FRIDAY FLIP OFFS

Ok.  I'll admit when I saw the blog FRIDAY FLIP OFFS  I was thinking it said Friday Flipflops. Then I realized I could flip something off. That is funny!  I had to laugh at myself.  Then I wanted to put in a picture of a flip flop and found one on clip art.  In the middle of doing this blog I realized duh, I wasn't logged into Microsoft and that is why I couldn't easily copy the cute flip flops.

So getting back to FRIDAY FLIP OFFS here is my list of flip offs (I hope these words don't offend anyone).

FRIDAY'S FLIP OFFS

• Figuring out how to add a clip art to blogger.
• Cute flip flops that I can't wear because they cause me pain between my toes.  My fibromyalgia makes everything hurt more.

• The cat box (I know it's not the cats box...but I hate cleaning it).
• Credit card companies and credit cards bills.Cleaning Toilets.
• Perverts whistling at 12 year olds.My scanner..it won't scan the adorable picture of my daughter and her dad when life was simpler (she's about 2 then) and would make a great gift for her Dad.
• I haven't worked for 5 years because of my fibromyalgia
• Not being able to sleep at night and getting ridiculed for sleeping during the day.
• For loosing out on a lot in life because I'm too tired or too broke (because I can't work)
• Drivers in Los Angeles that are always impatient.  Nothing like getting honked at when you're turning left and their are cars coming really fast toward you.
• Fibromyalgia

I bet in the middle of the night I'll think of some good ones.  I'll keep notes and then I'll be more ready for next Friday.   In the meantime I've put the letter to normals (those that don't have a chronic illness or condition).

Letters to Normals from

There are the things I would like you to understand before you judge me...




Please know that being sick doesn't mean I'm not human. I may spend most of my day flat on my back and I might not seem like great company, but I'm still me stuck inside this body. I worry about school, work, family and friends and I'd still like to hear about yours.

Please understand the difference between "happy" and "healthy". When you've got the flu you probably feel miserable but it will pass. I've been sick for for so long that I can't afford to be miserable all the time, in fact I work hard at not being miserable. So if I sound happy, it means that I'm happy, it does not mean that I am well. I may be in pain and sicker than ever.

Please, don't say, "Oh, you're sounding better!".

I am not sounding better, I am sounding happy. If you want to comment on that, you're welcome.

Please understand that being able to stand up for five minutes, doesn't mean that I can stand ten minutes, or an hour. It's likely that five minutes has exhausted my resources and I'll need to recover - imagine an athlete after a race. They couldn't repeat that feat right away either. With a lot of diseases you're either paralyzed or you can move, but with Fibromyalgia it gets more confusing.

Please repeat the above paragraph substituting, "sitting up", "walking", "thinking", "being sociable" and so on ... it applies to everything. That's what a fatigue-based illness does to you.

Please understand that chronic illnesses are variable. It's quite possible (for me, it's common) that one day I am able to walk to the park and back, and the next I'll struggle to reach the kitchen.

Please don't attack me when I'm ill by saying, "But you did it before!".

If you want me to do something, ask if I can and I'll tell you. In a similar vein, I may need to cancel an invitation at the last minute, if this happens please don't take it personally.

Please understand that "getting out and doing things" does not make me feel better, and can often make me worse. Fibromyalgia may cause secondary depression (wouldn't you get depressed if you were no longer able to participate in life?) but it is not caused by depression. Telling me that I need exercise is not appreciated or correct - if I could do it, I would.

Please understand that if I say I have to sit down/lie down/take these pills now, that I do have to do it right now - it can't be put off or forgotten just because I'm doing something. Fibromyalgia does not forgive.

Please understand that I can't spend all of my energy trying to get well. With a short-term illness like the flu, you can afford to put life on hold for a week or two while you get well. But part of having a chronic illness is coming to the realization that you have to spend some energy on having a life now. This doesn't mean I'm not trying to get better. It doesn't mean I've given up. It's just how life is when you're dealing with a chronic illness.

If you want to suggest a cure, please don't. It's not because I don't appreciate the thought, and it's not because I don't want to get well. It's because every one of my friends has already suggested every theory known to man. I tried them all, but quickly realized I was using up so much energy trying new treatments I was making myself sicker, not better. If there was something that cured Fibromyalgia, all of us would know about it by now.

If you read this and still want to suggest a cure, submit it in writing but don't expect me to rush out and try it. If it is something new, with merit, I'll discuss it with my doctor.

Please understand that getting better can be a slow process. Fibromyalgia entails numerous symptoms and it can take a long time to sort them all out.

I depend on you - people who are not sick for many things but most importantly, I need you to understand me.



The above text may be printed freely, and shared as needed providing all content is kept intact. No other person shall ever publish this work citing themselves as the author.

http://www.fmscommunity.org/lettertonormals.htm










I won't preach about fibromyalgia everyday or every friday but it is something worth flipping off and it's a real part of who I am.  My job is now to bring awareness to others.  So I did my job today.