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.
Morning everyone, Leo posted and is doing well! Big hugs and wishing her a speedy recovery!
I'm sorry most of us are dealing with a lot of pain, depression, and other things. You're all in my thoughts daily. Today I figured I'd do a more legit check in, since it seems you all aren't sick of me ;) I want to keep it light (avoid depressing stuff)and stick to a topic that I feel most of us could find interesting: animals. More specifically, pets.
Dogs and cats are the most popular pets, at least in the USA. We know dogs evolved from wolves-this happened somewhere between 20,000-40,000 years ago (scientists can't quite agree on exactly when the species diverged). More recently they discovered that it actually happened separately in Europe and Asia, based on the age and genetic material found in fossils. The jury is still out on exactly how dogs were domesticated-whether humans found wolf pups and raised them or managed to live symbiotically with adult wolves. After that a lot of it is selective breeding. An experiment on foxes in Russia found that not only can you selectively breed for more sociable personalities, but the offspring of the more social animals looked more "adorable"(i.e., they had traits more like some domestic dogs than wild foxes). This suggests that "friendlier" wolves probably got closer to humans than others and were rewarded with things like food, which encouraged them to spend more time around people and, over many generations, domesticated themselves. The end result of thousands of years of spending more time around us has resulted in hundreds of breeds (the number depends on where you look and what country you're in, different kennel clubs recognize different numbers of different breeds), and the most diverse species out there. Yes, every breed is the same species. Great Danes, pugs, Chinese Crested, all canis familiaris.
Cats are a bit different. First, they're not considered domesticated, but tamed. They are not born with acceptance of people and need to be socialized early in life. If a cat isn't exposed to humans before they're about 16 weeks old, it's insanely hard to get them to accept humans. Adult dogs who don't have experience with people are usually wary but ultimately can be socialized. Feral cats can live in homes, but generally don't tolerate much (if any) handling- some won't let people within several feet of them. Yes, there are non feral cats (and dogs) like this too but it's the exception, not the rule. There are a lot of barn cat programs for feral cats where they're neutered and people feed them, but they essentially live on their own-usually they get there through TNR (trap, neuter, release) programs . Cats started living alongside farming communities about 8,000 years ago, spreading from Asia into Europe and Africa. The crops attracted rodents, which attracted cats. They started changing genetically before they really started interacting with humans, but are still more similar to their wild ancestors than dogs. There is also less diversity in cats than dogs, but even so, all "domestic" cats from Maine coons to sphynx are the Felis catus species.
Anyway, now that I'm off my tangent, I need to make breakfast, pay bills and go for a short run-the last one before my race on Sunday. I've got a lot of anxiety about everything. And I have to keep myself from doing all the things (my normal anxiety response)until after the race. And I have pms so I'm sleeping really poorly, and for whatever reason my hands are really painful lately. But I think my dad is actually going to look for pictures of my sister and I as kids, so maybe I'll be able to pick those up and start on the portraits I'm doing for Mother's Day. I hope everyone has a good day today, and I'll just leave this here to prove how cats are basically still lions (this is Nox enjoying the sunshine the other day)
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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.
alive and glad of it, for all of you, and to see my arm a normal shape!
purrs!!!
Leo so glad your arm is fixed :)
I slept woohooo 8 hours ! Not completly awake yet since i slept past 6 and its only 730 LOL
Thanks for the check in. I appreciate it.
Leo, YAY to see you, and to hear that everything went well. Prayers and best wishes for a speedy recovery.
Angela, yay for sleep. Makes a real difference, doesn’t it? I had trouble sleeping last night because I was congested from allergies.
Another day….the last day of the work week for me. I took tomorrow off because I’m just burned out, and because I still have to finish our taxes. My pain levels are through the roof still. My husband is still dealing with pain in his ankle, and he remarked yesterday about how he’s noticed the pain makes him so much crankier. Give Captain Obvious a promotion. I wouldn’t wish my pain on him—not really, but maybe like 24 hours of it? So he’d understand my limitations better?
Off to contend with my work, and the weight of my depression. I’m thinking I might have to get a fancy coffee this morning. Caffeine can be a depression band aid for a while at least.
Wish you all a great day.
Miki, I really enjoyed reading about cats and dogs. Thanks for keeping our group going. I'm glad you have today off and you can play catchup.
Leo, I'm glad your arm is fixed and that physical therapy can begin. I know you are ready for all of the healing to just be done.
Angela, I'm glad you got sleep.
ZK, I'm so glad you took tomorrow off from work. You need more breaks. And I agree about wishing our husbands and even other family members to have our pain and see what our life is like. I say a week though so they truly get to their wits end. :-) I hope the coffee helps, my saving grace is still chocolate.
I'm still pretty busy at work and my anxiety and depression is way up. I hurt literally everywhere, and I need to run by the surgeons office today for pre-op stuff. I wish the surgery was tomorrow morning. The wait is killing me and I was already so anxious and depressed from being sick and being in so much more pain than usual. I wish I could make myself stop crying, oh and last night was a bust, my arm itched like crazy all night.
I hope everyone has a good day.
Leo!!!! So good to "see" you! Also so glad your arm is a normal shape again! Many mugs of tea and bars of chocolate your way as you heal. <3
I am hoping that I am starting on an up swing after seeing pain management yesterday. It was so relieving just to see someone who had something they could do for me! She gave me trigger point injections, a shot of toradol and muscle relaxers to take when I am not working and at night. I can actually type without pain shooting up my fingers every time I press the keys. I still have an achy body and sharp pain in my arms and hands and feet but at least things are a little better. Hopefully they will continue to improve. Meanwhile I'm lucky to be able to work from home which allows me an extra hour and a half of sleep each morning since i'm forgoing the hour commute and actually having to look business presentable.
Angela sleeping 8 hours is phenomenal! So glad for you, I hope it allows you to have a nice day.
Zombie I'm sorry you are feeling so burnt out and in so much pain. I understand about wishing hubby understood more. I absolutely can't stand it when mine says "I understand..." I want to yell at him that no, no he does not understand what it is like to live your life in pain of some level every day and never knowing when it is going to flare up and completely control your life. Sigh.... That is why I am so thankful for you and our group here. The one place I can go where I know people will actually understand. Like the Cheers bar just minus the alcohol or physical location! LOL
Twin you are going through so much that is so rough both physically and mentally! I'm send big gentle comfy hugs your way along with a nice mug of hot cocoa. I can't wait for you to have this surgery either and for it to provide you some kind of relief. You deserve to feel better. You are a strong woman and an amazing Mom. You'll be in my prayers.
Sending hugs out to Fantod, Bear, Wonder, Blue and the rest of the gang.
Miki - That was very interesting information. I worked with feral kittens in a no kill shelter for a while when I lived in CT. It was terrifying to see those little cute creatures turn into complete demons at the drop of a hat. My recently deceased cat was semi feral when we got her as a rescue. It took her years to really settle in. She would have made a perfect shop or barn cat. We always had to be mindful that she could and would revert if she decided that something was not to her liking. Also, I've filmed with big cats which necessitate not wearing perfume and deodorant which are triggers. Nothing like a 15 hours day with no deodorant... Even working on a closed set with a minimum number of crew it was still very dangerous. I hope that you have a decent day and thanks for starting us off.
AngelaJo - Glad to hear that you got some sleep. Send some my way...
Zombie - Thanks for stopping by this morning. I have a Captain Obvious too and I could just smack him sometimes. I hope your fancy cup of coffee helped make you feel a bit better. So glad that you have tomorrow off. Hugs!
Twin - The surgery will be here before you know it. I'm sorry that your arm was so itchy last night. That had to be miserable on top of everything else. Work sounds insane right now which is sort of the icing on the cake for you. If you had some control over * anything* at the moment you would probably have less anxiety. Give yourself permission not to give a f*uck about something to lessen the burden. Pick one thing a day and eat some chocolate. That's my message today and I'm doing it myself. Hugs!
Maynard - I love Toradol! Best drug ever when I had my gallbladder surgery and my knee replaced. The surgeon actually used it on the incision site of my knee while it was open to lessen pain when I woke up. I'm glad that you got a pain management doctor to listen and help. Breaking that pain cycle might do the trick. Thanks for the shout out this morning.
Well, math impaired me lol did my taxes myself yesterday using Turbo Tax for the first time. This years return was simple or there is no way I would have attempted it. I had papers scattered from my office all the way back to the family room. Turbo Tax made the process pretty easy and I saved some money too not having to see my accountant. My annual tax meltdown is over - thank God.
Yesterday, my partner arrived home with the *great* news that his car now needs a new alternator. That means another weekend out in the garage. He has to pull out pretty much everything that he had off of the car last weekend again to replace the alternator. And, tah-da it is going to rain today which means the garage may flood where he needs to work again. I bought these nifty self inflating water dams that activate when water touches them.
I can create a dry space with them. Once the dams dry out, they can be folded up and put away. Until we can diassemble the garage one wall at a time and run a bead of hydraulic cement where the floor and wall meet. And, then paint with a water proofing paint - that's my solution. Let's hope it works or I will be using the wet vac a lot tomorrow before he gets home...
Taking the polydactyl into the vet later today for a shot and nail clipping. Wish me luck. She's a tough one to corral and with those extra toes/claws make it even worse. Shout out to Bear, Milily, Blue, Autumn, Wonder and Ida. I will try to check back later.
I'm sitting here reading Miki's post when a giant cane spider (almost the size of my hand) appears out of nowhere 2 feet from my leg. Yuck, I can't wait to leave this dungeon.
Miki, thanks for the cats and dogs tidbit, good info! Cats are definitely wild creatures. But if they trust you, they can be the snuggliest things on the planet. Spike seems like he still has a slight feral streak in him around strangers. But with me, he just wants to snuggle 24/7 and tell me all kinds of stories (he's a chatter box). That's so cool that you'll do portraits for Mother's Day, I bet she'll love it.
I'm so tired from running around every day... I wish I could stay home and sleep today, but I have horse therapy. My studies are suffering this week because there's too much to do. Contractors have not given us any bids yet, so I called up 2 more. They seem so busy. We need these in before the end of the week if we don't want to extend escrow. The good news is, our taxes came in!! Yay money!
Back in a bit
Angela, yay for sleep! Man, I could really use a night like that.
ZK, I laughed out loud about your husband lol. When my husband had back spasms a couple of months ago for 4-5 days, he was completely crippled (like, he couldn't make it to the bathroom and peed in bedside containers), I took him to the ER. I told him try LIVING that way every day of your life. At least he was a lot nicer to me for the next month or so after having had a taste of my suffering. I wish your hubby's ankle made him more compassionate.
Twins, hang in there... your surgery will be here before you know it! And next thing you know you'll be on to the stomach surgery. Poor gal, you, with all those surgeries. I hope some balance begins to resume in your body as soon as the explant takes place. I'm sorry the shot is itching you, I hope you find a way around that. Prayers going your way.
Maynard, yay for working from home. I heard those trigger point injections are great. And I don't doubt it after getting botox in those painful areas in my neck and shoulders... the fibro pain around there comes down to a tolerable level for me. Glad to hear that the shooting pain has calmed down since.
Fantod, your garage sounds like our bathroom with the flooding issues. If it were up to me, I'd tar this whole place! Yech. Yay for getting taxes done and good luck catching and caging the extra toed little monster.
OK, I gotta get outa here and start on homework. Plus Spike is acting like he hasn't been fed in days. Cross your fingers we get a bid!
Maynard, I was so happy to see your post today. I was really hoping pain mgmt could help you. I really hope that provides enough relief to give you a breather. You've been under so much stress with the pain and new job. I'm praying for you too. Thank you so much for the prayers!
Fantod, you are completely correct, I don't feel like I have control over anything in my life and I just can't handle it. I love your attitude towards the world today. I needed that so much, thank you!! I hope the vet went or is going okay right now. And you have to be kidding me about your partners car. I would be so frustrated if I were him, and I know it's not easy on you by any stretch. Good luck this weekend. I'm sorry the garage keeps flooding on top of it. I hate stress. Hugs
Blue, I feel bad for you. Hubby should be handling a lot of this so you can study, but I know how useless he is on making decisions. I don't even want to think about the GI surgery. haha. It will definitely be put off until the fall unless I get worse. Praying so much. I'm praying for you tummy and school too. I know how much it sucks. I really don't want to stop this migraine medication, it has totally stopped my migraines, but I was ready to chop off my arm last night. LOL. Of course, today it doesn't seem nearly as bad just a mild irritation. I hope it stays that way.
Where is my Kevlar shirt when I need it....
Late afternoon check in for me. Helping the kiddo out with math has consumed both of our mornings. But I got to snuggle with Pudge while I helped him. She got a nice facial massage and ever since that, we've become one. I couldn't even use the bathroom w/out here climbing on me. Picture a 12lb ragdoll sitting on my back while I used the facilities. Silly cat! Stupid me for opening the door, LOL.
Miki, I hope your day off is a good one to you. And you can get the things you want to get done accomplished.
Leo, I sure hope that you've been comfy as you have been out of commission.
Zombie, Wahhhoo for your Friday and you get a day off tomorrow! I do indeed hop you got that fancy coffee today. I've been craving the smell of one lately. I have Madame Kurig in the kitchen, just keep forgetting is all.
Angela! That is so awesome that you slept! Here's to another night of sleep too! I pray that the surgery will go well for you mom. Sometimes these impeding surgeries really take a toll on us mentally. I hope the meds help her too.
Twins, I too wish for the days and nights to go by quickly for you. You know what works for me? Every time I have something big coming up and I get too antsy about waiting? I start a project. Then I become rushed and No, I'll never learn. But it fills that time in between. Would there be any fun arts project that would take a bit of time to complete that would interest you?
Maynard, I am so happy to hear that your pain management doc had options for you. What a relief!!!
Fantod, oh an alternator? That's rotten! My mom and I were just talking earlier about how when you save and save for something and then bam, it gets eaten up by some major repair. I sure hope your fix works in the garage to keep water out. Our last garage had that issue in one spot. Tuck under garage, floor settled slightly lower than the driveway. Couldn't raise the garage floor to level it out because welp....tuck under garage. The cars barely fit as is.
Blue, Ugh, I hated that stress of quick deadlines. It was always hurry up and rush this to us...and then we waited and waited on their end.
Hope the running goes well for you and I seriously would have speared that spider or torched the house. Either way I'm not sleeping with a huge freaky spider!
I way over did it last night. Grilling and prepping dinner claimed my back and I've got numbness playing tricks on my legs/feet today. Last night I was so tired, it was effecting my vision pretty bad too. But that day is past now and today is a bit better.
I still have dishes to do from last night as Math homework trumped dishes. And then soon after I need to get dinner going. Tico Taco Hotdish on the grill! After that I'm going to take a nice hot shower and call it a night.
Hope everyone has a good rest of the day! Thinking of you Leo! Hope your day of rest was kind to you.
I look back on my life and wonder how i did it all.
I lived thru it with my animals!
Free hugs every day, kisses wheni did our didn't need them, happy tails when feeding them...oh I love animals!
Now I'm on to check fridays posts! Hugs to all!