Fibromyalgia is Like Bumping Your Elbow...

Fibromyalgia Flares Suck!

But they don't need to suck the life out of your life. Even if you are stuck on the couch ALL. DAY. LONG.

Today has been one of those days that I appreciate more the people that fight with Chronic Illness. The Invisible Illnesses that no one sees, and judges this community for being hypochondriacs. I know you do, because i used to be in your gang! If you can't see the illness, then it must not be there, right? What a bunch of whiners! That used to be my thoughts. I'm sorry for my past thoughts years ago. I was wrong.

Most days I personally feel pretty good. As long as I have spared the "spoons" and only use what are allotted per day. (You can find information on the spoon theory here.)

Yesterday I was doing pretty good, and tried to watch my spoons. . . until it was time to bake the Sourdough bread I made. It ended up taking 1 1/2 hours to bake because I made a BIG loaf! Augh! I ended up going to bed at 1am. Not a smart move after so much activity and starting the day yesterday with a migraine. But the bread needed baking. I used extra spoons and today I paid for it.

My WHOLE body hurts! Even the joints in my fingers and toes. The analogy of fibromyalgia feeling like hitting your elbow is the analogy I shared with my husband a few months ago when we were on a cruise. (The photo above with the analogy is from that cruise) I think he finally understood.

So while I have laid here on the couch today, feeling normal in my head, but regretting getting up and doing things as needed, I have had a few thoughts.

• Yoga pants are just as good as pajama pants - probably better because they are like compression pants and hug your butt and legs, helping them to not hurt as much as they could! 

• Humor is appreciated, even if I don't feel like laughing. It helps me be happy, and appreciative of good times during crappy days.

• It's a nice thing that you can piggy-back medicine for pain to refrain from opioids. It helps take the edge off - even if it doesn't take the pain away. It makes it bearable.

• Just because you have a hard day doesn't mean you aren't fighting the fight. Some days are just harder than others, and it's ok to rest to live to fight another day.

• Probably the most productive thing I learned today is that I can still do my yoga on a pain day. After having to rest after a hot bath today, and then resting after making food, I finally had the energy and desire to do my 3-Week Yoga Retreat from Beach Body. I felt better for a few minutes after the workout. More tired, but not as achy. It was a good trade. Then I drank my Shakeology with Cinnamon, Cayenne Pepper and Pineapple to reduce inflammation.

• And I'm thankful for Shakeology to give me some energy and reduce my hunger when I don't have the energy to make food. . . much less take a shower...

I hope that everyone had an awesome day today and learned something on your own journey! 

As for me? It's time to just rest... so I can go eat and finish my Container's of food to meet my calories for the day. I am still committed to living the Beach Body diet, doing the exercises, drinking the Shakeology and writing my experiences. Today has been tough, and honestly, writing this blog today has taken way more energy than I should have spent. But I am determined to chronicle my journey in case it works! If it does, I need to leave a path for others to follow. 

Instead of ending with a recipe today, I'm going to end with a poem that I love. 

The Bridge Builder

BY WILL ALLEN DROMGOOLE

An old man going a lone highway,

Came, at the evening cold and gray,

To a chasm vast and deep and wide.

Through which was flowing a sullen tide

The old man crossed in the twilight dim,

The sullen stream had no fear for him;

But he turned when safe on the other side

And built a bridge to span the tide.

“Old man,” said a fellow pilgrim near,

“You are wasting your strength with building here;

Your journey will end with the ending day,

You never again will pass this way;

You’ve crossed the chasm, deep and wide,

Why build this bridge at evening tide?”

The builder lifted his old gray head;

“Good friend, in the path I have come,” he said,

“There followed after me to-day

A youth whose feet must pass this way.

This chasm that has been as naught to me

To that fair-haired youth may a pitfall be;

He, too, must cross in the twilight dim;

Good friend, I am building this bridge for him!”