Re: It's OK to be happy, Melody

[Guest guest]

Thanks hon. I almost feel like I'm going to anger people or get banned

for being happy and remaining strong. I've never fit in my whole life,

I've never been like everyone else, why should it be different even in a

fibro group, LOL! I always gotta go and be different. Guess part of it

is my rebellious nature.

I've battled this thing for 13 years and at one point I completely

surrendered to it, I gave up hope as well as the will to live, and I

nearly died. That's no lie either. I knew something had to change or I

would lose this battle, and all these years later I feel better than

ever since first experiencing symptoms. Not that I don't have crappy

days or suffer excruciating pain like everyone else, just ask the hubby,

I just have a different outlook I guess. It takes a lot to keep me

down, and the hubby and I have even gotten into arguments over me doing

too much. He thinks I should take it easy but I said I refuse to just

do nothing. He knows when I do too much I suffer later, but I just got

to where I knew I'd suffer later anyway, might as well have a clean house.

A friend recently told me that she read an article that said those who

keep a positive attitude while fighting cancer are the ones who beat

it. Well why can't that work with fibro or any other disease? I mean I

know that until they know how to treat it, it's not going away, but

keeping a positive attitude has had a tremendous positive affect on my

overall health and boosted my immune system by leaps and bounds. If you

saw me ten years ago and saw me today you'd see the difference. I was

95 lbs and very sickly back then, and very suicidal. I may be ten years

older and ten years longer dealing with fibro, with ten years more fine

lines and wrinkles, and eye bags, but I feel younger, prettier and more

vibrant than I did ten years ago. And I've got this fibro thing under

control enough that it doesn't bog me down like it did ten years ago.

If I can keep the rest of my health in check, then my fibro feels

better. I flare when I come down with something, so I try to let my

body fight off things by exercising, vitamins, trying to eat more fruits

and veggies since I'm a chip-a-holic. Something must be working, I've

only caught mild versions of whatever is going around this year, and

they are short lived. Hubby had three colds and I didn't get them,

unless you count half a day where I felt it coming on but I never got it.

I know not everyone can face the beast head on like this, it does take

time and baby stepping, trust me I know. I just got tired of letting it

win over me. I just couldn't do that anymore. It was as if I had two

choices to make - fight or die. I chose to fight.

Having been to the rock bottom and back, I feel I can be of help to

those who need it. I'm here to listen and offer advice and cheer you

on. Don't give up, don't let it win! We can be strong through this and

we can lift eachother up.

Jeanne and Dave wrote:

> I'm glad you're happy, Melody. It's OK to be happy. I appreciate you

> sharing your philosophy on how you deal with the monster. I'm sure it does

> help to think about their mind-set on their situations.

> Jeanne in WI

>