Overcoming Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue

One great thing about traveling is that it gives you time to reflect and look at life from new perspectives. This week it got me thinking about how blessed I am to be enjoying this stage of life. I’ve had a wonderful life full of many blessings, but like many others there have been some rough patches. I prefer to go through life looking at the bright side and ignoring what isn’t going so well. However when my health and emotional well being spiraled out of control a few years ago, I was forced to take a good look at the reasons why. Recently someone asked about my health which made me think about sharing some personal information that might be helpful to others struggling with similar issues. So instead of writing about travel in this post, here’s a little personal story.

Most of my life I have been blessed with good health. I was a very fat baby – kind of like those Weebles that used to wobble but not fall down.

Luckily my parents were very health conscious and gave me the gift of healthy eating and being active. After a couple of years only being allowed one serving of bread, past or mashed potatoes, but all the veggies I wanted, I finally slimmed down. During my teens years I was very active enjoying track/field, dancing, tumbling and cheerleading.

That's me 3rd from the left at Mt. Vernon Township High School

My love of activity continued – joining the Gamma Phi Circus in college, taking more dance classes, participating in the aerobics craze and eventually owning my own dance studio. The years of raising my family and teaching dance were amazing and full of wonderful memories.

Me with my son Dave sporting our Gamma Phi Circus t-shirts

So when did things go wrong? Around 2005, overwhelmed by the long hours and compounded by some very stressful events in my personal life, my body started to shut down. I found myself in constant pain and exhaustion, sometimes feeling unable to lift my head off the couch. The inactivity and not feeling well led to a downward spiral of more inactivity, poor food choices, and too much alcohol. All of which led to weight gain, more inactivity and more poor choices. It’s hard to pull yourself up when you feel so lousy.

With my son Cody and his girlfriend Brie at their Seton Hall Graduation

The doctor prescribed Lexapro for depression. This caused more weight gain which led to…. more depression. Eventually I learned of Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, a chronic inflammatory disorder, characterized by muscle pain, joint pain and fatigue. I was able to check every box on the list of symptoms.

• Tenderness

• Stiffness

• Unbearable pain

• Chronic tiredness

• Gastrointestinal problems

• Sleep disorder problems

• Concentration problems

• Depression

Struggling through the next few years I eventually sold my dance studio business, unable to physically or mentally handle it any longer. After a few months and financially being forced to get back to work, I turned my long time love of photography into a full time wedding and portrait business. It was fun and exciting and gave me the boost I needed to start taking charge of my health.

I started being more aware of how what I put into my body made me feel. Through a process of elimination it became very obvious that fresh, whole foods, no preservatives, less sugar, and no alcohol made a huge difference. I also learned a good night’s sleep, yoga, meditation, chiropractic care, and massages were extremely helpful. However, the biggest trigger of all appeared to be stress.

My passion for photography gave me an outlet to ignore the stresses of what was happening behind the scenes in my personal life. But as long as those stresses were still there, I continued to fall back on the comforts of bad food choices and curling up on the couch.

Things continued to unravel in my personal life. The year 2012 was an exceptionally rough one, but also when I truly started to heal. My dad passed away in July just as my marriage, which had been rocky for quite some time, came to an end. Mom was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer and the next year involved surgeries, chemo, tears and exhaustion. After mom passed away in 2013, I took some time to re-evaulate my life. My youngest son Cody was graduating college and for the first time since my teen years, I only had myself to take care of.

The first thing I did was find a counselor – best decision ever! After spending a year of regular visits with her, followed by another 6 months of nutrition and healthy lifestyle coaching with Jackie Sprague, I started to feel like myself again.

After much thought and working through finances, I decided it was time to really shake things up. Some friends and family thought I’d completely gone off my rocker as I sold or gave away nearly everything I owned and set out to see the world – best decision ever!

My life these days could not be better! I’m several pounds lighter, active  every day, eat healthy (most days), avoid alcohol, and take no medications. Turns out being happy with myself and content with my own life really is the best medicine!

With Bill on our wedding day in New Zealand

Occasionally there will be a day where I feel the old symptoms start to flare, but a little self evaluation usually points to stress, being over tired, or eating the wrong foods. I’m grateful every day for finding my way back to being myself. Sometimes I hear people say they are living vicariously through me. The truth is if I can do it, anyone can.

Here are a few tips for what helped me:

1. Eat Well – nutritious anti-inflammatory whole foods. As much as possible avoid gluten, sugars, and alcohol.

2. Reduce Stress – Don’t be embarrassed or ashamed to get counseling – we all have our struggles.

3. Chiropractic Care & Regular Massages

4. Nature – go hug a tree – really – go do it! There is something very therapeutic about breathing in the fresh air and peace of nature.

5. Get Active – Hiking, biking, paddle boarding and yoga are my favorites. Find something you enjoy and go do it.

6. Meditation and Prayer – whether in a sanctuary or a space in your home – sitting quietly in meditation or silent prayer calms your nervous system, brings peace of mind, and puts things into perspective.

So whatever your dreams, whatever you wish for, you can make it happen. Take care and believe in yourself – you’re worth it!

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