A to Z Challenge .... C - Chronic Pain (Fibromyalgia, Rheumatoid Arthritis)

~C~
Chronic Pain:
For years now I've dealt with Chronic Pain, I have Fibromyalgia and Rheumatoid Arthritis.
I can't count the number of times people have misunderstood my health issues & made judgments based on their misinformation. So, here are some random facts about living with and/or loving someone with Chronic Pain.

1)Pain sucks & it isn't alone, it hangs out with fatigue & exhaustion, so when we say we're tired we're not being lazy, we're listening to our bodies & giving it the rest it requires.

2)Telling us "you need to get more sleep" is NOT helpful. We try to sleep, honestly. But the pain disrupts the sleep, which makes us sleep deprived, which makes the pain worse, which prevents us from sleeping...seeing a pattern yet?

3)I don't want or need your pity. But I'll take your friendship, occasional calls, texts, FB messages to check on me as a sign of you caring :D 

4) There is really nothing you can do to help BUT like in #3 above, just checking on us is a huge blessing, it lets us know we're being thought of.

5) Maybe ignore #4 & bring me chocolate, ALWAYS bring me chocolate, then I'll love you...yah, yah, that works!

6) Please don't claim to know a cure for my condition, it's annoying. I've had it forever, if there were a cure I'm sure Dr. Oz would have talked about it on his show & your friend who sells "whatever" new Mass Market crap is NOT going to cure me by making me drink her new potion.

7) I sometimes have to cancel plans, I sometimes can't put my pants on without help, I sometimes want to hide in my room until I feel human again, it's ok, I'll get over it, just don't be angry with me for things I can't control.

8) Maybe today I can sweep, do dishes & hike a bit, tomorrow maybe I can't get out of bed. Having different abilities & different difficulties day by day or even hour by hour is not me faking. It is the nature of this crazy condition. Please don't judge my abilities or lack of them.

So, here are a couple of links for you. IF you have a chronic pain condition, they may help you feel less alone or you can share them with those who love you to help them understand.
IF you love someone with a chronic pain condition, please take 5 minutes & click on these links. Sharing these with my husband literally saved my marriage because his eyes were opened to what I really deal with daily & how he can & can't help.

I'd like to acknowledge Christine Miserandino, who wrote The Spoon Theory & thank her for her insight. And also, Claudia Marek, who wrote The Letter to the Normals. Both wonderfully insightful pieces.
The Spoon Theory
The Letter to the Normals