Hi everyone,

I just wrote a fibro poem. I hope it's ok to post here. My fibro has really been acting up lately, way more than "normal" and I am struggling to deal with it. I am trying to find ways to face it head on and conquer it. Writing is something I enjoy doing, so I figured I would write about it instead of just sitting around and waiting for the pain to subside. Always before, if I can engage my mind in something, the pain seems to lessen somewhat. Usually I do crafts, etc. but I have recently started painting and writing again.

Anyway, here it is, if anyone wants to read it...

The Invasion

Fibromyalgia Syndrome
Painful and exhausting
Spreading visciously through her body
Like a raging fire in brown, dry grass
If only they could find a cure.

Copyright 2007, Kathy Bahr

Kathy, thanks for posting! Isn't it the truth??

I hope that you'll come back and post more often and help us solve all the problems of the world. (or at least be supportive of each other!!!) Good for you on losing 30 pounds! That's great!!!

Good poem. Sometimes it feels just like that, too ... fire! Hubby was kissing me goodnight tonight and he put his hand on my back and commented on how hot my skin is. I just said, yeah ... not a good time for me. Sometimes I can actually feel cold but my skin will be hot. Weird. And lately it seems I'm always in pain and tired. Good job on describing fibro.

I'm still not sure about all the other 'stuff'. I probably won't keep doing all the stuff at church. The Coordinator of Education job is elected once a year. I'm 3 months in right now so 9 more to go. I may try to tough it out.
Sorry your basement flooded, Mima ... that must be a mess and it will be an expense to fix, too. Water damage is such a pain.

Joanne, why is it when people find out you can do something like sew they just assume you want to do all the projects? They used to do that to me at churches we went to.

Gotta go to bed, hubby has to work tomorrow so that means I have to get up early and "man" the business. Oh, Mima, the Dome Books won't work either if I don't enter the data ... that IS crucial you know!!! The books are not the dilemma!!! I already have a set of books that I started when we started the business, that isn't the problem. Getting the data put in is the problem!

I put trhe data in every once in a while while I am watching the tv. Then I file the papers in categories in an accordion fle. i get behind but it doesn't take long to carch up. Then at least all the stuff is organized, Took me a while to get organized-hate to come home because it's back to keeping records!!! Worse part is getting Brad to give me the slips. He buys a lot of equipment.
Nowadays I am very careful as to what I give my time talents and treasure!! It will be great just having one church for that. Angela already challenged me with it-she hired a face painter for Debbie's party for 150$ and said her mother and Brett's mother were chipping in and oh sigh-they would have to pay the rest. I changed the subject. That kind of money is nuts-especial;ly when they just bought a house, They are having her party at the church hall and invited everyone. I NEVER spent that kinf of money on parties. I know some people do. We have no debt except for the monthly credit card. It's all about choice. Every year I come back to face the disfunction -I have had a lot of experience with it. She also wanted me to go get boxes for her-I said to send Brett-I told her where to get them. I have too much stuff to do right now. But I did say that when I went by-we would get them . They put them in the hallway of the liquor store.
Water is getting better, Brad;s truck got rejected for a sticker. A light stays on-the truck is only 4 years old and under warranty.
I will be getting in a positive mood any moment now-always a huge adjustment to come back, The weather is beautiful. PTL for thaT. And the Red Sox won.. We watched RV last night-funny!!! Just what we needed.
We can't complain because so many people have woes right now. Got an e-mail from Isaac-his mother died suddenly in Nigeria. 67 and a great Christian leader. He has so many woes-his wife paralyzed and 2 teenagers to take care of. And he heads the Mission Organization. Money is always a challenge.
Bye for now. Mima whose fibro is haywire. But I have an appt Tues.

Before I was diagnosed, I would tell people that I felt like my arms were burning up. My students were so concerned about me, and they couldn't understand why my doctor wouldn't do anything. He finally did something by sending me to my rheumatologist who I think is totally awesome!!

Meme, I agree about your husband helping you at church!! My hubby convinced me to take over vice-president of the band boosters after that woman was killed in a car accident (one of my friends). That v-pres then has to be president the following year. The president not only has to run the booster meetings, but also the fall and spring banquets. Guess who had to work the night of the banguets????? I planned on him doing those since I did all of the meetings. Not so!! I did ok though.

Mima, $150 for a face painter? My goodness!! How old is Debbie? Someone else just mentioned RV recently. Can't remember who it was, but they liked it. Sad about Isaac's mother.

It has been absolutely beautiful here this weekend. I could handle this all the time!!

We brought the nice air from FL! Ha! It's gorgeous here too. What a church day-we watched McGregor on the net at 8, Sunday school and church at Bethany and then McGregor at 6. Marvelous message on humility.
Had brunch after church-mmmmm. Today is clean your closet day. If I haven't worn it in 2 years -bye. To Salvation Army! Brad is cleaning the cellar too/
Poor man at church has squamish cell carcinoma that spread to his lymph nodes and he is in pain!!!
Gotta contact work-they sent letters out already and I didn't get one . My middle son Bob is going to have surgery for a hernia on the 4th. Called him to ask how we could help and he has it all set.He does live quite a ways. So we can visit and bring him food and books/ Actually may 4 is our anniversay.
Bye and hi to everyone who had a busy weekend. Mima

Mima, I have a couple bags of clothes to take to the consignment shop. My closet is looking better and better!! Bob said I should get rid of things, and then buy a few more things that fit better since I've lost some weight. He thinks the baggy pants need to go. lol

Happy anniversary on May 4! That's Tim's last day of exams, then he'll be home a week before he starts summer classes. My b-day is May 8. maybe we should have a party!! Face painting for everyone!!!! lol

Thanks for bringing the beautiful warmth with you from Florida!!!

I'll paimt your face, Tammy. And I won't charge $150. Ha!!!
I HAVE GOT TO SLOW DOWN. My body is in pain!! 7 bags to the Salvation Army and a receipt for taxes. I even gave them a yellow Ver Bradley bag which someone will scoff up.
Rheumo this am and then I need to go to Joanne's to get fabric for baby quilt for my d's girlfriend. Have some from e-bay-child cowgirls-the father is a country-western singer. How's that for creative. Oh yeah-I am supposed to br humble.
And then to health food store for bread, cookies and Rice ice cream. Went to Walmart and finished bd's for Keith and Debbie. 10 bd's in a row rom Feb 2-May 15. Have to get Alison's online-she wants a cd and the sheet music for 25th anniversary of Putnam Cty Spelling Bee-she just saw that in Ft Myers.

Want an x-ray of my back which keeps going out-could be muscular but want it checked. If it's muscular I am going to join the health club with a 90 degree pool to swim. That helps but when I walk it hurts again, Go figure,
Also eyes on Thurs. Helping Brett and Angela for 2 hours on Fr and then on Sat. Did I say I ws going to slow dow. Bad Mima. Bye Mima

ps-Alison's bd is May 9th.

Mima, I'm sure someone will grab that bag right away! I thought I was doing good with 2 bags! 7 bags is great!! I want to go through Tim's dresser and closet and get rid of things, but maybe I should wait till he gets home to do it himself.

Yes, I believe you did mention slowing down!!!

I wish the pool at the Y was 90 degrees. They keep saying it is 86, but none of us believe it. It used to be warmer than it is. We could almost be floating around on icebergs!

Hello Everybody-- Occording to my lab reports I am going to pot.. Colesterol, Trig, sugar . UP!!! I got a lecture about exercising.. I am guilty there. Guess I will have to set aside a hour daily for that..A couple years ago I was doing a hour every day.. I guess I am letting everything else get in the way.I don't think the South Beach diet is the way to go.I have to rethink this.. It is time to think of me again.I just wish I knew what would motivate me better..
I gave 2 bags of clothes away about a month ago. I bet there is that many more to get rid of.. I always think I will wear them again..
Mima- Give yourself some time to get used to being back home..
Tammy- I went to the pool at the local spa.. They said the pool was heated to 80 degrees. It was freezing.. I got cramps in the water . I couldn't stand it..Humana would have paided for it.. There are usually older women taking those classes. You would think that they would have had the pool warmer.Most of us left.
The Dr. told me to eat a T of cinnimon daily for my sugar.. Have you heard of that?It is supposed to help lower it..
I got depressed. I ate Icecream(I put the cinnimon on it)and some chocolate bar,Fried chicken.black beans.and a biscuit,for supper. Talk about shooting myself in the foot!!!
Talk about WHINNING!
Joanne

I haven't heard about cinnamon for sugar, but I've heard about it for cholesterol and blood pressure. Hmmmm. Maybe it would help with all of them. What was your cholesterol level? I'm still not happy with my doctor for wanting me to take meds for mine. Ice cream. That sounds like me. I can do really good, and then I blow it with ice cream. I guess we'll just have to do the best we can. I need to do more on the days that I don't have water aerobics. I try to get 15-30 minutes of something on those days, so I guess I need to aim for more. Hang in there Joanne!!!!

Good evening ladies.

Mima - take it easy - you are going to make yourself sick and tired, and you know we are always sick and tired I give clothes away all the time, however, we don't get receipts to use for taxes. Hope you got the water out of your basement and that it isn't smelling musty or moldy. I can't tolerate either of those odors. My sinuses get in an uproar.

Joanne - sorry about the high everything! Cinnamon is supposed to stabalize blood sugars. Here is a site you can go to read about it if you want http://www.vrp.com/art/1397.asp Also, here is some news you MIGHT like - 70% choclolate and higher (we buy 85% cocoa) can help regulate blood sugars, and high blood pressure as well. Just 1 oz a day. If you don't like dark chocolate, (like I did) you will get use to it and it tastes really good. My cholesterol was a bit high as well, but not so bad for my age. The good cholesterol was high as well, so that is a good thing. Nobody suggested I take a med, thankfully.

Tammy - I don't know how cold the water is in the indoor pool I go to, but it feels cold, until I start doing areobics, then I get hot. I haven't been able to bring myself to get into the water in the past year.

I LOVE my rebounder (the little trampoline thing). It gives me a good workout and my massage therapist told me it is great at getting the lymphatic system to drain right. Also, it is gentle exercise. I can't do to much of that with this darn back, but I am enjoying the rebounder - a lot! I only jump for maybe 5-7 minutes at a time. I do a few exercises on it as well. I don't mean high jumps either. Just bouncing and lifting your heels off the trampoline. Supposed to be good for FM as well.

A tip about cleaning out your closet. I thought this was great when I read it.
Turn ALL your hangers the wrong way out and then when you wear something put it back with the hanger the right way. At the end of 6 -12 months, go in and take EVERYTHING that is hanging the wrong way, out. What a great way to find out what you are or are not wearing. Easy and sensible.

I haven't done much. I worked yesterday, and it was a terrible day. The computer wouldn't work, the FAX was not co-operating. It was just a very frustrating day, and I was happy to see it end. I am off for the rest of the week and I am really happy about that. I am going to see my chiropractor tomorrow. I need to start now, so I can be in good shape by the time we are ready to go on holidays. It is only 3 weeks away now.

I hope you all have a nice night.

Anne, I took a circuit class at the Y several years ago, and one of the stations was the rebounder. It was fun! I was always afraid that I would break it though, so I was nervous the whole time that I did it.

I love that hangar idea!! Now if I can just remember it when I go to my closet!!

Your trip is getting closer!!! I would be getting so excited!!!

Love that hanger idea! I have heard aout cinnamon and blood sugar. Supposed to work.
Wow-went to rheumo yesterday and he said I had bursitis in my hip and gave me a shot. It worked and it also worked for my back. He said if it din;t work, I could get x-rays. I was sure I was headed for surgery. I will have to get arheum in FL because I put up with this for months!! He also wants me to take chloroquine as it slows down arthritis. But of couse it has side effects like pains in the stomache so I take half at a time.
Went to Joann's-it was gone!!!! and there isn't one near but there is one where I go to work. Gotta make that baby quilt-the shower is on the same day as Keith's bd-I promised my daughter I would be there and help out. Wonder how Angela will take it. Brad can go.
The church is not sponsoring the Jamaican trip so we will have to go as Sunday school group. That actually works out cheaper. And no red tape. They are voting on the washing machine tonight. Please help me pray=thanks. Always have to remember-God.s will.
It's so good not to be in so much pain. Mima