Stuff Done. Took Walks. Ran Around. Yesterday, my fibro specialist, who hadn’t seen me in months, was awed by my awesomeness! 2. Visiting with my mama. 3. Now that I have a little Stuff, (pre- Regular Stuff), not relying on alcohol and using far fewer OTC meds to kill pain. My new […]
Well. I let it be known that I sent my medical marijuana application to the state last week. The card takes about a month to come. Two hundred bucks! A friend knows and sends me a present in the mail. I don’t open it right away because I’m already woozy from my massage therapist’s massage and awesome Reiki session. The morning after, I opened the box. I opened the box and set the squat mason jar on […]
Most of my synchronicities don’t seem to mean nor lead to anything. But they happen a lot, and they are uncanny and usually fun. I see a cadre of doctors, therapists, and healers. At an acupuncture clinic, the acupuncturist evaluated me, and among other things, told me I have systemic inflammation. “How can you tell? I asked. “Because you are puffy.” “How can you tell the difference between fat and puffy?” “I just can.” I […]
I include here, for your inspection, my fibromyalgia drugs present and past. Present on the left, past (discontinued but saved just in case) on the right. Some are pharmaceuticals and some are herbal or vitamins. These include pills for fibromyalgia/brain/depression, anxiety, pain, insomnia, fatigue, chi movement, hypertension, and the hiatal hernia/nausea that came back while trying to walk with bad leg pain. My faves are the Resolve herbal pills, to move chi. They usually give […]
I don’t know exactly which symptoms indicated undignosed fibromyalgia up to 2013. I’ve had chronic muscle tension headaches since I was 19, 37 years ago. In 2009, I started having anxiety attacks. Not about anything in particular. They began with this creepy feeling that would come over me, feeling disassociative and like I was watching myself and others in neutral conversations. One morning, I woke up and the world was black and white. Not literally, […]
My new GP signed off for me for medical marijuana. She gave me the filled-out physician’s form; I need to copy my driver’s license and submit those and the Oregon form I just downloaded and send it in. It takes about a month to receive the card. I don’t have to smoke! Nor eat a dicey amount. She recommended a high CBD oil that you ingest; and for quick pain control, a tincture. Just one […]
Okay, so I’ve been watching too much Breaking Bad. And cooking shows ~ but I rarely cook these days. With Fibromyalgia, the best I’ve managed this summer is to chat and dine (usually at home), with fam and visitors in our kooky Portland, OR enclave. You learn to accept and enjoy what you can. A few years ago, Fibromyalgia was considered a catch-all, in-your-head-you-hypochondriac-and-by-the-way, don’t-ask-for-decent-pain-relief-you-druggie-you, thing. Not so make believe to those with crippling fatigue, […]
Fibromyalgia is a lifelong disease, but the symptoms tend to come and go and don’t lead up to death. “Wax and wane,” as they say. I thought that meant I’d get a good long break, but no. I’ve had about four setbacks in the last six months. “Think in terms of episodes,” my wise man (aka chronic pain shrink) told me. I find it much easier to accept the reality by thinking that way, but […]
Uh Oh, Rerekuka 