Dear Fiby,

I will begin by stating that this "page" will probably not be the most entertaining!

It is more of a place where I can go and vent about my day in and day out challenge of living with fibromyalgia.

What is fibromyalgia, you may ask?

   " Fibromyalgia is an increasingly recognized chronic pain illness which is characterized by widespread musculoskeletal aches, pain and stiffness, soft tissue tenderness, general fatigue and sleep disturbances. The most common sites of pain include the neck, back, shoulders, pelvic girdle and hands, but any body part can be involved. Fibromyalgia patients experience a range of symptoms of varying intensities that wax and wane over time.

~Over 6 million Americans, 90% of them women in the prime of their life, suffer from FMS and sometimes struggle for years before being correctly diagnosed.

~Symptoms usually appear between 20-55 years of age, but children are also diagnosed with fibromyalgia syndrome.

~Pain and severe fatigue may keep FMS sufferers from their chosen profession and unable to perform common daily tasks.

~Fibromyalgia pain continues throughout a person’s lifetime." found on this http://www.nfra.net/fibromyalgia_definition.php site.

There is more to it then that definition, but if you care to read these posts, you'll find out!

3/16/11:

You have been on a rampage through my body the past few weeks. Until recently, I've been feeling pretty good! Don't get me wrong you always have a way of making your presence known, but you weren't THAT bad. Boy how that tide has turned!

You have been having this annoying habit of waking me up in tears in the middle of the night. I really DONT appreciate that!!! The pain that courses through my body is out of this world and it feels as if every fiber of being is curled up in the SMALLEST knot possible and then hot tiny needles consistently stabbing those tiny knots. During the day you ease up just a TAD.

I often find myself drifting off in daydreams of how glorious it would feel for someone to snap my body in half (imagine having someone pull your shoulders back so that they meet). I imagine asking someone to take a knife or ice-cream scoop and dig out in between my shoulder blades. OR just cut off my left arm (this is where the pain is most prominent)! This may sound completely painful and sadistic, but rest assured it's nothing compared to what I endure daily.

Fiby, I know that this rage you are on is temporary and you'll go back to only hurting me minimally on a daily basis, but can we please hurry through this temper tantrum!?! I'm pretty sure that if this continues for much longer I'm going to lose my mind. I don't know how much longer i can pretend that everything is okay for other peoples sake and I really don't want to miss work or have a breakdown in front of someone. That's not my thing.

Your one and only ~ brandy <3