Fibromyalgia Support Group
You're not alone in your pain. Fibromyalgia is a condition that can be difficult to diagnose and manage. If you're trying to cope with pain throughout your body, sleep problems, general fatigue, or other common fibromyalgia symptoms, you're in the right place. The community is here for you to talk about therapies and share your challenges.
Good morning. Bit of a weird long day yesterday. Pest control (we're almost done with fleas, we think...) and Mom flip-out-at-me-ness (parnaoia from brain damage, ugh) and a good visit with our own PeaceN2You (she says hi).
The Fibro/Pain Awareness walks are scheduled this year for May 13, if anyone wants to see if there's a walk in your area. THey're short ones. By short, I mean like 1 mile at most. I'll be at the Richmond walk. There's one in Chicago, a few other places. Or just wear a purple butterfly. Not sure how that got to represent, but I like both the color and the critter, so I'm good.
Here's the page for the Awareness day (many walks are on the 13th, as May 12 is a Friday).... https://www.facebook.com/NFMCPA/ This is a public page, you don't have to be on FB.
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Today is the first day of Lunar New Year (Chinese New Year), and it's the YEar of the Rooster. Insert jokes here.
Traditions on this holiday include...
Decorating with red (a luck color)
Hanging out with family (not always so lucky)
Fairs, parades, and passing on red envelopes, to give luck to the recipients (it's more a "good wishes" thing)
Traditional foods, including fish (which sounds in some Chinese like teh word for luck/fortune), rice balls, and spring rolls.
Fireworks! Woot!
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Do-not-dos on this day?
No begging. Nope. No. Dn't even ask for a loan. Bad luck.
It's a great day to be a spoiled brat, b/c a crying child might bring bad luck, so today, kids are shamelessly placated.
You don't wash, in case you wash away the good luck you accrued, until th efourth day after the New Year starts. (Errr.... Ew?)
You wear red underwear to ward off bad luck. And, if this lunar year matches your birth year sign (Rooster, this year, for example), you want to wear red undies every day all year. See, the year of your sign is bad luck for you. So Monkey years are bad for Monkey, etc.
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Chinese zodiac has 12 signs, and I copied and pasted so if your birth year is there, you know your "sign". If you need to go back farther? Add twelve to your birth year (or 24 or 36) until you reach a listed year. This rotates every 12 years.
- Rat: 2008, 1996, 1984, 1972, 1960
- Ox: 2009, 1997, 1985, 1973, 1961
- Tiger: 2010, 1998, 1986, 1974, 1962
- Rabbit: 2011, 1999, 1987, 1975, 1963
- Dragon: 2012, 2000, 1988, 1976, 1964
- Snake: 2013, 2001, 1989, 1977, 1965
- Horse: 2014, 2002, 1990, 1978, 1966
- Goat: 2015, 2003, 1991, 1979, 1967
- Monkey: 2016, 2004, 1992, 1980, 1968
- Rooster: 2017, 2005, 1993, 1981, 1969
- Dog: 2018, 2006, 1994, 1982, 1970
- Pig: 2019, 2007, 1995, 1983, 1971
Each one has its "traits", similar to the Western Zodiac signs (hey, baby, you an Aquarius, b/c you make my mouth water, an dsimilarly bad pickup lines in bars), and the animals have importance to ancient Chinese culture, either as domesticated critters, or in mythology, or b/c of their yin/yang principles. (Depends which website you believe.)
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And now, with all that in your heads, I'm off to ... IMagine the lawyer's slow agonizing death in a pile of unexpected paperwork.... No no no, bad Leo...
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We're all troubled.WSo, to remind ourselves we're not at rock bottom (this is a reverse optimism thing I learned as a kid):We are not living on the island of Krakatoa when the volcano goes boom!Yeah, okay, that sucks.***Toay in 1942, Pierre Laval announced that the way to free France was for Germany to win WW2. Pierre did not win a lot of friends. When the war ended, quite quickly he was tried...
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Another day, another ouchie?My bruised achilles tendon (don't ask) makes my foot numb. Wonky on meds, whacked it.Now, as to fibro:A lot of reports are going around some parts of social media that fibro (and dang near anything else) are caused by post-Covid, post-flu, post-vaccinations, post-pick-something.1. Your risk of death or serious complications beyond "ow, that shot hurt!" are typically...
I was up at 230am till after 6am because of pain and anxiety. Got back to sleep to wake up about 20 mins ago, i was dreaming i had to throw up and thats exactly what i woke up and had to do :( Mom just got over a week and half flu so praying its not that but i THINK its because i am pmsing bad and ate some cream of wheat right before i laid down and i have Gerd and acid reflux. I feel fine now! Well im sure you know how my pain is by me being up so much, and the anxiety omg. Its going to be a long day if this keeps up. Have to watch my sugar because i took insulin this morning. Hope you all have better days. huuuuuugs to all
Sorry about the fleas. My sister, who lives in NC, had them (dog got them - they can be epic there), and they were treated by spreading Diatomaceous Earth, and after bathing and drying the dog, dusting her with it. It melts their exoskeleton and they dissolve. Worked really well. But it's like fine dust.
Leo good luck with the pest control
Angela I hope you feel a little better today, I always throw up the day before my period too. Pms is not friendly to my fibro in the least, it affects everything in my body & my mind to my joints & my skin & everything in between.
Still not sleeping.......... I'm hurtin, this has to get better soon. I've changed from thinking I hope this gets better soon to this HAS to get better soon.
I hope everyone has a good day
Xoxo lilmissy
Angela, sorry for the pain, anxiety, and throwing up this morning. I hope it was just your GERD. I hope you get some more sleep today and things get better for you.
Hi Madeline, I hope you are doing good.
lilmiss, I can't believe you aren't sleeping at all, you'd think our tired bodies would finally give in and forget about the pain. I hope you get some sleep this weekend. Have you tried a natural sleep aid? I like Hylands Calm Forte and Quietude. They help a little. Good luck!
I'm in a lot of pain pretty much everywhere, and anxiety is high. I'm so done with trying. I don't want to try anymore, try on my marriage, try to reduce pain, try to clean in intervals, try to workout, I want everything to stop.
I hope everyone finds a way to be happy today.
Angela, OMG, you save my soul, it's chocolate or sinsantiy!
Lilmiss, okay, that's it, smack-down on that sleeplessness. L-theanine helps me tremendously, ditto Hubby, and most docs approve it. Walgreens sells a brand Hubby likes.
Twin, take ad ay off. You earned it.
Sure I missed someone, sorry.
I guess I *was born year of the rooster. Don't really follow this stuff and don't have any red underwear. I've always felt red underwear to be a curse and threw them away if they came in package with others colors. I couldn't figure out WHY till recently when I did that crazy PTSD therapy and had to do writing assignments every week.... well on one of the writing assignments I had to write about my sexual assault and include as many details as possible including colors, sounds, sights, etc. I realized while writing, the night I was assaulted I was wearing red underwear. It took a week of trying to write it out thanks to so many nightmares, but I never completed the assignment... and the therapist said I had to finish it if we wanted to move on to the next one. So I dropped out. Anyway, that's how I discovered my hatred towards red underwear!
Went to an art show / party at a kombucha cafe last night. We brought mom hoping she'd make some artsy friends too. They said they would have finger foods, so I expected so to see maybe a few platters..... but wow. They were constantly walking around with food in your face, platter after platter (of vegan food)! We were stuffed to the brim! The artist was very talented too with photos of nature and captured birds in mid flight including an owl who was looking right at the camera with deep eyes. I had to leave once the crowd got too loud for me and a headache was coming on.
Remember that PTSD claim I've been working on since Feb last year? The VA sent me a denial letter yesterday stating they have no evidence of the event, no evidence I sought treatment, and no evidence of being diagnosed for PTSD. In fact, said they said the examiner (via video-teleconference back in Dec) claimed I was resilient and well adjusted after my trauma! What the flip are they talking about!! It's no wonder vets are offing themselves at alarming rates.
We have plans to hit the beach today due to nice weather. I might make some fried rice with crumbled elk sausage later. I wish I wasn't waking up at 5 each morning. I need at least 7 hours of sleep.
Back in a bit.....
Madeline, we used to use Diatomaceous Earth for ant problems.
Lilmissy, once you've hit bottom, things can only get better from there..... right? I'll pray for you! Do you take OTC sleep aids?
((((((((Twin)))))))) lots of love and chocolate chips for you. Even though I know chocolate chips won't solve your problems right now, sorry. We can't give up, though... can only hope for bits of relief of the misery. One thing at a time. One day at a time. And God's strength to keep us afloat. It's strange you mention all that though... I was trying for a nap just now, but my head was too busy with all my problems and wouldn't let me close my eyes. This seems to be the daily issue. You're so strong and I pray you can find the strength and that God will find a way to lessen your burdens.
I am still in horrible pain, pork roast is cooking away in the crock pot for another hour, made the bbq sauce to make it into pulled pork. First time making bbq sauce and i tested it its yummy! Wish this paiin would ease up becasue with my anxiety i have to keep busy!
Sooo enjoyed our visit - wish it could have been longer. Paying for a long day today as we had a dinner date with the kids after I got back.
So much to do and hubby stuck doing most of it.
But totally worth it for yesterday!
Still hate the new format. Noticed there are around 3k members in this group - used to be many more.
Got to go. Going to try to relearn to knit and make a "hat."
Leo, it does sound like you had a long day...but fun with Peace, I bet. Sorry about the mom stuff, and those nasty fleas.
I guess I'm a tiger from the Chinese birth years. I knew it was the year of the Rooster a while ago as I have a friend from Japan, and she told me. No red underwear here. Pink will have to do for today.
Angela, sure sorry you are having such a tough day. PMS is the worst. My hyst was one of the best things I ever did. I had a nasty bunch of fibroids that wreaked havoc with high pain levels. That was even before I knew I had fibro. Anyway, I wish you all the best, and hope you have a nice evening with your yummy food. You and blue can really cook.
Hi Madeline. Wishing you a great weekend.
lilmissy, sorry you are not sleeping. I can so relate. My sleep pattern is so wacky. Maybe try one of the remedies mentioned by others.
Twinmom, some days it's just ok to be "done." Cut yourself some slack. I know you have so much on your mind. Take one day , even one minute at a time. I'm so glad you are part of our group. You mean a lot to all of us.
Blue, the art show sounds so fun. And all the food! That is great. I'm so sorry the VA treats you so bad. I'm sure hoping things will change in that service to our vets. You deserve so much more.
Oh, miki, your dog story sounds so scary. Some people have no clue how to handle their pets. This is how bites happen. I hope you have a good weekend with not so much pain.
Hubby and I have been very busy today. First he took me out for breakfast. Just the 2 of us. I had only seen him for one day in 2 weeks, and we were both sick that day. Anyway, then we went to the bank, then Walmart, then Menard's, then bundled up a ton of cardboard in the garage. Needless to say, I cannot move at this point, and told hubby I was done. I can barely walk right now, and am using the heating pad. Fortunately we have leftovers, so I won't be cooking. Hubby got the new sheet rock up in the living room, and mudded that. His energy just never seems to end. Although he is resting at the moment.
Tomorrow is church, then more work in the house. I'm not sure how much I will be able to take.
Take care, all.
Went to the beach today... tried to outrun weird clouding that rolled in, it was interesting. lol.
We have some monster waves coming tomorrow and Monday, but Monday is when they'll be 40-50 ft high! We're going to try to head to a world famous bay called Jaws to watch the mayhem. Lots of issues still bothering me, mixed emotions.
See you all Sunday!