This is a great article. It might help the non-believers if they would take the time to read it.
http://articles.health.msn.com/id/100108081/site/100000000/
That's a good one and I believe the power of mind and body. There is truly a connection.
I've had RA from a child but it really escalated in my early thirties and I was working sometimes as long as 21 hour days and backing it up with another. The sad thing is that is when I really got sick and I discovered that the world is going to continue whether I'm there or not. Needless to say, I don't work like that anymore and I refuse. There is more to life than a job. Yes, I have to go to work but it doesn't have to be who I am.
In fact, retirement is my biggest dream. I shouldn't wish my life away but I am so excited about having my time and being able to focus on what I want to focus on - my only hope is that I'm still healthy enough to function.
For me, coming here is my therapy. I truly don't wish this on anyone but it is comforting to know that I'm not alone and better yet, I am not a hypochondriac.
That article totally blew me away. It is great!
Thanks!
zzoi
The article was really interesting.When my daughter was dx. at age 12 we had never heard of it.When we did look into it we read so much about it coming from stress,sexual abuse all these things that were psychological.We felt so guilty and was having a very hard time getting help from some dr.'s who said all she needed was therapy and would give me and my husband funny looks, like what did you do to this child to make her this sick.
I remember very well when it started.She was 12,just started her period and had the last of 3 hepatits shots at school.Before then she was full of energy but was under stress due to her sister being in and out of hospitals for years.She worried alot about her sister.
When she first started having problems it was vasovagul problems.She had a tilt table study done by a peds. cardio.He said her blood pressure droppped so low that they couldn't get a reading.If I knew then what I know now she would have never had that test.Not long after that the pain came.Cardio. suggested fybro.Went to see a peds. reheumy that was so rude to me(I had to pull AMber out of school due to her near fainting spells and the pain,we were afraid of her falling down stairs at school and just seeing her eyes roll back in her head as she tries to wake up we knew she couldn't go to school like this)Reheumy didn't like that at all and was very upset with me.I was so dumb and surprised by her reaction I just sat there and let her chew me out and then she said that Amber didn't need any special care for her fms/cfs.This was 7 yrs. ago.I have been chewed out by a NP at a headache clininc cause Amber hadn't had enough therapy,she was barely able to get up and function.She was able to get back into school but the school fought me tooth and nail to get her help.If it hadn't been for the school nurse, who so happen to call me at home and had me meet her secretly so she could give me info. of what the school is required to do for students with fms/cfs.the school would not work with us.Our gp got involved and helped us get an IEP(individual educational plan).Which the school still didn't follow.I could go on and on about the battles we have been through trying to help Amber.
I'm not sure what caused her to develop fms/cfs.But I have held her while she cried and cried cause she couldn't do the things she wanted to do.
She has been dx. with depression along with fms/cfs.She has learned to cope with the pain and fatigue and finished computer tech college is has her first full time job.
I still don't know what causes it and I wonder if anyone will ever agree as to what causes this syndrome but I do believe in the powere of the mind.I see it in AMber every single day.SHe gets up in pain and so tired everyday,gets dressed(she can't drive yet,still having some trouble with near fainting spells)I drive her to work,many times she falls dead asleep on the way to work and then wakes uo puts on a bit of mascare in the car and goes in there and works her hardest.Now she pays for it on the weekends.She will sleep sometimes til 3 or 4 in the evening on the weekends,it's different every weekend.
Now that I have been dx. with fmsI have her as my role model.Isn't that something how roles reverse.I admire Amber very much she and Carrie are my heros.
Thanks for the article Mike.
Love,
Sheila