Fortunately I don’t have bad allergies, but otherwise I can certainly identify. I went to my father’s 85th birthday party, of course, I wouldn’t miss it! It was a six hour outdoor gala with tons of food and probably 100 people, coming and going.

I had nothing to do with food prep as I live too far away, but I did get in on the clean-up. I was laid out for two days when I got home.

Fibromyalgia is a very difficult thing to deal with, and it’s unfortunate that people, even those close to us, don’t understand all the time.

Donna B.’s last blog post..Jindal Vetoes Legislators? Raise

I’m so glad you were able to attend your father’s 85th b-day, not only for your sake but also that he’s reached such a phenomenal age!

It’s hard dealing with fibro, isn’t it? Not only for us — dealing with doctors who don’t initially “believe” in it but also with friends and family who think it’s “all in our heads” which, with the exception of when I’m suffering an allergy attack, is the ONE place where I don’t usually hurt!

I sympathize to some extent with what my husband must be going through: I was healthy as an ox when we got married, and now I’m not. There are times when he literally has to help me get dressed then wonders how I manage to spend as much time as I do writing. I’ve tried explaining to him that the up-and-down motion of typing is vastly different from gripping both sides of a waistband and pulling up a zipper… and don’t get me started on the agony involved in donning a bra.

But, dammit, I feel awful. All the time. Worse when my allergies are involved on top of everything else. Some days are less pain-free than others, but there’s not a single day without pain. Not one.

I’m at the stage where my doctor wants me to start going to KCMO for treatments, but my husband’s schedule doesn’t permit him to take time off to drive me and my condition is such that I can’t drive myself. Fine, okay, I’ll manage the pain as best I can but, sheesh, don’t blame me when it means I’m less functional than I used to be. Doesn’t anyone realize we would prefer to be pain-free, too?

My symptoms are not nearly as bad as yours. I’ve never been at the point I couldn’t drive or dress myself due to pain. I have been to the point of not being able to get out of my car after about three hours of driving. I simply can not move (and my ancient bladder gets really pissed about that.)

I hate that because it means I now have to fly to see my children and grandchildren. Unless my husband goes with me, which involves a different kind of pain Not that flying is all that great. But at least I still have a little wiggle room in an airplane seat.

What kind of treatment did they have in mind? I thought, except for antidepressants and stuff like neurontin that there wasn’t a lot available for fibro.

Speaking of pain free, I didn’t realize how much pain I’m constantly in (it’s constant, what’s to compare it to?) until my darling children took me out to a place that serves margaritas by the pitcher. Of course, I drank too much. Why do you ask? LOL!

Anyway, the first time I woke up to go to the bathroom that night, I realized that I was literally feeling no pain. It’s tempting to treat the pain that way more often, but I’m pretty sure that’s not wise.

Donna B.’s last blog post..Jindal Vetoes Legislators? Raise

There’s some intravenous med she wants me to try but for some reason seems to think I should get it 40 miles away rather than in her office. I’m not sure why, but it’s just not going to happen.

I don’t know what it is about this summer. I do know this. I’m thankful that my neurologist is incredibly intelligent and spends a lot of time researching FMS. And as I’m allergic to darn near every pain med out there and my insurance is an arse about covering nearly everything he’s Rx’d for me to try for the pain. Which by the way, he recently told me that a new study which the results were recently published has found that there are close to 40 different subsets/types of FMS and some do leave you more physically disabled after each flare-up than others. Which I was glad to hear because I was beginning to think perhaps I was going nuts and maybe the pain was “all in my head.” Any who, my insurance company wanted me on oral morphine, he had his nurse go round & round with them and finally they both agreed on the 12mcg Duragesic patches, after the insurance company spent a month insisting on oral morphine and he and I both refusing that as a solution. Then we find out that the brand name manufacturer won’t be able to have that low dose patch back on the market until September. I called Ortho-Merk yesterday and asked what a patient is supposed to do in the meantime and found out that there are generics available. A call to the pharmacy, a call to the insurance company and a call to my neurologist and 4 hrs. later I finally had the generic patches. And the work. For the first time in 3 months my pain level is at a 5 instead of somewhere between 8 & 9.

And I don’t care what the FMS Foundation’s website says. Extremes in temperatures does make it worse. A heating pad is misery just the same as going outside when it’s 95 degrees in the shade. I long for winter where at least a person can put on enough clothes to be comfortable.

And Kate, I gave up on clothing with buttons & zippers long ago. I wear Hane’s lounge wear everywhere unless I’m having to go somewhere that calls for a “business casual” attire.

I’m done now. I apologize for eating up so much comment space. :-\