” Trust one who has gone through it”, Virgil Writing that words psychomatic, in fact, even thinking about the title makes me feel uncomfortable! Who wants to be labeled as one whose pain is thought to be “JUST in your head” implying it is not real? But, before we go off into a tailspin about that specific demeaning-sounding…
Category: Fibromyalgia Disability
Fibromyalgia and Other Pains: Living with Anxiety and Apprehension
“It’s not the load that breaks you down, it’s the way you carry it” , Lena Horne HAPPY THANKSGIVING WEEK-END! We Canadians are always so happy our Thanksgiving falls in mid October when it’s harvest time; the leaves are gorgeous and in full colour and if we cook a turkey it is still a long way…
Fibromyalgia and Aging: Hope for the new decade
” To be seventy years young is sometimes far more cheerful and hopeful than to be forty years old”, Oliver Wendell Holmes As we age each new year brings hope of change in a positive direction. Less pain, less fatigue, better quality sleep are the things I wish for. The new resolutions: try not to…
Fibromyalgia, labelling and the brain
“The changed brain stays changed”, Barbara Arrowsmith-Young This website is one which presents information which I hope is written in easy to understand language without too much academic or medical jargon. Many with fibromyalgia who might be suffering from brain fog or have trouble with focusing do not want to wade through too many technical terms….
Fibromyalgia: Pseudo-science and Woo Woo
“Science is like an inoculation against charlatans who would have you believe whatever it is they tell you”, Neil de Grasse Tyson There are numerous claims made by those who practice or have beliefs in woo woo (irrational ideas based upon lack of scientific evidence) about various concoctions, herbs, homeopathic solutions (sugar pills) and other…
Fibromyalgia and major life transitions: accumulated life crises
“When you’re finished changing, you’re finished”, Benjamin Franklin It really is all about the brain and how new pathways can become established and old ones can be paths less travelled. So many report their fibromyalgia began with an accident, surgery, violence or another episodic event that was physically shocking to the nervous system. Some call…
Fibromyalgia and Highly Sensitive Persons: “Orchid Children”
“The flourishing orchid spreads out its fragrance”, Confucius In the January 1, 2011 edition of The Globe and Mail A4 an article has resonated with me that is tied in to the issues I wrote about in my book. Based upon the work of Elaine Aron and The Highly Sensitive Person I developed a theory about…
Fibromyalgia and Pacing Oneself
“If you can anchor yourself to a ship of tranquility, you won’t be tossed about by the waves of stimulation”, Ted Zeff I recently asked my spouse what lessons he learned from his father. His reply was how to ‘pace’ himself; to be cautious and not overly frenetic. His father lived to be 90, was…
Fibromyalgia and overdoing it!
“If there is no struggle, there is no progress” , Frederick Douglass There is a tendency among those of us with chronic pain to be ever so watchful on days we are in pain or extremely fatigued. We take it easy on those days and begin to wonder if we will ever be feeling well again….