Boy Do I Have a Story for You!

So the next race in the 2012 lineup was the Hornell Shamrock 5k. Not a remarkable race for me, I did a fairly good job, considering my standard. I will say, I was overdressed, so I was VERY warm at the end. This doesn't usually happen here. Snow, cold, rain...these are our usual running buddies for this particular race. But this day was warm and sunny, and a beautiful day to "race." Because there isn't much to tell about this race, I thought I would tell about me, and my current state of affairs. Yes, I am time traveling again, because you say, "How can we talk about current, when we are back here in March 2012?" Stick with me, and sorry about the jet lag.

I went to see a new Dr (chiropractor) this past Thursday, AND my primary care Dr went to a new office, so I get a new PC too. When I go to a new Dr, I begin to wonder what I am doing. Is is worth the time, to tell my history? Will I be able to convince them that I need their help? Will I be able to convince them to listen to me? To trust that I know what is going on? Will they think I am over-reacting, or under-reacting (is that a word?) Will they advise me to do something that I won't be able too? Or to take something I don't want to? Will they be a good Dr? <---That is something we can all relate to. Well this is the story of me, as I would tell it to a new Dr. I hope by the end of it, that you will have an understanding of the complexity of things that reside under the umbrella Fibromyalgia. Because this disease (I call it that, because it causes PLENTY of dis-ease in my life and body,) this disease has many faces, and all of them are ugly.

The obvious place to start would be the pain and fatigue. The pain is sort of a double sided coin. There is the neurological pain, the miscommunication or nerve dysfunction, which I can describe very simply ~ When I peel hard boiled eggs, it feels like the shells are slicing my fingers open. OR when I take something out of the freezer, the cold is almost unbearable to the touch, stabbing straight through to my bones. These are things that are not really hurting me, but tell that to my brain. (And there are plenty more example of this, daily.) Then there is the deep muscle pain, the real pain, often referred to as trigger points. So painful at times, I feel like a old lady, like I can not muster the ability to get up and walk even a few feet, yet sitting for too long is painful as well. Like when I lay down at night in my bed, and certain parts of my body are aching so badly, where they come into "pressure contact" with the bed, that I can not possibly sleep. Or even sitting in a car for a long ride...excruciating. You can then surmise that the fatigue sets in, and seems nearly constant. I admit to a very close relationship with caffeine. But there is also the fatigue you feel in your body, the complete wasted energy in muscles. I will come back to this, when discussing the true challenge this can prove, especially in completing marathons.

I will not go into the myriad medicines I have tried, which have not aided, or which have been a miracle, but I will say many fibro suffers are on heavy pain medicines, and even disability. I choose any method which helps me to get on with my daily life. I have struggles, but I am not disabled by this. I also do not take heavy meds, as I need to function, AND I like to be aware of the messages my body is sending, so I can cope with or fix as able. (If you are a sufferer and wish to know more about medicines, and supplements, please let me know, and I would be glad to elaborate with you.) I have chosen to combat this disease and it's carry-on baggage, because I have to, it's in my nature to fight.

So, piggy-back conditions. These are things that go along with Fibro, and many afflicted, have reported similarly.  Neuropathy, Cystitis, Sleep Apnea, Digestive Disorders, Inflammation, Allergies, Female Issues are some of the ones I fight with. The thing I would like to mention about almost all of these ongoing problems, is that each time, I had to work (sometimes for months, sometimes for years) VERY hard to get Drs to "listen" to me. Often times being misdiagnosed. Sometimes it required finding the right Dr or specialist to really figure out the cause of my pain. I am that much more trepidatious because of these experiences. But I can report that plenty of these conditions are being successfully monitored and treated, thanks to my tenacity, AND the understanding, compassion, guidance of others suffering, and the few and far between in the medical community that will work with, and care deeply about their patients.

So how does all this figure into racing? Well, some might think I am crazy to be doing what I do, with the symptoms, and disease that I have. I can tell you this, I'd be crazy not to. I am not a sit around and wait for The Reaper kind of girl. What I can tell you, is that it has proved beneficial, for healing my body, and brain. It has also proven to be challenging at times, because I need to pay very careful attention, to discern if the pain I am feeling is stress, neurological, or injurious. It has kept me in communication with my body. I am currently seeing the previously mentioned new Dr. (a chiropractor) because I may have ignored some pain signals a bit too much, pushed a bit too far, and am suffering more for it. We shall see?! For now, I shall carry on, as usual, because SNAFU is my pet name for Fibromyalgia.