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.
For the costs associated with Fibro. The cost of doctors, copays, medicines, OTC/Natural treatments to help you just get by, your time, "their" time, relationships, meals out cause you physically cannot cook, groceries that go out the window cause you just can't cook, clothes that don't hurt (thank you LulaRoe leggings and carly dresses- “shakes fists in the air”), and your sanity.
How can you tell fibro you need to go on a tight budget without forfeiting your own health and quality of life?
I just re-did my budget again to afford my "new" lifestyle. I say "new" because until the previous weekend, I was pretty much in denial about this being a permanent thing. Talk about depressing.
I am no longer a frivolous person – did that in my 20’s and am still paying for it today. I get the occasional coffee (Tim Hortons - not Starbucks), I love to cook and love veggies... I no longer buy higher cost cuts of meat and have learn to love my pressure cooker/slow cooker, but I miss going all out on crafting a meal on a weekend. I miss going to farmer stands, butchers and just waving my invisible magic wand of ingredients I want. I miss the energy I could exude on a meal like that just for a Saturday. Now, I cook dinner enough for that night and lunch the next day. I meal prep on Sundays by making breakfasts I can grab and go, I cut veggies so my tired hands wont have to do so much during the week. I occasionally go out for lunch and carpool with my husband on most days – I am lucky we work ¼ mile away from each other. And sometimes I just say I cant cook tonight. Now, my husband – he tries bless his heart, but lawd – he can burn boiling water. So there goes that. The biggest leech to our life is his schooling. He is almost done. Our last payment will be July. He is on track to get his Bachelors in December after 14 years of FT work and part time school from the ground up. I couldn’t be more proud.
When does it pay to ask for help from the outside? Not like maids and cooks – I mean from family and friends. What cost does that have on the relationship!?
Sorry – I am venting because I need to get it off my chest without being an irritant to my others… I don’t feel like I have enough left in life to cost me anything more than it already has.
I am sorry I have cost you some of your time to read my vent. But I appreciate you listening... hello... you still there? Bueller? Bueller?
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Welcome to the Perseid meteor showers, the "biggies" usually every year. (The Leonids beat 'em one year IMHO).AND today much of the northern hemisphere will see 5 to 99% solar eclipse. How cool is that? Your best bet is to be in the UK or norhtern Spain, where totality is excellent before sundown. Me, I'll get a super duper tiny itty bitty slice of it, so little that it won't be noticeable. New...
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... observed a solar eclipse.
How do I afford the fibro things needed for quality of life? I don't. There are things that help/could potentially help that I simply cannot have access to due to financial constraints - like acupuncture, a renewed bout of physical therapy, or some form of therapy/counselling for the mental guff.
I mostly wanted to respond to say that the end of your post made me laugh out loud. I confused my partner when I was suddenly droning the "Bueller? Bueller?" quote without context. So thanks for the laugh, but sorry to hear of that particular fibro demon plaguing you today.
My medical expenses increase every year no matter what I do. I'd work even part time if I could. I'd be the worlds most unreliable employee. It's maddening .
My family is very supportive but they really don't grasp how expensive it is to be chronically Iill even with good insurance.
In short, I feel your pain.
All- I wish we didn't have to feel wachohers, or our own, pain. Thank you for letting me rant.
I find myself going without other things to manage my fibro. So sometimes I may go without updating my wardrobe to pay for the things that are essential for managing this illness. I also search the paper for coupons and try to stock up on my favorite items when they are on sale. Buying meats wholesale by the case helps and stocking up on veggies when on sale helps. Also, I use group-on for massages or for other services and products. I get a lot of products from amazon, which can be cheaper than the brick and mortar stores.
It seems like a never ending task, but at the end of the day sacrificing other things is all I can do.
Best Wishes to you.
Here is a site that I love for budget tips www.stretcher.com