A Life with Chronic Pain

I really do enjoy life and living even though I do have my share of "down-days." I call them this because I really don't think that bad days should exist.

Most of my "down days" come about because of my illnesses -which is basically fibromyalgia and arthritis with a good dose of extra fatigue due to my very, very low (almost non-existent, it seems) iron levels.

I can tell a difference in myself -physically, mentally, and emotionally on a rainy, dark day-as opposed to a warm, sunny day. On those wonderful, warm, sunny days my energy levels allow me to go to work and do a couple of errands or household chores when I get home.

On the other hand, rainy, dark days make it difficult to just get out of bed and drag myself to work. And, just for the record, on those rainy, dark days, I come home from work, fill the bathtub up with hot water and bubbles, take my medicine and try to soak some of the pain away. Then I put on my pajamas and go to bed. This is definitely not the way to live an active life.

All in all, I do fine from April until the first part of October. From mid-October until right around Thanksgiving is usually one of my worst times of the year. The changing temperatures and fickle weather leave my body (and my fibromyalgia) in a miserable state. I literally ache from the top of my head to the tips of my toes. I also experience tiredness that makes getting out of bed one of the most difficult tasks I face. It seems to reason that I take more sick days during those six to eight weeks in October and November than I take in the other months combined.

In addition to aching and fatigue, I get frequent migraine and tension headaches. I deal with a high level of anxiety and I usually keep a chronic sinus and ear infection during my worst times.

Usually my symptoms (except for the pain) calm themselves quite a bit when the weather mellows and becomes more stable after Thanksgiving. The cold weather causes me to be in a lot of pain, though. The pain is mostly in my hands, feet, ankles and legs. But, since the headaches and fatigue seem to let up at this time, the pain is easier to deal with. In addition, I love planning for and celebrating Thanksgiving and Christmas. Doing these I enjoy does keep my mind from wandering back to the pain.

There are days that I really do consider packing my bags and moving to the southwest. I've heard of people saying that the climate there helps their pain and sinus infections. But, I love my home and all of my family and friends are here. If my job allowed for time off in October, I would definitely take a long vacation to a warmer and drier climate.