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| Autumn colors in Lori's yard in Missouri |
I keep informed about the latest news on fibromyalgia research and I'll bet you do too. There are books available that claim they know the answer for a cure. From my experience there are fibro flares or excacerbations and there can be varying levels of remissions. When people experience a significant remission they rejoyce and celebrate their victory and welcome the return of wellness. They believe they have reclaimed their "life" defined as a youthful exuberance. But fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue lurk in the background waiting to strike again with a vengence. Being in denial does have its benefits, but as this illness marches on the reality of our lives becomes clearer and more difficult to avoid. Current research indicates that fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue are due to central nervous system sensitization, but what causes the central nervous system to be overly sensitive to stimuli? So we still don't know the root cause of this illness, therefore treatment continues to be focused on symptom management. The reality of symptom management is we must spend every hour of every day managing those symptoms. Each of us is familiar with our own particular fibro rhythm that we experience every day with little variation. How productive is it for us to wait for a cure so we can return to our previous wellness plateau?
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| Rose in Lori's garden in Missouri |
It seems to me that life is lived as a series of chapters in a book that is continuously in the process of being written. Some chapters are longer than others and there are times when chapters are frequently revisited and revised. When chapters are revisited and revised that means that new chapters fail to unfold and that life book becomes stagnant. Reminiscing about the past means existing in a static state and new life chapters fail to be written. There are no dramas, no adventures, and no comedies added to our rich life experiences. It's as if we have chosen to hang in a sort of suspended animation that is equivalent to being in a self-induced coma. That seems to be a sad choice for any of
