Finding Your Support Group

You need the support of family and friends.

I was making changes in my daily lifestyle and gradually seeing some small changes in my fibromyalgia pain level.  I knew other people with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome and wanted to share what I was finding out about possible causes and possible paths to recovery.  The feedback was interesting.  Some people were encouraging.  Some were skeptical.  Some added their ideas and thoughts to the information I was collecting.  

Acquaintances who did not have fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome sometimes had more difficulty understanding my symptoms and the depth of my despair at feeling horrible all the time.  So I tended to try to hide how sick I was from the general public on those days when I felt well enough to attend events or run a few errands.  It was easier to pretend all was well than to go into the details regarding my disease. 

I am fortunate to have an awesome family who have been extremely supportive.  When I was too tired to get up out of my recliner during family gatherings, they let me rest and pitched in to do what was needed.  When I started eliminating chemicals from my environment, they made sure they had not used any strong cleaning products immediately prior to my visits to their homes.  I have a great group of close friends who put away scented candles and removed potpourri before get-to-togethers at their houses.   

Because I was reacting so strongly to perfume and cologne, I have dear friends and family at my church who have became my personal perfume patrol.  They signal me if I am about to sit down next to someone who they have noticed is wearing some scented product that day so I can look for another place to sit. 

I eventually made a lot of changes in my diet which I will discuss later in this blog.  I needed support from my friends and family as I incorporated these food changes into my daily routine and they gladly gave it.  When I decided to blog about my journey to healing my family encouraged me to go for it.  

The upshot is that you cannot take this journey alone.  You need all the support you can get while dealing with your illness and encouragement while you are attempting to change your lifestyle and move toward recovery.  If you are not getting that support from family and friends you need to find it somewhere else.  There are fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome support groups in many communities and online.  Research what is available in your area.  Find someone somewhere who will be your advocate.

I would love for this blog to become a place where fellow sufferers can get support from one another, ask questions, and share ideas.  We are linked to one another through our pain.  We can rejoice with one another as we discover ways to get better.