A letter to Normals

[Guest guest]

Letter to Normals

The Letter To Normals

Hello Family, Friends, and Anyone Wishing to Know Me,

Allow me to begin by thanking you for taking the time out of your day

to spend some time with me and get to know me better. A person's time

is their most valuable asset and yours is appreciated.

I want to talk to you about Fibromyalgia (FM) and Chronic Myofascial

Pain Syndrome (MPS). Many have never heard of these conditions and

for those who have, many are misinformed. And because of this

judgments are made that may not be correct… So I ask you to keep an

open mind as I try to explain who I am and how FM/MPS has assaulted

not only my life but those whom I love as well.

You see, I suffer from a disease that you cannot see; a disease that

there is no cure for and that keeps the medical community baffled at

how to treat and battle this demon, who's attacks are relentless. My

pain works silently, stealing my joy and replacing it with tears. On

the outside we look alike you and I; you wont see my scars as you

would a person who, say, had suffered a car accident. You wont see my

pain in the way you would a person undergoing chemo for cancer;

however, my pain is just as real and just as debilitating. And in

many ways my pain may be more destructive because people can't see it

and do not understand....

Please don't get angry at my seemingly lack of interest in doing

things; I punish myself enough I assure you. My tears are shed many

times when no one is around. My embarrassment is covered by a joke or

laughter, but inside I want to die....

Most of my " friends " are gone; even members of my own family have

abandoned me. I have been accused of " playing games " for another's

sympathy. I have been called unreliable because I am forced to cancel

plans I made at the last minute because the burning and pain in my

legs or arms is so intense I cannot put my clothes on and I am left

in my tears as I miss out on yet another activity I used to love and

once participated in with enthusiasm.

I feel like a child at times... Just the other day I put the sour

cream I bought at the store in the pantry, on the shelf, instead of

in the refrigerator; by the time I noticed it, it had spoiled. When I

talk to people, many times I lose my train of thought in mid sentence

or forget the simplest word needed to explain or describe something.

Please try to understand how it feels to have another go behind me in

my home to make sure the stove is off after I cook an occasional

meal. Please try to understand how it feels to " lose " the laundry,

only to find it in the stove instead of the dryer. As I try to

maintain my dignity the Demon assaults me at every turn. Please try

to understand….

Sleep, when I do get some, is restless and I wake often because of

the pain the sheets have on my legs or because I twitch

uncontrollably. I walk through many of my days in a daze with the

Fibro-fog laughing at me as I stumble and grasp for clarity.

And just because I can do a thing one day, that doesn't mean I will

be able to do the same thing the next day or next week. I may be able

to take that walk after dinner on a warm July evening; the next day

or even the in the next hour I may not be able to walk to the fridge

to get a cold drink because my muscles have begun to cramp and lock

up or spasm uncontrollably. And there are those who say " but you did

that yesterday! " " What is your problem today? " The hurt I experience

at those words scars me so deeply that I have let my family down

again; and still they don't understand….

On a brighter side I want you to know that I still have my sense of

humor. If you take the time to spend with me you will see that. I

love to tell that joke to make another's face light up and smile at

my wit. I love my kids and grandbabies and shine when they give me my

hugs or ask me to fix their favorite toy. I am fun to be with if you

will spend the time with me on my own playing field; is this too much

to ask? I love you and want nothing more than to be a part of your

life. And I have found that I can be a strong friend in many ways. Do

you have a dream? I am your friend, your supporter and many times I

will be the one to do the research for your latest project; many

times I will be your biggest fan and the world will know how proud I

am at your accomplishments and how honored I am to have you in my

life.

So you see, you and I are not that much different. I too have hopes,

dreams, goals… and this demon…. Do you have an unseen demon that

assaults you and no one else can see? Have you had to fight a fight

that crushes you and brings you to your knees? I will be by your

side, win or lose, I promise you that; I will be there in ways that I

can. I will give all I can as I can, I promise you that. But I have

to do this thing my way. Please understand that I am in such a fight

myself and I know that I have little hope of a cure or effective

treatments, at least right now. Please understand….

Thank you for spending your time with me today. I hope we can work

through this thing, you and I. Please understand that I am just like

you… Please understand….

Copyright of www.fibrohugs.com Written by J. Waller