Even With Fibromyalgia, I Have Plenty to be Thankful For!

Chronic, debilitating conditions like fibromyalgia (FMS) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS or ME/CFS) take away a lot of good things, and they can make it hard to see the good things that are left. I want to take a moment this Thanksgiving Day to think about everything I have to be thankful for.

First has to be my family. My husband is the most amazing, supportive, understanding, and all-around good person I've ever met. My kids ... where to begin? Because they have a sick mother, they've learned compassion and self-sufficiency at an early age. My 6-year-old son wants to be a scientist and find a cure for, as he says, fiber-my-ow-ja. My daughter, who just turned 4, is eager to help with all the things it's hard for me to do.

I'm thankful for my job here. My forum and the wonderful people I've met there are an important part of my life and my coping strategy. I give a lot of time there, but I get much more from it than I put into it. This job also keeps me on top of research and allows me a voice - something many of us with these conditions feel we are denied. I love research and writing, so really I couldn't have custom-designed a better job to do from my couch!

I'm thankful for a warm, cozy home in a nice neighborhood. I'm thankful that my kids can go to good schools. I'm thankful for good friends. I'm thankful that FMS and ME/CFS are becoming more accepted as physical illnesses and that researchers are understanding more about them. I'm thankful that my health has improved tremendously in the last year.

On bad days, it's hard to find anything to be thankful for. I hope this Thanksgiving that you're feeling well enough to find at least a few things. If you're feeling lonely today, or at any time, come by the Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome community forum. You'll find a group of people there who understand, and that's something any of us can be thankful for.

Suggested Reading:

• Coping Emotionally with Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
• 10 Ways to Survive Holiday Shopping
• The Holiday Survival Guide

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