Fibromyalgia really isn't an invisible illness if you just take the time to listen, if you take the time to try and understand, and if you truly take the time to believe what the fibro patient is saying. Yes, we do seem "normal". We "don't look sick." Aha, but yes, we do. Look in our eyes and you'll see it...pain that never ends, fatigue that goes deep inside to our bones.
You will also see perseverance. You will see determination. You will see someone that doesn't have a low tolerance for pain. No, just the opposite, you will see someone who has incredible tolerance because we live with this pain and fatigue all day, every day.
We wake up with the pain. We wake up feeling like we never slept -- chances are we didn't get much restorative sleep. We are awakened 10--20--30 times a night. We go through our day with the pain and the fatigue, watching the clock to see how long it is before we can take more pain medication. We may sneak a nap because we can't keep our eyes open one more minute.
Fibro really isn't invisible. Not if you take the time to listen. Not if you take the time to care.
So, Happy Fibromyalgia Awareness Day!
To all of you that live with this scary and daunting disease, bless you. Bless you all ten times over! Fibro's not invisible and neither are we. Please, just take the time and have the patience to care.
Hugs,
me
CJ, in time
What a beautiful post, CJ! You're right. We think we're invisible but you are so so right. Just look in our eyes.......
ReplyDeleteWOW!WOW!WOW!
I'd love to post this all over the place. I'm going to link this if you don't mind. You just said the perfect perfect thing and we all missed it. The whole Fibro community missed it.
We are not invisible........
Bless you sweetie!
R.
Holy cow, Rosemary! You sure know how to lift a person's self esteem -- especially someone whose self esteem is well below ground level.
ReplyDeleteOf course you can link it. I am honored, and amazed quite frankly, that you would want to.
I am responding more to your uplifting comment in my next post. Suffice it to say, though...
YOU MADE MY DAY! Thank you, thank you. I needed that.
Hugs, hugs, hugs,
me
CJ,in time