Music and the Beast known as Fibro

[Guest guest]

I have a question for you veterans of pain and physical torment no

matter its manifestation.

Granted, I'm no stranger to pain.

Does music help you keep your focus off the pain?

Does your belief system, no matter what it is, help you in the same way?

What physical things do each of you do, if you can, to keep the pain

from putting you in bed for days or weeks at a time?

What mental exercises are the best way to prevent depression from

swallowing you whole?

I understand that the combination of lacking doctor's understanding,

lacking true medical documentation and research, and lacking in true

mental health coverage and support in regard to connective tissue

chaos, causes all sorts of stress on the body human, especially with

those of us who suffer through the chaos every hour of every day.

A Testimony to Pain

© A. Neff - 2008

We fight the fog,

Endure the pain;

We fight the bog,

Depression would gain.

We face the critics,

Naysayers all;

And hope nobody picks,

The shopping mall.

Please let me walk,

At my own pace;

Listen to me talk,

Truth is my case.

Hear my fear,

Filling my soul;

Fight each tear,

Knowing the goal.

For this beast,

Lives deep inside;

My body its feast,

Bounty does provide.

Taking over life,

One ache at a time;

Giving enough strife,

With each hour's chime.

[Guest guest]

Music has always helped my soul. It is very much a part of who I am. It hurts

incredibly that I am not able to participate at church musically while my DH and

girls do. Nevertheless, listening to music at home does keep my spirits up.

I've just started having music on while I'm online.

I use my belief system to pray for others in the group all the time. I don't

use it for myself very much. Not sure why, just don't think about it.

My mental exercise is reading. It is also an escape, and I usually read in bed,

so might not qualify.

Jeanne in WI

I have a question for you veterans of pain and physical torment no matter its

manifestation.

Granted, I'm no stranger to pain.

Does music help you keep your focus off the pain?

Does your belief system, no matter what it is, help you in the same way?

What physical things do each of you do, if you can, to keep the pain from

putting you in bed for days or weeks at a time?

What mental exercises are the best way to prevent depression from swallowing

you whole?

[Guest guest]

I love music and singing. I use music for motivation and to sooth stress. I like

all kinds of music.

I also take a short walk each day, if able to keep pain at bay. Hot showers or

baths help also.

Using positive affirmations also helps with my depression.

Jeanne and Dave wrote:

Music has always helped my soul. It is very much a part of who I am. It hurts

incredibly that I am not able to participate at church musically while my DH and

girls do. Nevertheless, listening to music at home does keep my spirits up. I've

just started having music on while I'm online.

I use my belief system to pray for others in the group all the time. I don't use

it for myself very much. Not sure why, just don't think about it.

My mental exercise is reading. It is also an escape, and I usually read in bed,

so might not qualify.

Jeanne in WI

I have a question for you veterans of pain and physical torment no matter its

manifestation.

Granted, I'm no stranger to pain.

Does music help you keep your focus off the pain?

Does your belief system, no matter what it is, help you in the same way?

What physical things do each of you do, if you can, to keep the pain from

putting you in bed for days or weeks at a time?

What mental exercises are the best way to prevent depression from swallowing you

whole?

[Guest guest]

Hi Loretta - Thanks for sharing. I think it's great that you are playing in

your band again, even if our musical tastes probably don't mesh. I will keep

you in my thoughts and prayers that you do find your hope again. Take care.

Jeanne in WI

Music is also important to me. It helps me get away from the situation. My

hubby got me XM so that I would have the music I want instead of listening to

constant commercials and bad music from the

local channels. We have also started our band back up and it has helped me

tremendously. I sing lead, and its awesome to get up on stage and perform for

others. Its a real ego boost to see the kids look up at you like you really are

something...

My belief system, i don't know that I have one other than I try to stay

positive about things. I also have begun to ask myself if the things i do out

of habit are not good for me. People never know how depressed I am, because

when I am around others I try to focus on

them. THat helps me, because I'm the type of person people love to talk to

about problems and such, and helping others makes me feel good.

I sometimes do a yoga/pilates routine I learned from an arthritis book. It

helps me stay limber. I also try to stay as active and I can, within my

physical limitations.

Right now my fibro isnt as bad as it once was, but it's come back due to

stress in my marriage. But I think that if I try to work through my pain and

trauma, it will be a pain I can stand more, be less painful... I just have to

get my hope back.

Loretta

[Guest guest]

Music is the ONLY thing that will completely keep my mind off of the pain.

I'm a huge music fan. I have a large collection of music (around 1,000

cd's) and I really enjoy going to see live music. Getting out for the live

music is hard, but once they start playing I forget about everything else.

Sometimes I pay for it the next day with a bad migraine, but I think it is

worth it.