Christmas is a magical time. Presents, beautiful Christmas lights, delicious cookies, celebrating the birth of Jesus.
And….
Trepidation for what gifts your health will be giving you. Because everyone knows, stress, cold weather, unhealthy food, or something random can and will trigger issues for anyone with fibromyalgia during the holidays.
So what are you to do?
Well, you could pop over to my complete beginner’s guide and explore some of the treatment options mentioned.
Or you could grab a cup of hot apple cider and have a little laugh at the expense of some of the frustrations we all experience.
And before you think I’ve lost my mind….
Yes. I realize pain is not funny. But I find that our attitude can have a dramatic impact on our health. If we can find it in our hearts to laugh at our pain, maybe it won’t have as much control in our life.
So with that in mind, enjoy these 12 things that people with fibromyalgia have in common.
12 Days of Christmas with Fibromyalgia
On the first day of Christmas fibromyalgia gave to me a throbbing in my right knee
Or in the left knee. Or shoulder. And it might even be a stabbing, gnawing, aching pain. But there is pain. And it’s probably all over.
Side note: check out this list of products to help you manage chronic pain!
On the second day of Christmas fibromyalgia gave to me 2 tension headaches
As if the propensity for headaches with fibromyalgia isn’t bad enough, you add a heaping helping of anxiety to your life.
Which, in case no one told you…
Gives you headaches. It’s a vicious circle.
On the third day of Christmas fibromyalgia gave to me 3 physicians notes,
Because you’re going to be missing a lot of work. If you’re lucky, you have an understanding boss and coworkers.
If not, be prepared to have a personal parking space at your doctor’s office so you can get those doctor’s notes.
On the fourth day of Christmas fibromyalgia gave to me 4 canceled dates
Fibromyalgia and a social life are two parts of life that do not easily co-exist.
Fibromyalgia ruined a number of my friendships. Luckily, I ended up marrying the first and only guy I dated after I developed fibro. But it wasn’t easy for him to curtail activities in favor of letting me rest.
Netflix and chill is definitely in your dating future if you have fibromyalgia.
On the fifth day of Christmas fibromyalgia gave to me 5 giant bills
Doctor’s bills are an inescapable part of chronic illness. Co-pays, tests, medications, etc. It all adds up quick.
On the sixth day of Christmas fibromyalgia gave to me 6 gimmicky cures
If you google fibromyalgia cure, you’re going to have to sort through pages of absolute garbage.
And I can pretty much guarantee that at least one well-intentioned family member has told you about a book their 3rd cousin once removed told them about. That cures everything.
But, honestly, if there was a cure for fibromyalgia we’d all know about it.
On the seventh day of Christmas fibromyalgia gave to me 7 swollen fingers
Despite countless inflammation tests that come back normal, fibro patients often see swelling in their fingers or toes.
As I sit here typing, my fingers look like sausages and I only have a few guesses why.
On the eighth day of Christmas fibromyalgia gave to me 8 misleading symptoms
Fibromyalgia has been described as the ‘great imitator’. It mimics almost endless other conditions and diseases.
Frustratingly, symptoms change from person to person and over the course of time. It’s one of the primary complications in getting a diagnosis.
And you never quite know when a particular symptom is going to hit!
On the ninth day of Christmas fibromyalgia gave to me 9 lengthy flare days
Ah yes, the fibro flare. It is as inevitable as rain.
Avoiding it is like throwing every plate in the air and trying to catch and spin them as they come down. And the stress and activities of Christmas are bound to kick you into one!
On the tenth day of Christmas fibromyalgia gave to me 10 leery doctors
Finding a doctor who knows anything about fibromyalgia is like finding a needle in a haystack.
Sometimes you happen across a unicorn, but most of the time you hear, “Well, what do you think it is?”
If I knew what it was, I wouldn’t be at the doctor’s office!!
In their defense, though, there is truly problematic research surrounding fibromyalgia. It makes it difficult to diagnose and treat a disease that could very well be a few dozen other things.
On the eleventh day of Christmas fibromyalgia gave to me 11 painfilled nights
Commonly referred to as painsomnia, a fibro body is constantly fighting to sleep. So that it can heal. So that pain is lessened. But it can’t sleep because of the pain. Vicious. Cycle.
On the twelfth day of Christmas fibromyalgia gave to me 12 daily medications
There is a medication to treat most everything. And then a medication to treat the side-effects of any medication.
Some of them are worth it and others aren’t. And finding the right combination is a delicate balance.
Final Thoughts on Fibromyalgia at Christmas
I hope you were able to find some humor in these 12 days of Christmas with Fibromyalgia. Or at the least find a little community and support in knowing you’re not alone.
As always, jump over to my Facebook page if you’re looking for more humor and support for chronic illness!
What are some of the things you experience around the holidays with Fibromyalgia? Leave a comment below!
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