Things That Are Difficult For Me

I worry that this post might sound like I’m being negative, by focusing on what I CAN’T do.  But I think it’s important for people to understand what it’s like for somebody who has fibro.  There are things that I struggle with every day; things that probably don’t seem like a big deal to other people.  So this is my attempt at increasing awareness.

This is list of things that are difficult for me to do right now.  That doesn’t mean that these things are impossible for me to do, just that they might cause pain or make me feel fatigued.  On some days, these things may not be at all difficult for me to do, but on other days they may bring me to tears because they are so hard.  Such is the life of Fibromyalgia.

Things That Are Difficult For Me to Do:

 Anything that requires reaching up, like getting a dish out of a high cabinet.  Even shampooing my hair is difficult and I have to rest after taking a shower.

Lifting anything heavy. And by “heavy”, I mean the weight of a gallon of milk.  I can’t even lift my cat without my arms hurting.  (Ok… I admit my kitty is a bit plump, so maybe that’s not a good example!)  But really, it’s hard for me to lift or carry much of anything. This means I have a hard time carrying bags of groceries, lifting laundry baskets or even pushing the vacuum cleaner.  Sometimes, I can't even hold up my Kindle to read a book. 

 Sleeping. I’ve mentioned this before, but it bears repeating.  I CAN’T SLEEP!  Which means that after a night of sleeplessness, I’m exhausted. So then I’m basically useless the next day. 

 Being in one position for too long.  This means that I can’t sit, stand or lie down for more than about 20-30 minutes before I become uncomfortable.  (I can’t stand up for even close to that length of time, unless I’m leaning on something.)  I’ve found that pillows really help me to feel more comfortable when I’m sitting or lying down.  I especially enjoy my memory foam seat cushion on my computer chair!

 Remembering things. I’m an intelligent person, but I can’t even remember simple words these days.  I recently read a quote saying that you know you have Fibro when every conversation turns into a game of charades.  Yes! That’s exactly how I feel a lot of the time.  I can’t remember the word for… hmmmm….???  What was it that I was trying to say? 

Socializing when there are too many people talking at one time, or when there is music (or the television, or other noise) in the background. 

All of the above make it difficult for me to keep up with the normal tasks of everyday life.  I have a hard time cooking meals and keeping my house clean.  I haven’t been working, and I worry that I won’t be able to ever return to work.  Fibromyalgia is frustrating for me.  I am trying to remain positive, but right now, I’m just feeling discouraged.