A year and a half...that is how long it has been since I have updated this blog. It's not that I have that many followers or that I have let a lot of people down. I just know that I have been busy and overall healthy. Well, I say that, but I have actually had 2 surgeries since then. One on my left shoulder and the other to remove my gallbladder.
I agreed to start a new journey in my Fibromyalgia war today. A friend from high school, who now manages our women's education house associated with the hospital that I work with, approached me about a month ago about taking over the Fibromyalgia Support Group that they host once a month. I went back and forth about the decision and decided that maybe I could expand my audience and actually go talk to people about what I have learned.
One might ask why I was hesitant about doing this. Two reasons come to mind. The first is that I am not the most sympathetic towards people and their chronic ailments. I kind of have the motto, "Suck it up or shut up!" I know that it is mean and not the nicest thought. I just feel that everyone has their own drama and that it is rude to vomit your drama onto others who might already have a heavy load. The exception to this is with concerned family or best friends. Another exception would be your doctor, or in this case, a support group.
My other reason for being hesitant is because of the stigma. I, being a pretty private person, don't want to be associated with the diagnoses of Fibromyalgia. It's not that I don't have it. I do! Yet there is a genre of people that LOVE having the diagnoses of Fibro and can finally have an excuse to stay in bed all day and have a reason to be on some horribly powerful pain medications. The majority of us that have this disease hate having it. The more outspoken people use it to their advantage and come off as whiners and complainers and are frowned upon in the medical community. This person isn't talked about to their face. No, it is done after they have left and the staff is discussing how pitiful they have become or are just a drug seeker. I don't want to be associated with that kind of person at all. Yet, I also know that some are just wanting an ear to listen to them, and have some compassion for this unknown disease, and want answers!
My hope, after talking to the director, is that I can help educate these women that have been given the diagnoses. The former leader of the group had a counseling background and did not have a diagnoses of Fibromyalgia. She saw the need for the group and implemented it. Since she has left there has been a void that needed to be filled. So I am going to attempt to fill that void.
The group meets the 2nd Monday of every month from 10am-noon. The format that I plan to use is to do a meet and greet with snacks and then do a focused discussion after on a specific topic (diet, exercise, natural remedies, etc.). I am hoping that all the pain and suffering that I have been through, and by finding methods that work, that I will be a help to all that come. There was also discussion of possibly starting a group that meets in the evening for those who work and cannot come to the daytime group. I'm excited to see where this new adventure takes me and also what else I learn as I research and try to help those around me.
No comments:
Post a Comment