When Frida came out in 2002 I knew nothing about the artist Frida Kahlo. After watching the film I became haunted by her. For weeks after I could not stop thinking about the tempestuous woman who, despite living with an inhumane amount of pain, lived with extreme magnetism and passion. I think I was drawn to her because of her pain. I even mentioned to my husband once that I believed she might have suffered from Fibromyalgia. Frida’s pain began with a devastating bus crash at the age of eighteen. Here is an excerpt form Frida: A Biography of Frida Kahlo by Hayden Herrera, which … [Read more...]
Self-Maintenance and Moderation in Fibromyalgia Management
Living with Fibromyalgia means you constantly have to make choices, choices that can be the difference between a good day and a flare-up. Some days I have to choose between cooking dinner and doing a load of laundry. These are relatively easy choices. I check the status of Rob’s underwear drawer, and if I can see the bottom, laundry it is! It is true. Everyday is a balancing act, trying to measure the most I can get done against doing too much and exacerbating my pain. Self-maintenance and moderation are crucial to my daily success. But sometimes the choices are clear and easy and I still … [Read more...]
Equilibrium
At the end of my post about our trip to Hawaii, I promised to post on how the universe has a way of making sure that for every “great” moment, there is an equal if not greater “oh no, I can’t believe that happened” moment. I already mentioned that our laptop died somewhere over the Pacific, well in addition to that we had several other “oh no” moments to keep us laughing (which kept us from crying). I will try to make this short, because who really wants to hear a bunch of complaints about a trip to Hawaii – really! My husband suggested I name the post “Planes, Pains & … [Read more...]
4 Simple Daily Habits to Help Manage Your Fibromyalgia
For the estimated 10 million Americans living with fibromyalgia, there is nothing “simple” about it. The daily battle with widespread pain, fatigue, and mental fog can be debilitating. Trying to be a productive person under these conditions is a challenge. Fibromyalgia sufferers struggle every day coping with this “new” version of their lives. Gone is the independent, productive person you once were. In place is someone left wondering, “How am I going to contribute today?” And it is not simply how am I going to contribute to my job, to my home, and to my family, but how am I going to … [Read more...]
Selflessly Selfish
I struggle every day with who I am. I am different because of the Fibromyalgia. I am not the independent, fiercely productive person I once was. Every morning I envy (but am grateful for) my husband and his ability to jump out of bed, hop into the shower, and rush out the door on his way to a destination where he knows his purpose and is able to perform at a high level. I lie in bed with muscle soreness, a dizzy head and complete exhaustion and wonder, “how am I going to contribute today?” And it is not simply how am I going to contribute to my house and my husband, but how am I going … [Read more...]