Okay, so I don’t actually think “invalid” is a great word to apply to people…but it certainly sounds melodramatic and old-fashioned.

Over the summer, I’ve had a rise in the interference that fibromyalgia can cause in my life. Namely, two parts fatigue, plus one part pain, shaken up with my expectations to be fully functioning has created a sort of bitter cocktail. I’ve been mad about it. I’m working with my doctor, and we’re on a good path, it’s just annoying.

Granted, this is the best time in history to have any kind of sickness. I would be dead several times over 150 years ago. I probably wouldn’t have made it through my breech birth, then the chicken pox at 3 or any number of upper respiratory infections throughout childhood would probably have killed me. But, no doubt, had I made it to adulthood in the 19th century, I would have had “a delicate constitution” or “the vapours” or, probably, just “weakness.” Hopefully, I’d have been rich enough to stay inside and embroider things.

Most of the time, I don’t feel too terrible. I’ve had this condition for a long time, and I usually know what to do to mitigate it. Still, I feel a little pitiful, and not like the powerful and vibrant person I actually am, when I have to take a nap everyday to be a human.

Disclaimer 1: I still don’t have anything like the full body pain that lots of people experience, and I’m not complaining. I am a lucky, lucky duck, and I cannot emphasize that enough.

Disclaimer 2: There are so many worse things that could happen to me than having to take a lot of naps.

I’ve decided that if I have to spend more time in bed than I really desire, I should at least get to be a starlet of chronic illness. Here is my list of things I want to increase the glamour of this whole experience: Continue reading “My Glamorous Invalid Wish List” →