Is it slothfulness or fibromyalgia?

By Nellie Curtiss …

Sometimes the hair follicles “Eek!” with soreness and running fingers through hair fires pain from scalp to hair tip. Showering is like standing naked while fine sand or BB pellets spray. Pulling socks up from ankles pitches muscle aches into the mix, too.  Dressing is grueling as every metal harbinger that touches the skin cascades with bruiser throbs. Forget about sleeping; it’s replaced with pain and anxiety. Sometimes tossing and turning to relieve pain one side to the next uses up hours nature made for sleeping.

Fibromyalgia is not something to sneeze at, laugh at, joke about, or write off. CDC.gov reports the general symptoms of fibromyalgia as: pain and stiffness all over the body; fatigue and tiredness; depression and anxiety; sleep problems; problems with thinking, memory, and concentration; and headaches, including migraines. Yet everyone’s symptoms vary. Rheumatology.org and the CDC post that 2-4 % of people or about 4 million adults in the US navigate fibromyalgia.

Sandra Haight wrote a poem about her family’s experience with fibromyalgia:

The Sin Of Sloth
Named sin, the act of sloth we often scorn;
observing, the word lazy comes to mind. 
Real sloths, with slow metabolisms, born; 
but our health reasons, oft are not assigned. (https://www.poetrysoup.com/poem/the_sin_of_sloth_1474005)

On the same Poetry Soup blog, Jake Aller wrote a poem about fibro. An excerpt is:

”I have pain  
everywhere  
all the time 
it comes and goes  
but is always there”

Over the years, I’ve met many who suffer from this debilitating diagnosis. I’ve come to understand that a certain comfort exists knowing that one is not alone in this journey through aching knees and twinging hair follicles.

Do you know someone dealing with chronic pain, persistent fatigue, depression, or a brain that is buried in fog? Let her know she’s not alone. Make a pact to show her you care. Does she need help with dishes, folding clothes or vacuuming? Fibro is made easier when the human village steps up and friends meet-up for a walk.

— Nelda Curtiss is a retired college educator and long-time local columnist. Reach her at http://www.columnsbynellie.com or email her at columnsbynellie@gmail.com