Today is May 12th - International ME/CFS & FM Awareness Day

Like a lot of Fibromyalgia, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis  and multi-chemical sensitivity patients, I hate talking about it. We suffer in silence (after all who wants to hear someone complain day after day, that they are in  pain/and or are tired, or breathed-in/ ate / were exposed to something that made them feel sick.  Or all three? The days we complain are usually the worst days when we feel if we don't say anything will explode from the extreme level of pain/or tiredness that feels like it's taking over our every waking moment. stealing our life away. The word we hate to say most CANT. Sooner or later that word is uttered and we hate to say it.

Have you ever had the flu? Think of your flu at it's worst and double or triple that, sometimes that is our good day. We try hard to appear normal and do normal things like everyone else so we don't often appear sick. Others are worse off and can not even get out of bed/ eat/ or live any type of normal life.

Millions of people around the world suffer in silence,we don't want sympathy we just want to be heard.This disease needs research, so they can find the roots of this disease and cure it, for more info on this disease.  http://www.disabled-world.com/health/fibromyalgia/

Fibromyalgia Quick Facts

• Affects 3 to 5 percent of the general population
• Occurs in people of all ages, even children
• Men develop fibromyalgia too, although more women are diagnosed with it
• Symptoms are chronic but may fluctuate throughout the day
• Roughly one-quarter of people with fibromyalgia are work-disabled
• FDA approved the first drug for fibromyalgia in 2007 and more treatments are being developed but most find no relief.

 Top Twelve Fibromyalgia Symptoms    

     

• Pain all over
• Fatigue
• Sleep difficulties
• Brain fog
• Morning stiffness
• Muscle knots, cramping, weakness
• Digestive disorders
• Headaches/migraines
• Balance problems
• Itchy/burning skin
• No relief from symptoms
• Chemical sensitivities

                                                                          

I wrote this poem about the monster I call Fibro.

The Monster Within

It calls to me, it’s breath blowing

It calls to me, it’s tendrils showing

It calls to me, and speaks in sweet whispers

It calls to me, and shows sweet lures 

Promising if I listen it will subside 

It lies, it lies!!

I give it none. no smile no wave

But it looks at me, as if it can’t behave

I turn my head, acknowledge it not

For life, its battle I have fought

The normal things that others do 

They are not for you

It shouts and screams and screams

But I listen not.

Through distant cries it calls to me

But it’s lies, do not get to be

I close the door, heed not it’s siren call

For in my heart and body it dies

Or simply lurks in a dark corner today

I hide it away, not letting it out to play,

It is not here, I tell myself

It won’t come in and ruin my day

It shouts, it pleads

Ignoring would be a sin

But I will not let it in

I battle on and this time I win

But the battle is always nigh

And my attention will not die

Pain and strength weakening

I fight on the good fight

This battle will be won

The monster’s tendrils extend it’s reach

Fighting I move into the breach

For it’s me who will teach

The monster it is no more!

If only for today, for 

Now the monster's gone away

I can come out to play.

 ©Sheilagh Lee  May 12, 2015