Let's Move

This morning I woke up with a stiff back. I immediately knew it was my body reminding me to get moving.  When you have a chronic illness it is difficult to consider exercise. Even the simplest task such as bathing can cause pain and drain your energy. However, low impact exercise can ease some fibromyalgia symptoms and help boost energy.

Here are a just a few that I have tried:

Yoga-Symptoms can be reduced by practicing the mind & body technique of yoga.
Walking-Helps build stamina, reduce stiffness and boosts energy.
Light stretching-Aides in increasing flexibility and loosening tight stiff muscles. I do these in the AM before I get out of bed.

The benefits of low impact exercise I have noticed are:

It releases endorphins to the brain which assist with Fibro Fog.

It assists in not allowing muscles and joints to cramp up as often.

It gives me extra energy which means I get one or two extra spoons that day to use on whatever I choose.

I lost 26lbs in the process while still enjoying my favorite foods.

My body may sound like a bowl of Rice Krispies afterwards but my back, knees and muscles are less stiff and tense.




Before starting an exercise regime please check with your Doctor as they are the holder of your Medical History and will know better than anyone if Exercise is an option for you in managing pain.

You CAN have your cake but you CAN'T eat it too!

I no longer have perfect skin. Rosacea is commonly associated with fibromyalgia. Rosacea is a  skin condition that causes redness in your face and often produces small, red, pus-filled bumps.

I no longer have a full set of hair. Autoimmune disorders are commonly associated with Fibromyalgia, mine happens to be Hashimoto's Hypothyroidism. Hashimoto's is an autoimmune disorder in which the immune system attacks the thyroid. One of many symptoms is hair loss or alopecia. 

I no longer enjoy a full nights sleep. Insomnia is commonly associated with Fibromyalgia. Sleep problems with fibromyalgia include insomnia or difficulty falling asleep as well as frequent awakenings that you can't remember the next day. 

I no longer have unlimited amounts of energy. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is commonly associated with fibromyalgia. People with fibromyalgia wake up feeling exhausted with little to no energy due to the sleep disturbances caused by the insomnia.  Life with fibromyalgia is a domino effect. 

I no longer have a photographic memory. Fibro Fog and cognitive impairment are symptoms of Fibromyalgia.  Fibro Fog consists of confusion, memory lapses, difficulty concentrating, mixing up of words and numbers. 

Fibromyalgia took my perfect skin, hair, sleep, energy and photographic memory but it CANNOT take the principle of my life and existence-My Soul! 

Sharing is Caring!

Why advocate and raise awareness?

It is the ONLY CHOICE Available.

The thought that one of my children could possibly be diagnosed with Fibromyalgia is terrifying. What if they are not able to take Fibromyalgia by the horns as I have? What if they have a different type that is more debilitating than mine (no tangible proof there are different subtypes, just a concept). What if they don't have the same access to care as I? What if they hide behind a wall of shame or silence because of the stigmas and false perceptions that come as part of this diagnosis?

It was Saturday morning and we were on our way to Bruckner Boulevard. Weekly shopping trips with my Mom were the norm when I lived in the Bronx. We were chitchatting as usual and I was focused on the weekly circular checking the sales. As I gazed up, I noticed that my mom had shifted from the left lane to oncoming traffic. I yelled "we are going the wrong way!" My mom immediately moved over to the right and on to the right direction of traffic. She then went on to explain that periodically her mind would "wander off" sort of like when you walk into the kitchen and can't remember what you went there for.  I urged her to speak to her doctor and feared that this was early signs of Dementia or Alzheimer's.  During this same time, my mom had been experiencing pain and recently had arthroscopic knee surgery. In fact she had surgery in both knees and today still suffers from pain and walks with a limp.

As I think back now, a lot of what she experienced back then and continues to experience, points to fibromyalgia. The pain in all 4 quadrants of her body, the fibro fog, the rosey cheeks when fatigued, sleeping marathons, the depression, sensitivity in her teeth during times of flares, the frustration when not being able to do all the things as preplanned.  Although she has never been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia or any other pain disorder, I am convinced that I inherited Fibromyalgia from my mom.

As a parent, one of many responsibilities is to protect my children from harm and danger. How then CAN I be silent when there is a chance that ALL or ANY of my children might inherit a syndrome that has destroyed futures and taken so many lives?  I refuse to be silent!  Our children and future generations deserve nonetheless.

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Baby it's Cold outside

I enjoy snow sledding, snow mobiling, the aroma of burning wood and fresh pine in NJ during the winter and traveling through NYC penn station and seeing it transformed into a Winter Wonderland.

What I don't enjoy is the way my body reacts to cold. My fibromyalgia usually runs rabid whenever there is a drastic change in temperature and ALWAYS during times of Rain.

Rain, Rain go Away, I have fibro and the pain is not welcomed to stay.

It may be cold outside, but there are ways to keep our bodies warm.

Ugg boots are the best shoe ever made! They can be a bit pricey and may not go with every outfit but they keep my feet warm which in turn makes me comfortable. I can always be more fashionable in the warmer months when I feel better and can choose from a wide variety of sandals. Life is about making compromises anyway.

I have traded in Soda for Tea. This is a win-win situation. We have all heard the disturbing side effects of soda and the wonderful benefits of drinking tea. The tea keeps me warm and helps with other issues as well. Peppermint Tea aides with the symptoms of IBS and Chamomile aides with winding down after a long day.

I could not survive a winter without my heating blanket. I remember walking through Walmart, noticing heating blankets on sale and thinking that would be a nice gift for my mom when she is elderly and needs to remain warm. My mom has yet to receive one for Christmas; however, it is the best $19.99 ever spent. It not only helps me stay warm during the night, it also feels nice to get in a warm bed after coming in from the cold (I use it as the top sheet, not as a cover).  I also learned something new-heating blankets are not made only for the elderly.

Warm baths are my new best friend. That is until the water heater decides it needs a break. I've never really believed that taking breaks from relationships were beneficial to either party but my relationship is with the warm bath and not the water heater. Guess this proves that relationships are really only meant for two people. The warm bath in the AM helps get my body warm and ready to tackle the winter cold. The warm bath in the PM helps get my body warm after being out in the cold and is a relaxing way to wind down after fighting fibromyalgia all day.

This is how I tackle the Cold & Rain in an attempt to manage symptoms. When all else fails, I remind myself that this too shall pass and it ALWAYS does!

Sharing is Caring!

How can you do it All?

This is usually the question I am asked after I inform someone that I have Fibromyalgia. The answer is that I NO longer do it all. I gave up my volunteer work, I gave up cooking everyday, I gave up spending time with friends, I gave up cleaning my house everyday, I gave up being obsessive, compulsive & controlling (this maybe a good thing to have given up) and I gave up my memory which doesn't allow me to remember all the other things that I gave up (not by choice-smile). 

All of those things were traded in order to conserve energy. Energy that can be used with family or educating myself on holistic approaches that aide in managing symptoms. When I am not successful, I just fake feeling well. Why fake it? Because although for the most part peoples intentions are genuine and come from a place of concern; discussions about me not feeling well often lead to pity parties. I understand & respect the need to vent, as there are many times that I do this myself (hence why I blog). However, a pity party is very different and is of no use to anyone, since it usually consists on dwelling on the issue which often leads to stress and depression.  We all know that stress and depression are the highways leading to only one destination-Fibromylagia Flare.  I do not do it all and my life has changed FOREVER but I am only looking back in order to see how far I have traveled.

Keep in mind that Skills are taught, Attitude is influenced but YOU bring the Resiliency! 

 

Every time your back is against the ropes you always find a way to free yourself and fight back. 

YOU ARE FIBROSTRONG!

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Wonder Woman Meets Fibro Woman

I am not changing my life! I enjoy taking care of everything & everyone. Fibromyalgia will not hold me back from continuing life as I know it. That is the mindset that prevented me from managing pain and continuously crashing into that wall we refer to as a Fibromyalgia Flare.  

I HAD to make changes in my life, although I didn't WANT to. I was taking care of everything and everyone while failing to take care of myself. The most important changes were learning to Say NO and Pacing Myself. That combination made a huge difference in managing pain.

I had to learn that saying NO to others meant saying Yes to me. I am now able to create healthy boundaries in relationships by saying No. I make sure that I do not cause myself a flare by overextending myself or putting too much on my plate. There are still times when I can't avoid putting too much on my plate. During those times, I remind myself that it is acceptable to leave  leftovers for tomorrow, it is acceptable to have a messy house (work in progress), it is acceptable to start the next day with a full to do list, it is acceptable to ask for help. How else would I find the energy to conquer mountains that I cannot climb? 

I know that there are many things I will never be able to control, so I manage what I have within my reach and that always begins with not overextending myself. I am not limited by Fibromyalgia, the only limits that I have are the ones that I have set for myself, which are NONE. I just had to learn to live life differently in order to unveil the life I once knew.

Fibro Woman does not need a cape, lasso or indestructible bracelets, her super powers are within. She manages 1-20 symptoms on a daily basis including Chronic Pain and Fatigue, She is an advocate for herself and 10 million others like her, She is Physically, Mentally and Emotionally drained. At first glance you would not know any of this because she allows her BEAUTIFUL Smile & Strength to outshine all the Fibromyalgia Villains. She is Fibro Fierce!

Sharing is Caring <3