Better later than never!!!
- Sally O'Gwin Gentry
- May 6, 2020
- 2 min read
I have been wanting to share about my journey with fibromyalgia, chronic pain and all the other good stuff that goes along with autoimmune diseases for a very long time! I don't know about you, but it seems that I have had it forever, when in reality it has been only 14 years!!! But boy have alot of things transpired in those 14 years! It has been an arduous battle, and I think that one of the hardest things about it has been the unknown. But I also have to share that I have experienced numerous blessings throughout the duration, even though at the time those blessings were not evident!! : - ( Unfortunately, I tend to choose to view the glass as half empty, rather than half full. But on the other hand, one of my coping mechanisms has been to use black humor and sarcasm in looking at so many of the challenges that occur due to living with chronic pain and all the other facets that are interacting. Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Did stress cause it? Did I already have the underlying condition, and something triggered it? Was it a result of earlier trauma in my life - injury, car accident, miscarriage? Did I have it earlier in my life, and just did not realize it. The questions can just drive you crazy!!! And as far as I am concerned, the answers are all of the above, or none of the above!!!! Who can I blame?! The blame game does not really accomplish anything! However, in my journey, and my grief journey, I have finally acknowledged that how I chose to deal in an unhealthy manner with stress resulted in the pain, and the domino effect of other related illnesses, both physical and emotional. Finally, I wanted to end this entry by saying how lucky I have been in having the most loving and supporting spouse, family, friends, church, church family etc!! Research shows that spouses and loved ones trying to deal with all of the aspects of chronic pain and interrelated issues happening to their loved ones, may have a more difficult time than the patients themselves. I do not understand how people are able to face and withstand so many of the trials of this life without their faith!! I have been so blessed! But it has taken many years for me to understand that.
Fibromyalgia? Now I know what to blame all these symptoms on!
Sally, I finally located and signed up for your blog. I wanted to make a comment on your "But you don't look sick", but couldnt figure out out to leave a comment. I'm not good with this kind of thing. But I wanted to say, this is a really tough issue form people like us. People DO NOT understand what's going on - why we are so often "not up" to joining in activities with others. I do well to handle immediate responsibilities like load my dishwasher, do that load of laundry and the thousand other things involved with taking care of my home. My fibro symptoms include severe lack of energy ; I am always physically tired. …
My pain began at age 49. Although I had dislocating kneecaps in high school and throughout my young adult years. Back pain and muscular pain all over with physical therapy, oral meds and steroid injections for thirty years with little relief. My job was very physical and long hours with lots of stress in medical ultrasound from age 40 through age 74. A traumatic divorce also at 40 and raising two daughters and back to school while working all at the same time. Also helping to care for two grandaughters while daughters went through divorces and became single moms. It has been tremendously hard.