The "I won't let it win" Mentality

A friend of mine told me a story once of a lady he saw once.  He was a police officer on patrol and noticed this lady who was struggling to pull the trash cans up from her curb.  He went to help her, and after talking, learned she had Multiple Sclerosis.  He asked her how she lives with it, and she said "I have MS, MS doesn't have me".

It was a line I've never forgotten and I try to remember as I struggle with Fibromyalgia.  I want to be able to say "I have Fibromyalgia, Fibromyalgia doesn't have me".  But it's a difficult thing to achieve.  The fact is that my life with Fibro is much different than my life before it.  I have had to make adjustments just to cope with even good days.  There are things I've learned my body simply can't handle like it used to.

Does this mean I'm letting Fibro win?  Does Fibro indeed have me?  I don't believe so.



See, I've learned that moderation is best with my disease.  For example, I know if after 4 hours of work, I start feeling pain, I should wrap it up and go home, because even though I could squeeze 2 more hours out of it, I would likely flare the next day.  If I go home after 4 hours, I can work the next day for 4 hours and get more work done that way.  I know now not to go to the store after work because I'll likely be in unbearable pain before I get back to my car, and forget about working the next day.

Fibro has changed my life, but this is not to say it owns me.  Despite my difficulties, I continue doing things I want or need to do.  Although it's now hard for me to work a lot, I can work when I can.  I do.  Although some nights may not be good for me to go out, I can always have a friend over.  I just had Sarah over on Tuesday for craft night, despite being physically exhausted.  It was a blast!

There's a very fine balance and having fibro means making adjustments to your environment, but you do more damage trying to over-do it rather than pace yourself.  Something I will have to remember, and may have to remind myself of in the future, is that so long as I continue to do what I love, Fibro hasn't won.