Just the other day, I was in my twenties, living in the 80's, married with babies and busy. Boy, was I ever busy! My husband and I had a business together and I could really burn the midnight oil. I lived on coffee. I chased my kids, did the household chores, worked in my backyard garden, marketed our business, typed reports and took care of the office work. At night when the kiddos were in bed, I would sew, work on crafts or decorate cakes.
Fast forward through more crazy, busy years and the demands of life. I started feeling poorly. Sometimes, I would talk to my doctor about weird symptoms. "I feel as though I am being poisoned. One day I feel fine, the next day, I feel horrible. I feel an all-over pain like I have the flu, but I don't have the flu." My doctor would check my blood for anemia and tell me I needed to alleviate my stress.
It was the summer of 2011, I had been sick in bed for a week with unexplained pain, weakness and fatigue. My husband took me to the hospital. The E.R. doctor reviewed several blood tests and an EKG, then suggested... "Make an appointment with a Rheumatologist, you may have an auto-immune disease." I cried. I cried because finally a doctor believed I had something worth looking into. I cried thinking of all the years I suffered with this unexplained pain and fatigue. I cried because maybe, now, I could be 'normal'.
I met with a Rheumatologist and on December 27, 2011, I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia.
This is what I have learned so far...
1. My Fibromyalgia pain won't kill or cripple me, but my medications might.
2. I should eat my veggies.
3. I am fearfully and wonderfully made. The ultimate healing comes through a growing relationship with Jesus.
Most importantly...After a year of educating myself about my Fibro,
I now know I will never be 'normal' again.
However, once I considered my humor, family, friends and pets, I'm pretty sure... I never was.
