We are in the middle of what the doctors say is the usual time span for Fibromyalgia to be at it’s worst. I don’t necessarily understand that what they are saying is the truth, but they must be right, right? Wrong. Most doctors don’t even have a clue as to what this ailment is all about. And, unless they actually come down with it, they probably never will.
No evidence of pain
As was stated in Part 1 of this article, because no one can actually see a picture of the cause of the pain, either thru x-rays or MRI’s, there really can’t be any real problem. It must be the alcohol. Drinking 5 drinks a day to ease the pain is the cause for all the problems. This may be true if the drinks were triple shots of whiskey. 5 beers a day does not constitute the type of pain and shaking that Fibromyalgia brings on. Unless there is concrete proof of pain, there can’t be pain.
Everyone knows someone that has or has had Mood swings. Usually it is due to a hormonal imbalance. With Fibromyalgia, mood swings are very prolific, and get worse with time. The pain has a lot to do with how extreme the swings are. What wouldn’t have even raised an eyebrow before gets tears or yelling. It makes it very difficult to plan on even watching anything on TV that might get an adverse reaction. Something as silly as a character getting hurt on a soap opera will trigger this swing. One must use careful consideration all of the time.
You can probably remember what you did in the 5th grade, but may have trouble remembering what you had for breakfast-and it’s only lunchtime. Imagine that 20 times worse. It’s almost as if dementia is setting in, or even Alzheimer’s. But it is the Fibromyalgia. We talk about the same things, almost every week. My mother has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, and I know what that is like. My wife has exhibited similar symptoms. Not to the point of forgetting who we are, but just a lot of repetition. You have to go with the flow, and not scold them for any repeating of stories or events.
Light at the end of the tunnel
My wife has finally begun to feel increasingly better each week. She still has her limitations. But some of the symptoms have subsided. She can sleep without taking pills at night. She doesn’t need to drink 5 beers a day for the pain. Her mood swings have lessened a little bit as well. These all seem unimportant to the untrained eye, but these are significant facts. Facts that we are embracing every day. The only things that have changed is the calendar, and she has been able to keep herself busy working here at home. By engaging her mind and the fact that she didn’t give over and lay down has gotten us this far.
A study in human behavior
Now that she is doing better, we are forced to look back to when she couldn’t even get out of bed. This is when we were going to the doctors on a regular basis. The doctors could not find anything wrong. One doctor said it was Fibromyalgia, and all the others said it couldn’t be, because there is no ‘evidence’. Blood tests and the like cannot diagnose the hidden debilitater. But when you get lucky enough to come across a doctor who believes that is a bona fide disorder, he has probably done his homework. He knows what the symptoms are, and is willing to educate those that have not the knowledge. But that doctor is one in a thousand.
I believe that in the 3rd and final chapter of this story, we will see my wife in complete remission and control. If this is the case, we will have a full book to write. Please stay tuned. Send this to anyone you know who is or has gone through this same ordeal.
